Black Words Matter
Paul Laurence Dunbar
This anthology focuses on African-American poets. We start in the 18th century and end with the Harlem Renaissance. Many poets featured are, and were, rarely heard and have been painfully neglected. To be of colour was deemed at best to be second class so few of our poets had the privileges most of us take for granted or a means to market. Down the ages they illuminate the stain on our humanity and its ever-repeating cycle. Over ages, eons and countless generations humanity has sought to better itself. Ideas and cultures have sprung forth creating fertile conditions for change and advancement. We have gathered together as families, clans, tribes and nations in the clear knowledge that together more can be achieved for the individual. New systems have evolved, waxed and waned, been replaced or discarded by bright shiny new ones.
From afar the chances of humanity bettering itself must seem promising. But today's generations find themselves searching not only for answers from others but also from themselves, for solutions to turn a world where privilege, wealth and power reside with the few to be the right of the many. These unequal times will not give way easily. Entrenched interests will promise change and deliver little. This is the real history of the human race. We will claim that education, health care and jobs are for everyone and yet continue to mis-educate, to ignore primary care and offer jobs that even a robot would think twice about.
Those oppressed by race, creed, gender or colour will find the invisible walls of the status quo difficult to overcome. But there is hope - if we collectively want action. When we don’t merely call for that change but when we demand that change from ourselves, and from society. When we charge our political leaders to serve our interests rather than their own.
We may be created equal but society, and ourselves, sort, layer and assemble us all into groups, those it can keep underfoot and those who will have an unequal share. Real change requires all of us to change, to recognise that equal opportunity starts from equal access to resources. We need to praise ourselves less and provoke ourselves to do more, together. If the pain is shared the rewards can be shared.
This volume does not dwell only on equality but covers a very wide range of subjects from recognised masters of the craft such as Paul Laurence Dunbar and Phyllis Wheatley to lesser known poets like Mary E Tucker and Charles Lewis Reason.
The reality is that we are more interested in changing our phones than changing our attitudes and the real changes that will bring. Both can be done in an instant. In an era of disposable everything we stick rigidly to keeping what we have and yet, bleat that oppression is wrong. Fair-weather activists. The news cycle will pass. So does the moment…..until the next time.
In this collection of poems poets down the ages illuminate the stain on our humanity and its ever-repeating cycle. They call and illustrate the need for change.
It's an enduring problem that seeks sensible and enduring solutions.
If it be our will both we and society can change.
They call and illustrate the need for change.
Author - Paul Laurence Dunbar.
Narrator - Darrell Joe.
Published Date - Tuesday, 31 January 2023.
Location:
United States
Description:
This anthology focuses on African-American poets. We start in the 18th century and end with the Harlem Renaissance. Many poets featured are, and were, rarely heard and have been painfully neglected. To be of colour was deemed at best to be second class so few of our poets had the privileges most of us take for granted or a means to market. Down the ages they illuminate the stain on our humanity and its ever-repeating cycle. Over ages, eons and countless generations humanity has sought to better itself. Ideas and cultures have sprung forth creating fertile conditions for change and advancement. We have gathered together as families, clans, tribes and nations in the clear knowledge that together more can be achieved for the individual. New systems have evolved, waxed and waned, been replaced or discarded by bright shiny new ones. From afar the chances of humanity bettering itself must seem promising. But today's generations find themselves searching not only for answers from others but also from themselves, for solutions to turn a world where privilege, wealth and power reside with the few to be the right of the many. These unequal times will not give way easily. Entrenched interests will promise change and deliver little. This is the real history of the human race. We will claim that education, health care and jobs are for everyone and yet continue to mis-educate, to ignore primary care and offer jobs that even a robot would think twice about. Those oppressed by race, creed, gender or colour will find the invisible walls of the status quo difficult to overcome. But there is hope - if we collectively want action. When we don’t merely call for that change but when we demand that change from ourselves, and from society. When we charge our political leaders to serve our interests rather than their own. We may be created equal but society, and ourselves, sort, layer and assemble us all into groups, those it can keep underfoot and those who will have an unequal share. Real change requires all of us to change, to recognise that equal opportunity starts from equal access to resources. We need to praise ourselves less and provoke ourselves to do more, together. If the pain is shared the rewards can be shared. This volume does not dwell only on equality but covers a very wide range of subjects from recognised masters of the craft such as Paul Laurence Dunbar and Phyllis Wheatley to lesser known poets like Mary E Tucker and Charles Lewis Reason. The reality is that we are more interested in changing our phones than changing our attitudes and the real changes that will bring. Both can be done in an instant. In an era of disposable everything we stick rigidly to keeping what we have and yet, bleat that oppression is wrong. Fair-weather activists. The news cycle will pass. So does the moment…..until the next time. In this collection of poems poets down the ages illuminate the stain on our humanity and its ever-repeating cycle. They call and illustrate the need for change. It's an enduring problem that seeks sensible and enduring solutions. If it be our will both we and society can change. They call and illustrate the need for change. Author - Paul Laurence Dunbar. Narrator - Darrell Joe. Published Date - Tuesday, 31 January 2023.
