Note: We are in the process of moving all our winning poet interviews to the website. Please be sure to bookmark it at yecheilyahsannualpoetrycontest.org/.
Introducing S.R. Graham
Instagram: @thesensualgenius
S.R., welcome and congratulations!
Please, tell us, what is your name and where are you from?
My name is Shakeitha Graham. I am from Salters, South Carolina.
When did you first fall in love with poetry?
I first wrote poetry when I had to write a poem as an assignment in my first-grade class. I didn’t know much about poems, but I’d write them occasionally without really understanding what I was doing. I never thought I was good at writing them until I started posting my poems on social media and getting compliments on them. I first fell in love with poetry when I went to college and started learning about it extensively. That was when I was exposed to more black poets like W.E.B Dubois, Nikki Giovanni, Toni Morrison, and James Baldwin.
Excellent! Tell us, what inspired your poem?
I used to be a perfectionist, so I would give myself a hard time about everything. I always wanted things to be perfect or I wasn’t able to recognize the value in it. I’ve grown from perfectionism a lot, but I still have my moments when I am hard on myself. It has always been easier for me to extend grace to others than it is for me to do it for myself. That’s what inspired my poem.
I can relate to that! In your own words, what is Grace?
Grace is the empathy and compassion we have for ourselves and others even when we fall short. It’s the space we hold for the imperfection within us since we are human.
In what ways can we extend more grace in our own lives and in the lives of others?
We can extend more grace in our own lives by recognizing our inner critic as the young version of us that doesn’t approve of the things we may be doing in the present. We should nurture that inner child and help it to understand that we are no longer in that stage of our lives. We can extend more grace to others by being more understanding and not judging them based off our values and principles.
Well said! What are you hoping to achieve with your poetry?
I am hoping to inspire people to feel the hard emotions when they read my poetry. I also hope to make people feel seen, heard, and felt.
Where do you see yourself one year from now?
One year from now, I see myself being an established poet and performing spoken word poetry on small and big stages.
I believe it!
And without further ado, I introduce to you “What I Lack,” by S.R. Graham
Photo by Karolina Grabowska.
I offer it to those who pluck sin from between their teeth, and pass down trauma like family recipes. I offer it to those whose chests are desolate like coal mines, but their eyes are brightly lit when love comes with a prize. I offer it to those who take pain religiously, like daily vitamins, but still implement hope and faith in their regimens. I offer it to those who serve destruction as a three-course meal, and make friends with drugs because they’re too afraid to feel. I offer it to those who are at odds with life. They are the ones that need it most because their intrusive thoughts hold them hostage with a knife. I offer it to the ones who are addicted to the light, even though they pull foolish stunts to remain in the public’s sight.
I offer it to women who wear their burdens like pearls around their necks. The ones who hide from their reflections to dodge the secrets they want to forget. I offer it to men who are spoon-fed large helpings of responsibilities but are always thought of last when we are serving reciprocity. I offer it to children who are forced into adulthood too soon. Their inner beauty is sometimes stagnant like butterflies who aren’t ready to leave their cocoon. I’d offer it to the tired eyes looking back at me in the mirror, but sometimes my vision is too cloudy to see the value in me clear.
So, I give offerings of grace to those whose sins are severe, hoping that what I lack rewards its adherer.
S. R. Graham was born in October 1990 in South Carolina, where she still lives. She has a bachelor’s degree in creative writing and English attained at Southern New Hampshire University. She is a versatile writer, creating anything from poetry to novels and novellas. She is the author of the Two Monogamous series and the Pretty Privilege series. You can visit her website at srgraham.org to learn more about her and find all her works in one place. S. R. Graham is also a podcaster, a cosplayer, an advocate for sickle cell disease, and a sickle cell warrior.
Note: We are in the process of moving all our winning poet interviews to the website. Please be sure to bookmark it at yecheilyahsannualpoetrycontest.org/.
Introducing Our #1, Chandra T. Mountain!
Instagram: @musings.from.my.younger.self
Chandra, welcome and congratulations!
Please, tell us, what is your name and where are you from?
