Breath of My Ancestors-Recollection from the Conscience of an Afican in Amnerica is a collection of culturally sensitive poetry, essay observations and originally written slave narratives.
I was motivated to write this by my experience growing up in the first black public-assistance housing project in America. Being raised fatherless by a single mother with very few resources, I learned first hand how miss-education, poverty and despair can destroy whole neighborhoods and leech one’s soul. The deliberate removal of African Americans from the history books and the willful use of propaganda to demean and degrade my people sort of galvanized me and made me determined to find out the truth about myself.
Once I started unearthing the truth and finding so many instances where black people contributed, and in fact lead society I was encouraged to find out more. After being misled and taught that Black’s were lazy and shiftless and living down to those expectations, I was elated to learn that not only did we contribute to civilization but my people are almost singularly responsible for all the wealth enjoyed in America.
I was compelled to write this book because I feel it is my duty to inform my people that they have never been lazy and shiftless as they were taught. In fact those who taught those untruths were the ones who stole our labor and our ingenuity. While they sat on the porches of their stately mansions sipping mint juleps, my people worked the fields, tended the flocks, designed, invented and insured America’s prosperity. I feel it is my duty to relay this information to a people who have been starved for truth for 400 years. I feel that I am bound and obligated to help black people raise our self esteem and learn to love ourselves.
Excerpt
Hurricane Observations
According to meteorologists, astronomers, archeologists, seismologists and virtually every other kind of “ologist” that study weather patterns and catastrophic weather conditions, the “hurricane”
is absolutely the most forceful set of weather circumstances known to man. Sebastian Junger author of The Perfect Storm, comments on such weather by stating “a mature hurricane is by far the most powerful event on earth.” He also said, “The combined nuclear arsenals of the United States and the former Soviet Union don’t contain enough energy to keep a hurricane going for one day.”
There have been reports of hurricane whirlpools stretching more than 2000 miles wide with 75 to 100 foot high waves that have sustained wind speeds of more than 200 miles per hour, lasting 7 consecutive days and more.
Storm trackers say these phenomena seem to have a life of their own. They can turn around mid-fury and go in the opposite direction or veer to the left or right as if a spirit were moving them.
Consider that hurricanes seldom if ever come off the Pacific, the Arctic or the Indian Oceans. Hurricanes come off the Atlantic Ocean. They all get started around the western shores of Africa, take virtually the same route as the slave trade and slam primarily into the southern states of America.
They seem to have a mind of their own, turn around mid-fury and take whichever direction they choose. Meteorologists stated that at one point the massive cloud cover of hurricane Frances was as large as the state of Texas and that 119 separate tornadoes spun off hurricane Ivan alone. We all saw hurricanes Charlie, Frances and Ivan during the summer of 2004 cause massive damage and in 2005 hurricane Katrina wreaked havoc and epic destruction.
For all the above reasons and many more,I submit that hurricanes are the BREATH OF MY ANCESTORS.
Note: Since my husband's cancer surgery 4/25/05, this book content has been integrated into the public speaking content for audiences interested in a sassy approach to personal and/or community awareness events. Another chapbook on intimate love poet
Note: Since my husband's cancer surgery 4/25/05, this book content has been integrated into the public speaking content for audiences interested in a sassy approach to personal and/or community awareness events. Another chapbook on intimate love poet
