YVONNE BROWN
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Today's Feature: Tony Medina

4/14/2014

26 Comments

 

National Poetry Month Celebration

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photo by Abe Barretto
Tony Medina, two-time winner of the Paterson Prize for Books for Young People (DeShawn Days and I and I, Bob Marley), is the author/editor of seventeen books for adults and young readers, the most recent of which are I and I, Bob Marley (2009), My Old Man Was Always on the Lam (2010), finalist for the Paterson Poetry Prize, Broke on Ice (2011), An Onion of Wars (2012), The President Looks Like Me & Other Poems (2013) and Broke Baroque (2013), finalist for the Julie Suk Book Award. He is a two-time winner of the Paterson Prize for Books for Young People and recently has received the Langston Hughes Society Award, the first African Voices Literary Award, and was nominated for a Pushcart Prize. He is the first Professor of Creative Writing at Howard University. 

TONY MEDINA IS BROKE from vagabond Beaumont on Vimeo.

Tony Medina Poetry Reading from African Voices/Reel Sisters on Vimeo.

The Interview

Where do you draw your inspiration from to write poetry?

I basically draw my inspiration from a myriad of sources: Reading; reality; history; personal experiences; injustice; observation; the news & other media; popular culture; music; and most importantly, injustice. A baby’s smiling face and laughter.

What advice do you have for someone that is threatened by poetry?

Language should never be a threat. It is what you were born to acquire and utilize. It is the basis of all that we are as humans. The Nicaraguans have a saying; they say we are all born poets; it is society that takes poetry away from us; and it is our job to take it back! Do not let some teacher or school or any other institution interfere with your relationship to language—particularly poetry! This is why Rap Music is so pertinent to young people—especially babies and toddlers and teens. They love to rhyme; they love to play with language. And they acquire language at such an alarming pace it makes your head spin. Always let poetry live in your mouth and in the open air! Take your time with it. Speak it silently—and ALOUD!!!! You will see how the words work their magic and take on a life of their own. Do not always get caught up and insisting on meaning. Let the musicality and the lyricism and the imagery take hold of you. Let a poem happen to you—“like a kiss,” as Ntozake Shange once put it. There is meaning in the music and messages in the silence. Think of syllable and words as notes you use to compose music. Poetry, like music, is the most embraceable art form. Always remember what the great Nicaraguan revolutionary poet Roque Dalton said: “Poetry like bread is for everyone!”

What is an interesting fact about you? 

A few interesting facts about me: I was born addicted to heroin. I was in the military. I joined the Army, right after high school, in order to make money for college. I reasoned that since I wanted to be a writer, like Ernest Hemingway, I needed some real life experiences. I needed to travel. So, the military would afford me that—and, of course, money to go to college so I could follow my dreams of becoming a writer. It turns out that a lot of the poets and writers I admire have also joined the military—Amiri Baraka, Haki Madhubuti, J.D. Salinger, Kurt Vonnegut, and so many others.

Where are you from/Where do you live?

I was born in The South Bronx and raised in the Throgs Neck Housing Projects, which is North of The South Bronx. I also spent a significant part of my adulthood and writer life living in Malcolm X and Langston Hughes’ Harlem. I lived for 15 years literally a block and a half away from the recent explosion of those two buildings on

117th Street and Park Avenue. This was the block my family comes from. It’s the Park Avenue James Baldwin wrote about.

I currently live in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. I’ve been here for 11 years, so far, having been invited to teach creative writing at Howard University. So, I basically went form Harlem to Howard—all on the hind legs of haiku!

Who is your favorite poet?

At this stage in my life, it is hard to pinpoint just one favorite poet, for I have read and met and read with so many. I started out mimicking Emily Dickinson without really reading her first. I also admired Dylan Thomas and Hart Crane as a teen. Then I discovered my main man Langston Hughes in a bookstore at Grand Central Station. His was the first brown face I saw on a book cover—and he stared back at me, reminding me of family. In college—at Baruch College, City University of New York—I studied with the great Addison Gayle, Jr., father of the Black Aesthetic Movement and Sandra Towns. In their classes I came upon Dudley Randall’s anthology, The Black Poets, where I discovered Black Arts greats like Amiri Baraka, Haki Madhubuti, Sonia Sanchez, Nikki Giovanni, Gwendolyn Brooks, Jayne Cortez, Lucille Clifton, Etheridge Knight, Wanda Coleman, and so on. It was at this time that I also discovered the Nuyorican Poets: poets like Miguel Algarín, Miguel Pinero, Sandra Maria Esteves, Pedro Pietri, Victor Hernandez Cruz, Tato Laviera, Jesus Papoleto Hernandez, Jose Angel Figueroa, Louis Reyes Rivera, and so many others. I also branched out and discovered great revolutionary poets from the Caribbean, Central and South America, Spain,, Asia, The Middle East and Africa. Ernesto Cardinal, Pablo Neruda, Federico Garcia Lorca, Roque Dalton, Kim Chi Ha, Nancy Morejón, Aime Cesaire, Leopold Sedar Senghor, Cesar Vallejo, Julia de Burgos, and this is just a conservative estimation. I am always in the process of discovering a favorite poet. Poetry is a way of life. A journey. A direction. A window and a way. I can’t exist without having it as a part of my every day.