My name is Chandra Tyler Mountain. I am a NOLA (New Orleans, Louisiana) girl living in Northern Alabama.
When did you first fall in love with poetry?
I’ve been in love with poetry practically my entire life. Poetry first came to me through song. My family has a strong musical heritage, so music reverberated throughout our home, especially Sunday mornings. The crackling of vinyl records followed by music from the 50s, 60s, 70s. Jazz, Blues, R&B, Soul, Funk, Pop, you name it.
I can hear them ole school jams now!
I sat, listened, and sang my heart out. Even though music [singing] was my first love, I was keenly aware of the lyrics and how the combination of words, rhythm, and sound created meaning that could also make me feel. I “wrote” my first song at 5, a song with strange lyrics by a kid trying to process something she heard or read. Reading and writing poetry came a little later.
As a preteen, I was moved and inspired by the poetry I found in youth magazines. I began to dabble with writing my own poetry at age 11 or 12. I later borrowed my older siblings’ poetry anthologies and literary journals. I devoured the poetry. Gwendolyn Brooks, Langston Hughes, Mari Evans, Claude McKay. I loved the way poets succinctly expressed a potent moment or feeling in just a few words and could leave me staggering. I wrote profusely as a teen and in my college years. My hubby rediscovered those earlier works five or so years ago, and I self-published two books just last year featuring the writings of my youth, Musings from My Younger Self (April 2023) and Into the Garden (September 2023).
We got another poet author in the building ya’ll!
Sorry. Sorry. Go on, lol.
Creative writing slowed down to zero productivity while I worked on my master’s and doctoral degrees and as I focused on research and writing in Africana and women’s literature and theory. I wrote a poem here and there for a couple of decades but returned to [consistently] writing poetry about five years ago–after losing my second sister to cancer and trying to cope and make sense of devastating losses.
Oh no. I am so sorry to hear about your sisters.
Tell us, what inspired your poem?
“I’m Living” was inspired by a brief conversation with a former student. I knew she had been struggling with her mental health and trying to process emotional traumas. One day she called to thank me for a gift. When I asked, “How are you?” She responded, “I’m living.” There was such candor and weight in her brief response. Most people would either commiserate or move on, but this individual lost a sister to suicide, so I knew “I’m living” was more than just words. When we ended our conversation, I penned the poem to lessen the weight of her grief and trauma on my own heart.
Oh wow. See, that’s why you are #1!
In your own words, what is grace?
So, the “textbook” answer is grace is “unmerited favor.” I’ll remain in that lane and try to steer clear of the theological nuances. We don’t earn grace. Can’t buy it. Can’t extort it. It’s a gift from God. Grace does not come our way because we are better than or worked harder than or are smarter than anyone else. Why one cancer diagnosis ends in death and another in 50+ more years of life has nothing to do with goodness or pedigree or wealth. A brief glance outside ourselves will reveal there are others who work harder; there are others who, by our flawed human standards, deserve more. There are certainly others who are good good—absolute angels walking on this earth—who have less of our comforts and less of our fortunes but more in intangible ways that matter.
A line in my poem is “life is grace.” We are in the land of the living not because of our merits but because of grace. What stopped the “knife held at my throat” from being plunged deep inside? Only the grace of God. One of life’s greatest mysteries is this thing called grace, and once we acknowledge all our comforts, privileges, fortunes, and gifts are grace, only then will we begin to get a little insight and understanding of grace as a concept and a reality.
Beautiful. In what ways can we extend more Grace to ourselves and others?
Can we just cut ourselves some slack? Can we cut everyone else some slack? It’s become cliché, but can we acknowledge life is hard, and everyone is going through hell? Everyone is grieving. Everyone is trying to heal from unspeakable trauma or suffering in one way or another. Extending more grace is not difficult. Just do it. Exercise more kindness, more patience, more acceptance for ourselves and others.
How do we show more grace in our own lives? Accept ourselves for who we are, where we are in life, and the journey we’re on. Stop comparing. Stop striving for perfection. It’s elusive. We are amazing for just being here and staying in the fight.
How do we extend grace in the lives of others? Acknowledge their humanity and let others be who they are and who they’re becoming. It’s not our job to craft people into our own image. I actually have a poem about that!
