After the Poetry Reading, Black (with annotations) 5

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113 till I politely shook it, groping elsewhere in my mind through new poems Black enough (the shock that twitched his face said so) to leave a scar. “He’s disappointed,” I thought. And I knew what I meant. 1976-77 1978 113 Racism in France [*Invited to dine by Christian et Jeannine Renaud, Friend friends, I heard the wife say, after my comments on American racism, the opening line here. By no means naïve, they could not fully grasp my attitude; and this poem cannot fully express it. The only details that came from their 5th arrondissement apartment are the 1st line, the cherry pie, the daughter, and the TV to which she escaped.*] “But there’s racism in France too.” She said it almost tenderly, lifting the dessert, the glazed cherries gleaming on the pie, it’s maiden slice for me, the guest. I nodded, noncommittal, at the second piece, their blondish daughter reaching for it, [*Marie Helene Renaud, now married.*] Quick, like almost nine years old, her father’s eye a brake that could not hold; her mother’s hand a lesson lost: in serving him, it’s careful demonstration was outmaneuvered in the in the nearest room by Jacqueline’s favorite TV program, [*I changed Marie-Helene’s name.*] “Once Upon a Time,” her anarchy kept low.

Full description

Poem written by Emanuel in 1976-1977/1978, typed with handwritten notes specifying where he worked on this poem: France, Poland, and Holland. The narrator notices that Black creatives are limited in their art when they set out to only create Black art, without incorporating their individuality. (Page 5)

  • type
    Image
  • created on
  • file format
    jpg
  • file size
    662 KB
  • container title
    James A. Emanuel Papers
  • creator
    James A. Emanuel
  • issue
    BOX 5 FOLDER 12 "Whole Grain and Later Poems of James A. Emanuel (Annotated by the Auhtor), draft, part I, 1995 (2 of 2)
  • rights
    James A. Emanuel Estate
  • rights holder
    James A. Emanuel Estate
  • version
    BOX 5 FOLDER 12 "Whole Grain and Later Poems of James A. Emanuel (Annotated by the Auhtor), draft, part I, 1995 (2 of 2)