THE QUOTE

If the SuperBowl is the ultimate game, how
come there is another one next year?

    - Duane Thomas, Dallas Cowboy Running Back.

1972

G

Yesterday I had a fun conversation with the poet and teacher giovanni singleton.
We are always laughing about literary politics. g is responsible for editing 4 issues
of "Nocturnes" magazine. A journal ahead of it's time. It would be nice for a small college
or a large university to house her publication. If only I were a rich man.
Love you g.

THE E-GROUP

Yesterday I pulled together another E-Group meeting. This one was held at my house. A wonderful meeting of good minds sitting around a table. I hope to have 2 more in 2016. When I come across an interesting essay I reach out to a few friends and invite them to meet. It's like Ellington putting a small band together. Intellectual conversation is the foundation on which we build citizenship. This week the E-Group discussed "Who Benefits From A Post-Paris "Clash of Civilizations "? by Tom Englehardt.

The first and second E-Group looked at:
"The Death of the Artist-and the Birth of the Creative Entrepreneur " by William Deresiewicz.
" A World Without Work" by Derek Thompson.

In Search of Malcolm Little

Every life wears its crown. I find it interesting that the names of the departed black men we cherish and remember are not choir boys. Some have been hardheads and hoodlums. History is changed by those who stumble and those who march. Leadership however should never be a lottery. If we find ourselves following gangsters and hustlers then we need to check our moral compass. We all have the capacity to lead but only after personal transformation.  The idea that every young person has better ideas is as foolish as thinking every gray hair represents wisdom. I see many black boys being Malcolm Littles - not an X in their head about their history or plight. All they possess is a new black rage - anger against the police and everything white. This is Clockwork Orange and the new black. Violence is now a quickie for everything in the way. Never has there been such collective despair in our cities. When the next Malcolm Little is caught and sent to jail - let's hope someone finds him sleeping with the dictionary.

Looking for Mr. Oscar.

Every year I sit in theaters and watch trailers for black movies I know I will pray to forget. I cringe when black talent is forced back into coonery. I've also seen movies every year where a black actor should be given two Oscars and receive not even a nomination. Then there are the black movies I'm suppose to like and praise and the NAACP gives a jackass stamp image award for race pride. I know in the back of my mind DuBois is talking to Booker and neither could return to explain this commercial nonsense. Still we survive. We want to win Oscars the way we once wanted black quarterbacks to never throw an interception and setback the race. It's 2016 and we continue to measure progress by movies and not by an end to poverty and other ills. One goes to movies for escape and entertainment or maybe to just feel good in the dark. We need to reject the terrible habits that come from being a "popcorn" race lacking at times butter and the salt of genius.

Quote of the Day

I've got scars that can't be seen.

        - David Bowie

New work by E. Ethelbert Miller

My new work can be found in the lastest issues of these publications:

American Book Review, March/April 2015, Volume 36, Number 3. Here one will find my review of Gabriel Fried's HEART OF THE ORDER: BASEBALL POEMS.

CLA JOURNAL. Volume 58/Numbers 3-4/March/June 2015.

My poem "Is This The History of Air?" is included in a special section focusing 

on violence towards black bodies in the 21st Century.

Is America heading into "Cruz" control?  The fact that Ted Cruz is from Texas might be enough
to get him on the Republican ticket. VP Cruz?
How conservative will America become in the next 4 years?
Any act of terrorism on US soil places a right-wing foot on American democracy.

Next month I will begin hosting "On The Margin" a weekly radio program on WPFW.
This is the show my friend Jo Reed hosted for many years. I've invited her to be my first
guest. Much to do...

Well it's 2016 and my Collected Poems will be out. I plan to ignore all reviews. I doubt if the book will be nominated for any awards. Hopefully my work will find an audience with hearts that care about the path humans are on. So much of African American culture is being destroyed from within.
The Talented Tenth no longer live in the neighborhood. We have fallen victim to want Eady once described as the latest dance craze.We continue to kiss the fool's butt. Why do we follow people who have loss their moral compass?  How long will black culture be held hostage by gangsters? I fear only the renegade ghosts can save us now.

A New Year outside my window. Can I ignore it by staying indoors?
2016 will be a year of transformation without any great expectations.
Back to basics and little things.
No lists or dreams this time- only simple pleasures.

The Price of The Ticket

Waiting for the year to end without a ticket in my hand. Where is destination 2016?
Who will I meet? What will I see?
So often I wish there were two trains running.

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The Writing Life

Taylor Branch Hosts Timothy Jenkins

Historian Taylor Branch, author of the award-winning trilogy about Martin Luther King Jr. and the civil rights movement, speaks with writer and public interest lawyer Timothy Jenkins about Branch’s work. At the time of this show’s recording, Branch had written two of the trilogy, the Pulitzer Prize-winning Parting the Waters: America in the King Years 1954-1963, and the award-winning Pillar of Fire: America in the King Years 1963-1965. Branch says that these stories are “quintessentially American,” and though King is the main figure, many of the leaders and foot soldiers of the Civil Rights movement are portrayed in his books. Branch had planned to become a doctor, but watching the students in Birmingham in 1963, he was “awestruck,” and determined to tell their tale. Branch talks about the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (of which Jenkins was founder), Malcolm X, the flaws and strengths of King, the paranoia in the FBI and the role of women in the movement. Branch says that King’s having “one foot in the Constitution and one in the Scriptures” produced a more powerful case for integration and equality.  Recorded in 2000.  For more information on HoCoPoLitSo's live or recorded programs, visit www.hocopolitso.org.

