In a night celebrating the power of poetry, Red Emma’s held an event on Feb. 28 celebrating the release of poet Tariq Touré’s new book, a collection of poems and reflections entitled Black Seeds. Touré is a black Muslim essayist, poet, educator and public speaker who is known for his creation of the #NoJusticeNoLeBron movement urging LeBron James to sit out of a game in protest of a grand jury’s decision not to indict Cleveland police officers after the shooting of 12-year-old Tamir Rice in 2014.
As much of his work surrounds the lives of black citizens and the Black Lives Matter movement, the theme surrounding the event was the modern-day experiences of black men, women and children in the United States. To begin the night, Touré brought in a selection of three accomplished spoken-word poets who each performed one poem connected to this theme. Though the poets held similar sentiments about the struggles of black Americans, they each brought their own unique perspectives to their performances.
The first poet was Mecca Verdell, who goes by the stage name Meccamorphosis. Her poem, addressed to Raven-Symoné, commented on the actress’ words about “ghetto” names and the balance of power in a country plagued by white supremacy. The second poet, Mohamed Tall, began his poem titled “Do The Right Thing” by raising his arms up and chanting.
“I got a target on my body, somebody / Please protect me, got a target on my body, somebody,” he said.
His words, commenting on the vulnerability of black men and women and the racialization of police killings, rang throughout a room that had been silenced by his declarations. These words were repeated several times throughout the poem. By the end of his performance, Tall was screaming in anguish, representing the pain and fear of those impacted by racism.
Following Tall was the poet Sadiyah Bashir, whose poem used the menstrual cycle as a base to reflect on the power of women and their role in creating social and political movements. Bashir also spoke of the blame that falls on those who fail to speak out against injustice.
“Silence is a war crime,” she said.
Finally, Touré himself presented his own works of poetry, donning dark sunglasses to counter his anxiety about public speaking.
The topics covered in his performance ranged from society’s impact on children to education to the connection between the diets of black Americans and the history of white supremacy in the United States.
Other poems within the collection that were not presented during the event include “For Black Girls Who Fight,” a poem about the power of black women and their ambitions and “BLM,” a haunting, repetitive piece about the history of the Black Lives Matter movement.
“Before Mass incarceration turned babies into bastards / We knew our Black Lives Mattered,” he wrote.
According to Touré, the title of his collection, Black Seeds, comes from the idea that he is planting seeds so others can follow in his footsteps and express themselves through writing and art.
While acknowledging his role as an inspiration for future generations, Touré also expanded on his own inspiration. He noted that writers like Allen Ginsberg, a poet of the Beat Generation, and D. Watkins, a Baltimore native, have influenced his perspective and style throughout his career.
Scattered throughout the collection are a number of pictures of black men, women and children. Some stare directly at the camera and therefore the audience. Others are seen in a wide shot in front of a variety of locations including a school hallway, a living room and a lake. These pictures add more weight to the poems they accompany and further humanize a highly politicized movement.
After reading a selection of poems from his recently released work, Touré answered questions from members of the audience.
One question was about Touré’s recent trip to South Africa. He responded by stating that the trip made him think about colonization in the U.S. and the different conditions of black people around the world.
Another crucial focus of the night was the concept of fighting against societal norms and the way the media shapes depictions of black citizens.
Touré noted the unfortunate idea that many people who comment on instances of police brutality seek to place the black victim in a “respectable mold” before they are able to find sympathy for him or her.
Additional responses focused on Touré’s role as a husband and father, which he claims caused him to write happier, more upbeat poetry.
He also commented on the part that writing plays in his daily life.
“Writing is self care for me,” he said.
