The Carver Literary Arts Society 2010 Anthology: We Commemorate This Day

By Xlibris US

Words fill the heart with joy laced with some sorrow, but the people have spoken beginning a new journeytelling the story of a dream with renewed vision, a hope for days to come, a wish, a sharing. What began in April 2009 as an appreciation group of African American Literature has transformed San Antonios literary scene into a new cultural experience. Carver Literary Arts Society Anthology celebrates twenty writers from different backgrounds, cultures, and experiences relaying their inner most thoughts and musings that tell their stories passed down and lived through, breathing new life into the community. Come take the journey of ageless secrets and witness the transformation yet to come.




THE SCRIBES

T. S. ALEXANDER L. CHERICE HARRIS
GRACE BANKS CYNTHIA HINJOSA
NATHANIEL BRIDGES VIKI HINSON
ANNIE J. BROWN ANGELIA JOHNSON
MARY A. BROWN ELIZABETH LOPEZ
AARON DOYLE DEBRA F. MEDOWS
D. L. GRANT LINDA MOYE
R. L. SLOAN DEIDRE TURNER
ROBERT WADE JERELYNE C. WILLIAMS

ANTOINETTE V. FRANKLIN

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Sep 1, 2010
• ISBN: 9781453547755

Book preview

Copyright © 2011 by Antoinette V. Franklin.

ISBN:         Hardcover                               978-1-4568-0862-4

                   Softcover                                 978-1-4535-4774-8

                   Ebook                                      978-1-4535-4775-5

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This book was printed in the United States of America.

To order additional copies of this book, contact:

Xlibris Corporation

1-888-795-4274

www.Xlibris.com

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84370

Contents

PART I On the Shoulders We Stand

Nathaniel Bridges

Grace Banks

Linda Moye’ (Guest Poet)

Linda Moye’ (Guest poet)

Deidre Turner

Deidre Turner

Jerelyne Casteberry Williams

Part II Tell Me a Secret

T. S. Alexander

T. S. Alexander

T. S. Alexander

Annie Jewel Brown

Annie Jewel Brown

Aaron Doyle

Aaron Doyle

Aaron Doyle

Aaron Doyle

Barbara Hawkins

Barbara Hawkins

Barbara Hawkins

Barbara Hawkins

Cherice Harris

Cherice Harris

Cherice Harris

Deidre Turner

Part III

Falling in Love

T. S. Alexander

Aaron Doyle

Angelia Johnson

Barbara Hawkins

Barbara Hawkins

R. L. Sloan

Deidre Turner

PART IV

"It Don’t Mean a Thing If It Ain’t

Got That Swing"

Aaron Doyle

Part V

Ashe’, Amen, (So Be It)

Annie Jewel Brown

Annie Jewel Brown

Viki A. Hinson

Cherice Harris

E. A. Lopez

Cherice Harris

Deidre Turner

Angelia Johnson

Angelia Johnson

images-1.jpg

There is use for almost everything.

George Washington Carver 1844-1943

Inventor

***

WE COMMEMORATE

THIS DAY

Note from the Editor

THE CARVER LITERARY Arts Society was established May 2009, as a reading sharing group for lovers of literature. The members meet the first and third Tuesday of the month from 6:30-8:00 pm. CLAS has participated in cultural and community activities that have included Read Across Jamaica, providing books and school supplies to children in Jamaica, visiting the cities of Luling’s Antique Shop and farmers market, The San Marcos Calaboose Black History Museum and San Antonio’s Malcolm X Museum.

The Carver Literary Arts Society participated in reading over 300 essays of middle school children from the surrounding San Antonio Community. Do the WriteThing sponsored by San Antonio Fighting Back. These children are writing about the violence in our society and what they have experienced.