What do you hope to achieve with your poetry?
Poetry is my space to process big emotions and haunting questions. I listen, observe, feel, and write. I am not writing for a Pulitzer, but I hope my poetry allows people to see themselves, gives them courage to wrestle with the questions, and shows them there is hope even in the darkest moments.
That’s beautiful, Chandra.
Where do you see yourself one year from now?
I am a one-day-at-a-time kind of woman. I’m not sure I can think that far in advance. 😀 I have a rich and full personal and professional life (as a professor and dean), but I am writing all the time. I maintain a blog, Pics and Posts (iamchandralynn.com) to take care of my immediate need to write and share. I write every morning and at least 30 minutes per day. As a result, within the last few years, I have drafted [by hand—gasp!] not one or two but five books—poetry, inspirational writing, and a “semi” children’s book.
My goal is to push at least one of them to publication by the end of this year. Two, if time allows. I have a lot of “other” writing, so I plan to submit to more journals and magazines. Thankfully, placing first (squeals!) in Yecheilyah’s 6th Annual Poetry Contest encourages me to put more work out there. Confession: I have used creative writing to avoid work on an academic title, so as much as I don’t want to, I have to put a pin in the creative writing just for a little while to complete that work—which [for me] takes a lot more time, intention, and energy. I’m amazing (right?), so I’ll finish it and get back to creative work!
I love this for you and we are looking forward to reading more of your work!
And without further ado, I introduce to you “I’m Living,” by Chandra T. Mountain
Photo by Josh Sorenson
for those who answer “How are you?” with “I’m living.”
To say “I am living” is to say much. It is to say: Life is grace. Unearned. Gifted. It is to say: I have survived those who went to the grave too soon and the grief that would surely engulf me. It is to say: I have survived the knives held at my throat, clutched by my own hand. It is to say: I have clawed my way out of pits of despair and have learned to dance in the rain. It is to say: I choose to keep breathing keep fighting keep moving. In light. In truth. In love.
Chandra Tyler Mountain is a native New Orleanian living in Northern Alabama. She whines when work gets in the way of fun and wakes up in the wee hours to spend time with God, write poetry, short prose, and inspiration. When she is not with her guys (hubby and son), in meetings, or in her sunflower-brightened office, you might find her roaming–camera in hand–shooting beauty and capturing light, or sitting quietly in the shade of a tree doodling flowers. By day, she serves as Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences and Professor of English at her alma mater, Oakwood University. She maintains “Pics and Posts,” a weblog about snail mail, photography, and the beautiful facts of life (iamchandralynn.com). Her recent publications–Musings from My Younger Self (Chandra Lynn Tyler) and Into the Garden—are available through Amazon in ebook, paperback, and hardcover formats.
Congratulations to the winners of this year’s poetry contest. We crown you, poetic scholars, for your commitment and dedication to poetic excellence on this 28th day of December 2023.
#1: Chandra T. Mountain
“I’m Living”
@musings.from.my.younger.self
#2: S.R. Graham
“What I Lack”
@thesensualgenius
#3: Samuel Olopade
“Grace”
@ _olops_
#4: Adariyah Ysrayl
“Grace”
@adariyahysrayl
Congratulations!!
And congratulations to everyone who participated! There would be no contest without your support. Keep an eye out for the individual spotlight interviews of each poet and details on Yecheilyah’s Annual Poetry Contest, 2024!
Your written content your voice copy blog posts texts, captions the way you capture feeling on the page contextualize thought empower us through emotion breathe life into the human experience remind us what it feels like to live to remember minister to our memory and most sacred truths the way you poet your words, spoken or written is, power.
A historical document your grandchildren will one day cherish resist the urge to withhold words hold them like you once held your babies precious and true their bodies snug in the crook of your arm and the warmth of your chest Wrap your arms around this text: Your intellectual scholarship has merit.
Let it be a legacy for the next generation Gift them this birthright. So we may have a right to a better future. Let no one censor you into silence.
Today, we introduce you to Buddah Desmond, whose poem “Ghosts, Ghostbusting History + Visible / Invisible Lives (Freedom Is Ours)” won first place in our fifth annual poetry contest!