Language:
English
Chapter 1
Duration:00:03:17
Chapter 2
Duration:00:03:16
Chapter 3
Duration:00:03:43
Chapter 4
Duration:00:01:28
Chapter 5
Duration:00:01:21
Chapter 6
Duration:00:02:00
Chapter 7
Duration:00:01:18
Chapter 8
Duration:00:01:06
Chapter 9
Duration:00:02:28
Chapter 10
Duration:00:01:23
Chapter 11
Duration:00:01:11
Chapter 12
Duration:00:00:27
Chapter 13
Duration:00:01:49
Chapter 14
Duration:00:01:32
Chapter 15
Duration:00:12:04
Chapter 16
Duration:00:06:27
Chapter 17
Duration:00:02:13
Chapter 18
Duration:00:02:41
Chapter 19
Duration:00:01:54
Chapter 20
Duration:00:01:58
Chapter 21
Duration:00:01:22
Chapter 22
Duration:00:01:49
Chapter 23
Duration:00:01:28
Chapter 24
Duration:00:01:38
Chapter 25
Duration:00:01:19
Chapter 26
Duration:00:02:18
Chapter 27
Duration:00:03:38
Chapter 28
Duration:00:01:32
Chapter 29
Duration:00:01:02
Chapter 30
Duration:00:04:59
Chapter 31
Duration:00:00:45
Chapter 32
Duration:00:01:32
Chapter 33
Duration:00:04:07
Chapter 34
Duration:00:02:22
Chapter 35
Duration:00:01:35
Chapter 36
Duration:00:01:00
Chapter 37
Duration:00:01:01
Chapter 38
Duration:00:01:04
Chapter 39
Duration:00:01:41
Chapter 40
Duration:00:07:12
Chapter 41
Duration:00:01:33
Chapter 42
Duration:00:01:33
Chapter 43
Duration:00:02:32
Chapter 44
Duration:00:01:17
Chapter 45
Duration:00:00:55
Chapter 46
Duration:00:00:55
Chapter 47
Duration:00:01:13
Chapter 48
Duration:00:00:54
Chapter 49
Duration:00:02:16
Chapter 50
Duration:00:01:20
Chapter 51
Duration:00:04:00
Chapter 52
Duration:00:00:30
Chapter 53
Duration:00:02:17
Chapter 54
Duration:00:02:22
Chapter 55
Duration:00:00:52
Chapter 56
Duration:00:01:28
Chapter 57
Duration:00:01:27
Chapter 58
Duration:00:00:47
Chapter 59
Duration:00:02:33
Chapter 60
Duration:00:03:13
Chapter 61
Duration:00:01:33
Chapter 62
Duration:00:02:22
Chapter 63
Duration:00:03:44
Chapter 64
Duration:00:01:55
Chapter 65
Duration:00:02:42
Chapter 66
Duration:00:01:08
Chapter 67
Duration:00:02:22
Chapter 68
Duration:00:01:38
Chapter 69
Duration:00:01:44
Chapter 70
Duration:00:03:39
Chapter 71
Duration:00:02:49
Chapter 72
Duration:00:00:25
Chapter 73
Duration:00:01:47
Chapter 74
Duration:00:01:42
Chapter 75
Duration:00:01:40
Chapter 76
Duration:00:00:48
Chapter 77
Duration:00:01:29
Chapter 78
Duration:00:01:01
Chapter 79
Duration:00:00:52
Chapter 80
Duration:00:01:17
Chapter 81
Duration:00:01:17
Chapter 82
Duration:00:02:37
Chapter 83
Duration:00:01:53
Chapter 84
Duration:00:00:47
Chapter 85
Duration:00:01:02
Chapter 86
Duration:00:00:44
Chapter 87
Duration:00:00:47
Chapter 88
Duration:00:01:56
Chapter 89
Duration:00:01:36
Chapter 90
Duration:00:01:10
Chapter 91
Duration:00:00:33
Chapter 92
Duration:00:00:28
Chapter 93
Duration:00:01:12
Chapter 94
Duration:00:00:51
Chapter 95
Duration:00:00:38
Chapter 96
Duration:00:00:18
Chapter 97
Duration:00:00:26
Chapter 98
Duration:00:01:34
Chapter 99
Duration:00:01:17
Chapter 100
Duration:00:00:48
Chapter 101
Duration:00:00:30
Chapter 102
Duration:00:01:03
Chapter 103
Duration:00:01:22
Chapter 104
Duration:00:00:42
Chapter 105
Duration:00:06:13
Chapter 106
Duration:00:01:32
Chapter 107
Duration:00:00:58
Chapter 108
Duration:00:01:04
Chapter 109
Duration:00:00:57
Chapter 110
Duration:00:01:09
Chapter 111
Duration:00:00:48
Chapter 112
Duration:00:00:43
Chapter 113
Duration:00:00:53
Chapter 114
Duration:00:00:48
Chapter 115
Duration:00:01:13
Chapter 116
Duration:00:01:19
Chapter 117
Duration:00:01:37
Chapter 118
Duration:00:00:41
Chapter 119
Duration:00:00:27
Chapter 120
Duration:00:00:35
Chapter 121
Duration:00:00:32
Chapter 122
Duration:00:00:46
Chapter 123
Duration:00:01:14
Chapter 124
Duration:00:00:41
Chapter 125
Duration:00:00:24
Chapter 126
Duration:00:00:24
Chapter 127
Duration:00:00:32
Chapter 128
Duration:00:00:44
Chapter 129
Duration:00:00:50
Chapter 130
Duration:00:01:30
Chapter 131
Duration:00:00:55
Chapter 132
Duration:00:01:00
Chapter 133
Duration:00:00:17
Chapter 134
Duration:00:00:21
Chapter 135
Duration:00:00:44
Chapter 136
Duration:00:00:32
Chapter 137
Duration:00:00:32
Chapter 138
Duration:00:02:18
Chapter 139
Duration:00:00:30
Chapter 140
Duration:00:00:23
Chapter 141
Duration:00:00:20