The Writing Life airs Tuesdays at 11am, 4pm and 7pm, Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 3pm.

Visit www.hocopolitso.org for more information.

  

2015 BOOK OF THE YEAR

My book of the year is THE WORDS AND WISDOM OF CHARLES JOHNSON published by Dzanc Books. 

This 672 page book is an outgrowth of my 2011 year long project of interviewing the novelist Charles Johnson. Inside this tome one will find Johnson's view on Buddhism, the craft of writing, and so much more.

See Link:

http://historynewsnetwork.org/article/158906

Movement of Jah People

Along with religion being the defining issue of the 21st century, the next few decades should see a movement of large numbers of people and the redefining of borders between nations. Wars, natural disasters and climate change should cause people to move to new locations. This could create pockets of cultural conflicts and possible genocide in some regions. Migrants will always be cast as the "other" when there are too many strangers suddenly appearing on a corner, or speaking a different language. Poverty too often is naked and has not even a blanket for warmth. Look for countries to suffer political instability and seek quick solutions. Much rhetoric and hate talk helps to build walls. Walls are just another way of explaining blindness. If we keep going steady with fear- all homecomings will be difficult. Exodus is just another way of looking into a mirror.

Al-Mutanabbi Street Starts Here DC January - March 2016 Al-Mutanabbi Street Starts Here DC 2016 is a book arts and cultural festival planned for January through March 2016, throughout the Washington, DC area. Exhibits, programs, and events will commemorate the 2007 bombing of Baghdad's historic bookselling street and celebrate the free exchange of ideas and knowledge. Join us as we stand in solidarity with the people of Iraq who have endured so much and with people at home and abroad who are unable to make their voices heard.  Featured poets, translators, and critics will be: Kareem James Abu-Zeid, Amal al-Jubouri, Hala Alyan, Beau Beausoleil, Safia Elhillo, Fady Joudah, Amal Kassir, Philip Metres, Dunya Mikhail, M Lynx Qualey, and Sholeh Wolpé. More information is available on the festival website.

2015 was a good year to transition out of Howard University.  2016 will hopefully be one of transformation. New horizons and projects. Time to push ahead in the last quarter of my life.

December 20, 2015 View in browser Forward to a Friend

The Two Freedoms Whatever your difficulties—a devastated heart, financial loss, feeling assaulted by the conflicts around you, or a seemingly hopeless illness—you can always remember that you are free in every moment to set the compass of your heart to your highest intentions. In fact, the two things that you are always free to do—despite your circumstances—are to be present and to be willing to love. —Jack Kornfield, "Set the Compass of Your Heart"

BRUCE DUFFY

I had big fun talking with novelist Bruce Duffy yesterday. I ran into him at the Starbucks near DuPont Circle. Duffy wrote THE WORLD AS I FOUND IT. This was the book everyone was talking about back in 1987. Some critics consider it a classic. At the center of the novel is the philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein. Duffy just completed work on a new novel. I guess we all have something to look forward to. I can't wait to cut the cake and read.

Photo by Ethelbert

THE MOVING OF THE INSTITUTE FOR POLICY STUDIES (Remarks made at the IPS Holiday Party)

2015 found many people around the world on the move. Sadly it was because of wars and natural disasters. Some moves are done without farewells or goodbyes. For those of us involved with social and political movements we embrace the motion of history, we try to keep moving in a progressive direction. It was Paul Simon who once proclaimed these are the days of miracles and wonder.

IPS is moving and yes- we are moving on up. IPS is not just a workplace, it's a home for ideas, a place where people can share intellectual fellowship, a home where a weary activist can find sustenance and support and the encouragement to keep on keepin on.

It's amazing seeing this organization moving to a new location next February. Special thanks to Tiffany Williams for her work and leadership in finding us a new location.

We leave a place where many people sat in this conference room. Here we talked about the world - the one we dreamed about and the one we wanted to change.

Now comes the time for us to renew our efforts to improve our economic conditions, our environment, our protection of human rights. Now comes the time to renew our commitment to helping new leaders emerge, helping voices celebrate and sing new spirituals.

IPS is a home and not a workplace. As the poet June Jordan once wrote - we are always moving towards home; a place where love resides, a place where there is shelter from the storm.

There has been much talk about what will become of the mural in our conference room. A mural created by Andy Shallal that documents the early IPS history.

Well, if there is a little Buddha in each of us, then we know nothing is permanent. This should remind us about what life and struggle is all about. It is constant - it never ends.

We are moving next year to a space with many windows, perhaps a Paradise of Light.
A place where we can work to perfect our vision.

Near DuPont Circle let us create our own circle - one of happiness and joy.
May we work together so that others will have more and know more.

We look forward to our new days in our new space.

We will soon celebrate Spring again after surviving another winter in America.

And this is why I continue to hold fast to hope and the glitter of poems that have the potential to become starlight.


 - E. Ethelbert Miller
   IPS Board Chair
   December 16, 2015

New Location: