Welcome to the Black Skylark Z-Ped Music Player, companion site to Bright Skylark Literary Productions and home of the world-famous Encyclopedia of the Harlem Renaissance. (vintage 1995 photo of Aberjhani in downtown Savannah by Wayne Moore for the Georgia Guardian)

I’ve been fortunate enough to win a few awards, most recently a 2011 VIP DOT in the Michael Jackson Tribute Portrait. Also: Featured Blogger at Red Room; BEST POET AND SPOKEN WORD ARTIST in the 2006 Connect Savannah Readers' Poll and POET OF THE MONTH for January 2007 at THE WRITING FORUM. I'm also a recipient of the Irene Tromble McAlister Literary Prize, and won selection as the “Critic’s Pick” for “Best Savannah Author” in the CREATIVE LOAFING Entertainment Magazine’s “Best of Savannah Year 2000” poll. I have also been included in CONTEMPORARY AUTHORS (published by Gale), which since 1962 has been the most authoritative reference on world authors.

A CHRONOLOGY OF MY LITERARY WORKS: May 2008--Book of poetry with art by Luther E. Vann: ELEMENTAL, The Power of Illuminated Love. December 2007--Book of poetry: THE BRIDGE OF SILVER WINGS (Black Skylark Singing Press, ISBN 9780966235609) Nov. 12, 2007--Novel: CHRISTMAS WHEN MUSIC ALMOST KILLED THE WORLD (Black Skylark Singing Press) 3 November, 2006: THE GODDESS AND THE SKYLARK, DANCING THROUGH THE WORD LABYRINTH, PRESENTED BY RAHKTY, CD released: http://www.lulu.com/skylarkshine 19 October, 2006: VISIONS OF A SKYLARK DRESSED IN BLACK published by BPS E-Publishing. August 17, 2005, cover story "The Artist Known as Pleasant," published in Connect Savannah News Magazine. August 2005 poem "Fulton Street/The Series" published in ESSENCE Magazine. July 2005 published one article, three stories, and six poems in the online literary magazine EXPOSE’D.The article is: February 15, 2003, The History That Peace Made. The stories are: The Us That Never Was, Angels & Shakespeare, and Birth as Prologue. The poems are: Christ Listening to Stereo, Coffee Morning Rhapsody, DarkMagusMilesAhead #7, In Regard to a Poet’s Birthday, Koo 12, and Poets Everywhere and Always. May 2005 two poems, "Botanical Gardens #2" and "In a Quiet Place on a Quiet Street" published in ESSENCE Magazine. April 2005 poem "Star People" published in ESSENCE Magazine. January 5, 2005, launched The Black Skylark Z-Ped Music Player web site on AuthorsDen. January 2005, essay "The Light and the Way of Luther E. Vann" published in PERSISTENCE OF DREAMS anthology. September 2004 essay "Strength to Carry On" published in REDBRIDGE REVIEW online literary magazine. February 2004 poem "Coffee Morning Rhapsody" published in ESSENCE Magazine. September 2003 book ENCYCLOPEDIA OF THE HARLEM RENAISSANCE (co-authored by Sandra L. West) published by Facts On File. August 2003 book THE WISDOM OF W. E. B. DU BOIS published by Kensington Books as part of the Citadel Press imprint Philosophical Library Series. January 2003 poem "DarkMagusMilesAhead #7" published in ESSENCE Magazine. December 2001 poem "The Light That Never Dies" published in ESSENCE Magazine. November 2001 poem "In a Quiet Place on a Quiet Street" published in anthology SONS OF LOVERS. April 2001 correspondence with Bruce Reilly "Last Night Was Einstein’s Face" published in 2001 SAVANNAH LITERARY JOURNAL. November 2000 second edition book of short stories and poetry, I MADE MY BOY OUT OF POETRY, published by iUniverse.Com. April 2000 poem "Sweet Brother Beat-Bop Daddy K (3/12/22-10/21/69)" published in 2000 SAVANNAH LITERARY JOURNAL. Winner of Irene Tromble McAlister Literary Prize for 2000. December 1999 two poems "Every Hour Henceforth" and "Family Reunion: Remembering the Ancestors" published in ESSENCE Magazine End-of-the-Century Collector’s Edition. February 1998 first edition book of short fiction and poetry, I MADE MY BOY OUT OF POETRY, published by Washington Press. Spring 1998 poem "Return to Savannah" published in LITERARY SAVANNAH, an historical anthology of Savannah, Georgia. November 1997 cover story "This Mother’s Son" published in ESSENCE as part of “The Many Ways of Looking at a Black Man” feature. Photo of author included with profiles of: entrepreneur Sean Puffy Combs; singer Maxwell; writer Michel Marriott; political activist Geronimo Ji Jaga Pratt; and John Edgar Wideman; and golfer Tiger Woods. November 1997 limited edition collection of poetry, BLOODBEATS, with illustrations by Christine Cummings published independently. June 1997 poems "Washington Park #162," "blackman sitting on a rock," and "The Man That Poetry Made" published in SMOG (Savannah-areA Mensa of Georgia) Magazine. May 1997 short fiction "That Poem Is Not My Brother" and poem "An Open Letter to Poets Everywhere and Always" published in The Dull Fly magazine. December 1996 poems "Crossing the Bridge of Bones" and "The Unseen Companion" published in The DULL FLY magazine. November 1996 poem "Return to Savannah" published in 1997 SAVANNAH LITERARY JOURNAL. October 1996 essay "And Now for