My sister and I were fortunate to attend the Phyllis Wheatley Alumni Dinner Dance and were inspired by the closeness of the graduates. There was a sincere sense of family and community pride. This pride and love of heritage must be given to our young people. The school was closed in the early 1970’s but this celebration continues from 1934-2009. I was reminded that my entire family attended Phyllis Wheatley High School. I am happy they passed this sense of heritage to me. This same sense of pride and love of community must be given to our children. I think of our ancestors and how we are standing on their shoulders for they paved the way for us. We commemorate their essence, their blood, sweat and their prayers for us. A great deal has been done but there is still so much more to do.

Antoinette V. Franklin editor

"Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave, I am the dream,

and the hope of the slave.

I rise

I rise

I rise."

Maya Angelou Still I Rise And Still I Rise (1978)

***

Acknowledgement

WE GIVE HONOR to our Creator for giving us the talent of healing words through writing. We wish to thank our ancestors for providing the shoulders for us to stand upon, especially Dr. George Washington Carver, for whom this wonderful library is named after. He was a slave and was stolen from his parents as a boy. He became a chemist, a botanist and loved his fellowman.

We wish to thank the Carver Library staff for all of their help, especially Ronnie Delgado and D. L. Grant. A special thank-you to James Chenault for editing. We thank Grace Banks for helping to keep things together. To Linda Moye’, as our guest poets. A special thank-you to Mr. Paul Hurd, San Antonio Sculptor for the use of his artwork. Thank-you to Mrs. La Vernia 2010, Mrs. Cynthia Hinojosa, first African American Mrs. La Vernia and now Mrs. Central Texas 2010, the Carver Friends and The Carver Page Turners, A special thanks is extended to the Office of Cultural Affairs, San Antonio, Texas.

The Carver Literary Arts Society

Racism is not an excuse to not do the best you can.

Arthur Ashe (1943-1993)

quoted in Sports Illustrated, July 1991

Dedicated to the memory of Dr. George Washington Carver

(1844?-1943)

Chemist/Botanist

The Plant Doctor

As a boy, this young African was stolen from his parents

and sold for a race horse in Diamond Grove, Missouri.

He loved rocks, plants that brought him joy,

such wonderful talent nurtured by curiosity,

found many new uses for farm products and forestry.

From the small earthy peanut yielded over three hundred

new things, ink, coffee, salad oil, and peanut butter.

From the great sweet potato buried so deep,

he made flour, shoe polish and candy so good and sweet.

There were seventy-five new products from the mighty pecan,

synthetic marble, dyes, starch and gum.

No one knew that this great scientist worked his way through

Simpson College by cooking, doing laundry, and sweeping

a floor or two.

We owe this man a great deal, for many discoveries from the land.

Dr. Carver was honest, concerned and giving too, though he

received many honors he remained faithful to his fellowman.

We thank-you Dr. Carver.

(Copyright © 1995 by Antoinette V. Franklin) First printed in the

Carver Cultural Center Youth Poetry Bazaar Chap Book 1994

***

Preface

IN THE SPRING of April 2009, the Carver Library started to celebrate National Poetry Month. Weeks before, library staff made a call to members of the community to meet on the first Tuesday evening at the Carver library meeting room; to unveil their poetry. Maya Angelou once said, Words mean more than what is said on paper. It takes a human voice to infuse them shades of deeper meaning. The deeper meaning Maya Angelou spoke about was quite evident by the first participants that first meeting.

The members at the meeting were a fusion of age, culture, and definite creativity. Individuals from different walks of life were represented: singers, teachers, students, dancers, retiree’s and a clergyman. Antoinette Franklin, an English Instructor initially volunteered to facilitate the group during its inception. As the month passed on participants unfurled a variety of original poetry, singing, short story writing and recital.

When Poetry Month ended, participants voiced an overwhelming desire to have the poetry meetings continued; thus the Carver Literary Arts Society was born. The literary group has been meeting twice a month since its inception in 2009. Almost a year to the date after its founding, we are pleased to submit The Carver Literary Arts Society