Poetry Language by Camille T. Dungy
Silence is one part of speech, the war cry
of wind down a mountain pass another.
A stranger’s voice echoing through lonely
valleys, a lover’s voice rising so close
it’s your own tongue: these are keys to cipher,
the way the high hawk’s key unlocks the throat
of the sky and the coyote’s yip knocks
it shut, the way the aspens’ bells conform
to the breeze while the rapid’s drum defines
resistance. Sage speaks with one voice, pinyon
with another. Rock, wind her hand, water
her brush, spells and then scatters her demands.
some notes tear and pebble our paths. Some notes
gather: the bank we map our lives around.
From Black Nature: Four Centuries of African American Nature Poetry, edited by Camille T. Dungy. Copyright 2006 by Camille T. Dungy
Book Reviews– In the section Stewards of Earth & Home you will find my review of Nature and Madness, by Paul Shepard
Articles: If you have an interest in Futurism and fashion, like me you were more than blown away by the wardrobe of the inhabitants of Wakanda; meet the designer of that wardrobe. “The Afrofuturistic Designs of ‘Black Panther’” https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/23/movies/black-panther-afrofuturism-costumes-ruth-carter.html
Cinema – As a result of an interest in developing and designing my own line of clothing, which I haven’t given up on, I’ve viewed some informative documentaries like True Cost and Walmart: The High Cost of Low Price; these documentaries opened my eyes to the impact that the fashion industry has on the planet and suggested that I re-examine my desire to make clothing. Two weeks ago, I viewed a documentary that looked at fashion from another perspective, the perspective of Alexander McQueen. A designer, creator of runway-performance art, artist, McQueen was nothing short of brilliant; he did more than push the envelope; he redesigned it in a tartan pattern. This documentary takes a look at this multi-faceted, award-winning British designer and gives insights into the demons that haunted him. The documentary is available on Amazon and if you are a prime member, it’s free to view as a part of your subscription.