the Joy of Hunab Ku" and poem "Calligraphy of Intimacy" published in OUT OF THE BLUE magazine. September 26, 1996 literary review “Eye of the Eagle” published in CREATIVE LOAFING Weekly Entertainment Magazine. September 1996 filmed recording of reading for poem "Return to Savannah" published on DISCOVER SAVANNAH CD-ROM. September 1996 poem "Considerations: the Funky Thing About It" published in THE DUFF FLY. September 1996 poem "Lost in My Father’s Room" published in OUT OF THE BLUE. August 1996 poems "Sunrise" and "Jazzbabydoll" published in THE DULL FLY. May 18 1996 special feature of column "Visionary Vibes: Savannah by the Numbers Part 2" published in CREATIVE LOAFING. May 4, 1996 special feature of column "Visionary Vibes: Savannah by the Numbers Part 1" published in CREATIVE LOAFING. April 1996 editorial and poem "WillieMae Sketched in Years of Blue" published in HOMEGROWN POETRY JOURNAL Commemorative Edition. February 14, 1996 poem "A Letter Came Today" published with interview in SAVANNAH TRIBUNE. November 1995 creative nonfiction "Angels & Shakespeare" published in 1996 SAVANNAH LITERARY JOURNAL. September 1995 poem "Divine Morphology" published in POETS, ARTISTS, & MADMEN. August 12, 1995 column "Visionary Vibes: Psychic Sleuthing" published in CREATIVE LOAFING. February 24, 1995 poem "We Sang This for Shekhem" published in GEORGIA GUARDIAN. December 22, 1994 literary review “Santa’s Autobiography”: Enchantment Spanning Centuries published in GEORGIA GUARDIAN. December 11, 1994 poem excerpt from "I Made My Boy Out of Poetry" published in SAVANNAH NEWS-PRESS. November 1994 short fiction "Shadows and Prayers and Light"; and poems "Miguel Upon the Sand Dunes of Ecstasy and Hell", "I Made My Boy Out of Poetry", and "From the Life Between Living" published in the 1994 SAVANNAH LITERARY JOURNAL. November 5, 1994 column "Visionary Vibes: The Sexual Side of Spirituality" published in CREATIVE LOAFING. September 1994 poems "The Brother, The Keeper," and "In a Quiet Place on a Quiet Street" published in GOT OUR OWN SOULS (Oyster Knife Publishing) anthology. September 24, 1994 column "Visionary Vibes: Empowerment Through Creative Visualization" published in CREATIVE LOAFING. September 23, 1994 literary review “South of Haunted Dreams”: a Mixed Memoir published in GEORGIA GUARDIAN. September 10, 1994 column "Visionary Vibes: Getting to Know Your Psychic Self" published in CREATIVE LOAFING. August 12, 1994 literary essay "Lorde and Daniell: a Tale of Two Poets" published in GEORGIA GUARDIAN. August 8, 1994 column "Visionary Vibes: Seeking Guidance on the Path" published in CREATIVE LOAFING. August 6, 1994 "Visionary Vibes: The Power of the Aura" published in CREATIVE LOAFING. July 16, 1994 column "Visionary Vibes: Touring the Astral Way" published in CREATIVE LOAFING. July 9, 1994 column "Visionary Vibes: Dream a Little Dream" published in CREATIVE LOAFING. July 7 1994 literary review Butler’s “Parable” a Powerful Tale of the Future published in GEORGIA GUARDIAN. June 18, 1994 column "Visionary Vibes: Art and Souls in the Painted Universe" published in CREATIVE LOAFING. June 4,1994 column "Visionary Vibes: Dealing With the Spook Factor" published in CREATIVE LOAFING. June 3, 1994 literary review “Dark of the Moon” Shines With Brilliance published in GEORGIA GUARDIAN. Spring 1994 literary review “Race Matters” Tackles Tough Issues published in SAVANNAH HERALD. May 21, 1994 column "Visionary Vibes: Through the Doors of Reincarnation" published in CREATIVE LOAFING. May 7, 1994 column "Visionary Vibes: the Angelic Presence" published in CREATIVE LOAFING. April 23, 1994 column "Visionary Vibes: Sampling the New Age Buffet" debuts in CREATIVE LOAFING Entertainment Weekly. February 25, 1994 poem "Family Reunion: Remembering the Ancestors (In Addition to My Blackness)" published in GEORGIA GUARDIAN. February 14, 1994 short fiction "Kidnapped by Bliss" published in GEORGIA GUARDIAN. 1993 poems "Past, Present & Future are One (after a painting by Luther E. Vann)" and "The Light, That Never Dies" published in GEORGIA GUARDIAN. October 8, 1993 literary review "The Life & Grace of Arthur Ashe" published in GEORGIA GUARDIAN. September 24, 1993 short fiction "Me, Jason, the Beautiful One" published in GEORGIA GUARDIAN. August 6, 1993 literary review “The Famished Road”: Odyssey Through African Boyhood published in GEORGIA GUARDIAN. July 2, 1993 poem "Thoughts on the Future" and literary review “The Infinite Plan”: a Romantic Survey of American Diversity published in GEORGIA GUARDIAN. May 28, 1993 short fiction "Elijah’s Skin" published in GEORGIA GUARDIAN. April 1993 literary essay “The Immoralist”: The Love and Evil of Andre Gide published in GEORGIA GUARDIAN. March 12, 1993 literary essay “The Subterraneans” Revisited: Checking Out Jack Kerouac in the Age of Multiculturalism published in GEORGIA GUARDIAN weekly news. Summer 1992 poem "blackman sitting on a rock" published in AFRICAN AMERICAN REVIEW.

