Poems and Speeches in Color Volume I

By Quentin Bundy

Born in Central Virginia to a family of 4 in the poverty of the south. The author's mother was a published poet and passed the love of writing on to her son.

 

During his early childhood, the author had the honor of attending a poetry reading event with the late great Gwendolyn Brooks. At the end of the poetry reading, the author stood in line with his mother to meet her and get an autograph. Gwendolyn Brooks signed his paper, hugged him, and stated the words " hang on young man, hang on young man. You will make it!". The author did not know that these words would help him all throughout life: overcoming racism and keeping the love of poetry flame ignited, even when he didn't know it was still there.

 

Poems and Speeches in Color Volume I is the first installment of 3. This collection of writings will take you on a journey into what it smells, taste, looks and feels like as a so called black/African American in Virginia. The pen is mightier than the sword. And these books will demonstrate just that.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Quentin Bundy
• Release date: Nov 10, 2020
• ISBN: 9780578769769

Book preview

Table of Contents

Introduction 1

Born Black 2

Catharpin Road 3

Vanity 4

Copy Cat 5

Daydreaming 6

From Sea to Shining Sea  7

Frustration  8

Monsters  9

Money  10

Is It Really That Easy  11

Black Girl Swag  12

Hoodie  13

Rush  14

Snowfall  15

Grey Hour  16

The Truth  17

Under the Ground  18

We are Impressed They are Impressed  19

White Boy, White Girl, Light Brown Skin  20

Shut Up  21

Childhood Full of Color  22

A Nation of People  23

KING  24

Sunglasses  25

Behind the Back Pass  26

I Wish Part II  27

TIME  28

Stupid  29

Freestyle  30

8-27-18 32

Sin  33

A letter to Willie Lynch  34

Illegal  35

Have Mercy on Us  36

Just Think About It  37

Patrons of Color  38

Make Up Your Mind  39

Quotient of the Number 9 40

Introduction

Growing up in Virginia, I learned what you see is not always what you get. As a person of Negro decent (African America as we are called), I have seen and experienced many things that are reflected in my writings. Also reflected in my writings, is a gift handed to me by my mother. She was a woman who endured many racist encounters and persevered through it all. Part of her sanity was writing poems about her difficulties in life. She won a few contests and had one or more poems published. Now it is my turn to continue the legacy. Upon reading her poems I was so amazed by her word play that it sparked a GOD given talent inside of me. At an early age the desire to pick up a pen and write what I felt was inevitable. Much like my mother’s work, Poems and Speeches in Color Vol 1 will invite you into my world and take you on a journey through Virginia. I sincerely thank you for your purchase and hope that this collection of poems will bring commonality and peace to you upon reading them.

Born Black

Born black is the format they gave us way back, in the indentured servant slave trap. Work 4 to 7 years and then you can get your name back. Until the first slave ran away, got caught and then came back. 30 lashes across the back, lifelong slavery because you were born black.

Build a country from the ground up what about us? Free slave labor no hope you can see, until Elizabeth came with the key. She sued the English crown and became free. shortly after the evil English slave master made a law the Status of the Mother. free or slave dictates all other. Previous rules just another tool to keep what they call black under rule.

225 years later, a Kentucky native set us free from slavery. Only to grow another wicked