Yvonne  Brown
  • Home
  • About
  • Crying Girl Movement
  • National Poetry Month Celebration
    • Press Release
    • 2013 >
      • 2014
      • 2015
  • Blog
  • Local Author Spotlight
  • Contact

Today's Feature: Thomas Hill

4/4/2014

14 Comments

 

National Poetry Month Celebration

Picture
Thomas Hill is a cheesy smile champion and profesional hugger. At the age of 16, Thomas performs slam poetry at competitions from Washington, D.C., to South Africa as a member of D.C. Youth Slam Team.

Thomas, who describes his preferred subject matter as "queer black boys' politics," placed 1st in Corporation for National Community Services 2012 "I Am" diversity poetry contest, 3rd in the DC Youth Slam Team's 2013 Grand Slam Finals, and was on the panel for Ford Theater’s “To Achieve and Cherish a Just and Lasting Peace: Envisioning a World Beyond Hate.”  

More recently, he was part of the five-member slam team that placed 2nd at 2013 Brave New Voices National Youth Poetry Slam, placed first in the,DC Youth Slam Team's Grand Slam Finals and has been named to TheRoot.com’s class of 2014 Young Futurists.
Thomas plans to apply to the University of Wisconsin at Madison and if accepted major in psychology and minor in creative writing. Until then, he'll undoubtedly add to his fast-growing portfolio of more than 300 poems.

The Interview

Where do you draw your inspiration from to write poetry?
I draw my inspiration first from myself, poetry is a very selfish art and I feel that if you don't start with yourself it's easy to get lost. After I look at myself I look at the world, the environment around me, and I analyze how this environment has an impact on me and vice-versa.

What advice do you have for someone that is threatened by poetry?
Poetry is a tool, not a weapon.


What is an interesting fact about you? 
I am very afraid of birds and I made a dance routine to "Bug-a-boo" by Destiny's Child at the age of seven.


Where are you from/Where do you live?
DC is my hometown, but I have spent most of my life living in between the city and Maryland.


Who is your favorite poet?
This is such a cruel question! As of now I would have to say Jamilla Woods.

You can keep up with Thomas' latest news and performances by following him on twitter: @BlackGayPoet

Sunday morning by Thomas Hill

This whole house droops into a hangover.
Blinds make like closed eyelids. 
Bodies lay in bed sagging into last night’s sewage.

Hallways groan the smell of piss.
Shriek the color of aged linoleum.
Walls are moaning, heretic chant.
Every ear in this whole house has heard,
how these walls be screaming.
Get up out of me, all these demon!
Me, too shriek for momma's ears.
Below us, Miss Margaret leads Sunday school for brown boys,
with bad mouths and hands and feet and everything else.
Momma never let me leave to learn The Lord,
says God is the only negro man who refused to put his hands on her.

Sunday morning
I am under my bed
Hiding from a God that doesn't seek me
Waiting on a daddy who don't hate this whole house.

Sunday morning
Liquor whispers its stench from the corner of every mouth.
No one has left bed to check on the young.
I condemn my momma of treason.
I keep her company in the art of hating herself.

What's your favorite line?

14 Comments
Laurel Bill link
4/4/2014 02:25:49 am

Love cheesy smiles and big huggers - that he's a poet is a bonus! Great interview - thank you!

Reply
Meli Horowitz link
4/4/2014 04:08:53 am

One of these days I"m going to take a course in poetry appreciation! He seems like a young man that's going to make a name for himself!!

Reply
neville adams link
4/4/2014 05:43:19 am

I have had the privilege of knowing this young man and viewing his work in living color. He not only illuminates the stage with his fervor and zeal, he holds a mirror to the world and shatters the existence of a society filled with hypocritical ideology.

Reply
juwan blocker
4/4/2014 06:06:28 am

Wow very amazing! Congrats

Reply
Ashley link
4/4/2014 10:18:53 am

That's incredible! He's so talented and so young. I love how he's a professional hugger too haha!

Reply
Veronica link
4/4/2014 12:13:16 pm

I can feel the emotions in those lyrics. Those are some well crafted words. What a talent

Reply
Richard Harer link
4/4/2014 04:15:04 pm

This is getting exciting! Plss upload more contestant! thank you for sharing!

Reply
Traci Henegar
4/5/2014 01:20:03 am

He is so talented and with quite a personality too!

Reply
Vicki Bezio
4/5/2014 01:56:39 am

I love, love, love this! Thank you for sharing.

Reply
Jennifer Clay link
4/5/2014 02:46:33 am

I love seeing young people have such appreciation for poetry.

Reply
Tom's Foodie Blog link
4/5/2014 03:58:43 am

I love to see young people getting passionate about something, I wish him luck!

Reply
Daniele Holmberg link
4/5/2014 06:47:58 am

That is so awesome to see a young guy presenting his poetry. I teach high school and would love to see one of my students get out there and present like Thomas! Props to him:)

Reply
Dov Shapira
4/5/2014 08:47:12 am

What a great interview indeed, he is such a good show

Reply
jo casey
4/7/2014 08:46:26 am

This is awesome! I love anyone with a passion for what they do and poetry is such an underrated art form among many.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Picture

    Yvonne Brown

    View my profile on LinkedIn

    Archives

    April 2015
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013

    RSS Feed