Connect on Facebook and Twitter @ PoetTonyMedina

26 Comments
Veronica link
4/14/2014 12:03:21 am

His idea to go into the army and travel to gain life experiences was pretty good. I think that is very important in poetry.....drawing from those hard knock experiences. Sounds like his early years - born a crack baby was also experience enough. Brilliant work and a great feature

Reply
Yvonne Brown
4/14/2014 11:17:54 pm

Thanks for your support Veronica! It is an incredible interview and I am glad you enjoyed it!

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kungphoo link
4/14/2014 12:23:21 am

Amazing interview! I enjoyed reading it very much and it was extremely inspirational. :-)

Reply
Yvonne Brown
4/14/2014 11:18:35 pm

Thanks for your support Kungphoo! Glad to hear you found inspiration from Medina!

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Deanna Heiliger link
4/14/2014 12:42:09 am

Wow, what a fascinating man! Born addicted to heroin is such a feat to overcome. I love that he joined the military to travel and gain life experience. Thank you for sharing his story!

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Yvonne Brown
4/14/2014 11:19:40 pm

The pleasure is all mine Deanna! Thanks for your support and I am glad you enjoyed Medina's story.

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Laurel Bill link
4/14/2014 12:49:24 am

I so agree with Tony Medina - we have so many wonderful words in the English language and they should be studied and used with enthusiasm!

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Yvonne Brown
4/14/2014 11:20:17 pm

Great lines Laurel! Thanks for your support!

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Diana link
4/14/2014 04:48:59 am

This is a thought-provoking interview that left me inspired with the knowledge that I can be what I want to be.

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Yvonne Brown
4/14/2014 11:21:20 pm

I am delighted that this interview inspired you so. Best wishes to you Diana.

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Jim Striegel
4/14/2014 10:33:16 am

I commend anyone who writes poetry. It's not something I understand well.

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Yvonne Brown
4/14/2014 11:22:08 pm

Thanks for supporting it Jim--I am sure you understand more of it than you think.

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Marjory Johnson
4/14/2014 10:33:55 am

What an interesting interview about an amazing poet.

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Yvonne Brown
4/14/2014 11:22:55 pm

Thanks Marjory! So happy to know you like today's feature- Tony Medina!

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Ashley link
4/14/2014 10:34:51 am

What a story! Very inspiring and very talented individual.

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Yvonne Brown
4/14/2014 11:23:41 pm

Thanks for your support Ashley! So glad you found inspiration here!

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Pamela link
4/14/2014 02:06:26 pm

I love it when he points out getting his inspiration from a baby's smiling face and laughter. It can really create magic.

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Yvonne Brown
4/15/2014 05:48:38 am

A baby's smile is pure inspiration!

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Marielle Altenor link
4/14/2014 02:16:46 pm

Another great interview!! For him to go from such a hard life to the man he is today is truly wonderful! Bless him and much success!

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Yvonne Brown
4/15/2014 05:50:17 am

I second that Marielle!

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Daniele Holmberg link
4/14/2014 02:30:05 pm

Great interview with Tony Medina. He sounds like a very fascinating man that has many inspirational stories to share:)

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Yvonne Brown
4/15/2014 05:50:50 am

Thank you for your support Daniele!

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Richard Harer link
4/14/2014 03:28:38 pm

Now that's a great background about Tony Medina.. Respect! Thank you for sharing

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Yvonne Brown
4/15/2014 05:51:33 am

Yes! Respect! Thanks Richard!

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Emily Rose link
4/14/2014 08:52:16 pm

Amazing story, fantastic read! A true success story :)

Reply
Yvonne Brown
4/15/2014 05:56:48 am

Thanks for your support Emily!

Reply



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