CREATIVE THINKERS INTERNATIONAL
The purpose of Creative Thinkers International, also known as The CTI Initiative, is to help inspire positive creative responses to the challenges and the joys of twenty-first century life through all forms of writing, the visual arts, music, the social sciences, spiritual awareness, and philosophical inquiry. The online community is a growing one. Membership is free and site guidelines are posted on the main page.

KEEPERS OF THE SPIRIT
Gifted photographer John Zeuli has won international recognition for his portrayal of people captured in illuminated moments of playfulness, quiet peace, and deep reflection. I am happy to acknowledge that his photo of me was used to help create the cover for THE GODDESS AND THE SKYLARK, DANCING THROUGH THE WORD LABYRINTH CD. With his highly acclaimed KEEPERS OF THE SPIRIT exhibit, Zeuli's talents revealed him to be a shining spiritual presence in his own right. In addition to people in typical everyday scenes, the series (one of several) contains a gallery of renowned authors and I am honored to be featured among them. They include: Coleman Barks (famed for his translations of Rumi as well for his own poetry) Orson Scott Card, Harry Crews, Dr. Larry Dossey, Peter Straub, Maxine Swann, and Andrew Vachss.

Aberjhani and the Michael Jackson Tribute Portrait
I was very surprised and honored when awarded a VIP Dot in the Michael Jackson Tribute Portrait. The MJ Tribute Portrait is a phenomenal project that not only proposes to be largest such tribute project in the world but also, in the manner of Michael Jackson himself, one of the most benevolent. Central to the project is a portrait in progress by renowned artist David Ilan, who has used his talent for pointilism to create images of a number of iconic celebrities. The goal with the MJ Tribute Portrait is to place one dot in the name of one million individuals each to complete the portrait and help maintain Jackson's humanitarian legacy. That I was honored with a dot in the great artist and humanitarian's heart moves me tremendously.

CREATIVE SPIRIT OF THE HARLEM RENAISSANCE
The determined spirit of creativity, inspiration, and belief in the higher ideals of humanity that characterized the Harlem Renaissance not only continues to endure in the twenty-first century, but to flourish in numerous beautiful ways. It is to define, document, and honor this Second Harlem Renaissance and all it has to offer that CREATIVE SPIRIT OF THE HARLEM RENAISSANCE has been established. These pages will include both general and scholarly reflections on the movement as well as book reviews, poetry, mini-essays, art, and other inspired musings. Enjoy.