Buddah, Welcome to The PBS Blog!
What is your name, and where are you from?
My name is Buddah Desmond. I’m from the DC Metro Area. Currently reside in Alexandria, VA.
When did you first fall in love with poetry?
For me, it all goes back to music and lyrics. As a lover of music and words, I’ve always homed in on lyrics. Hip Hop was and still is a major influence. I learned early on how powerful words can be… Their impact… How they can move the masses. Songs like:
Eric B. & Rakim’s “I Know You Got Soul” and “Follow The Leader”
Salt-N-Pepa’s “Get Up Everybody (Get Up),” “Expression,” and “Blacks’ Magic”
LL Cool J’s “Rock The Bells” and “Around The Way Girl”
MC Lyte’s “Cappuccino” and “Poor Georgie”
Queen Latifah’s “Ladies First” and “U.N.I.T.Y.”
Kool Moe Dee’s “How Ya Like Me Now”
Big Daddy Kane’s “Smooth Operator”
Get Boys’ “Mind Playing Tricks On Me”
A Tribe Called Quest’s “Award Tour” and “Scenario (Featuring Leaders of the New School)”
Black Sheep’s “The Choice Is Yours”
Pete Rock & CL Smooth’s “They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)”
De La Soul’s “Me, Myself, and I”
Public Enemy’s “Fight The Power”
2Pac’s “Brenda’s Got a Baby” and “Keep Ya Head Up”
KRS-One’s “Sound of da Police”
Jody Watley & Rakim’s “Friends”
Run DMC’s “Down With The King”
Bone Thugs-N-Harmony’s “Thuggish Ruggish Bone”
Outkast’s “Player’s Ball.”
This is a small soundtrack of what inspired my love of not only Hip Hop but poetry as well.
No you didn’t just give us a full playlist!
lol
When I first read your poem, I wrote “Top” on it because I knew it would be among the top five. Like, even if it didn’t win, I knew it would somehow be a winner. So, please tell us, what inspired this piece?
I’ve found that the experiences, stories, voices, and the true history, herstory, and theirstory of Black and Brown people continues to be silenced, censored, and ignored. Far too often, our contributions to history, society, and culture are embraced only when it’s convenient for the powers that be. And when we typically raise our voices, show up, show out, turn up, turn out, and redirect our buying power, that’s when we are blasphemed. Like “How dare they do such a thing?” When all we’re doing is fighting for basic, civil human rights. We’re only visible when they want us to be visible. Like we’re ghosts. When we raise our voices, they ghostbust. And that’s why we fight. Why we must continue fighting for and claiming life, visibility, justice, and freedom. So that’s the inspiration behind my poem.
If you could have lunch with your favorite poet, living or dead, who would it be?
See, that’s not fair. You always get me with these questions. When you have more than one favorite poet, questions like these are always difficult. LOL! How about a luncheon with a panel of our favorite poets instead? LOL!
My answer to this question will probably change depending on the day, lol! If I must choose, I’d say either Maya Angelou or Nikki Giovanni. Can you imagine?!! Not only would the conversation be out of this world, but the food would probably be unforgettable, too.
Awesome. What inspired your writing journey in general?
I started writing short stories around 7 or 8 years old. Song lyrics followed shortly thereafter. But it was hearing Maya Angelou’s poetry recited by Justice, the character Janet Jackson played in John Singleton’s classic film, Poetic Justice, that inspired my poetry writing journey.
Yass. That’s my movie.
I’ve said this before but, Maya Angelou’s poetry moved me in ways that I’m not sure I knew how to comprehend, let alone describe when I first heard it. One thing was certain—I wanted to do what Maya Angelou was doing, with the hopes of being able to write poetry that resonated with others the way Maya Angelou’s poetry resonated with me. She’s a poet’s poet. Her command of the language, her consciousness about the human condition… Her compassionate, soulful writing leaves you with a better understanding of yourself, others, and the world.
Exactly. You hit the nail on the head with the human condition. Maya was all about that.
I already know the answer to this question because you strike me as someone who speaks…you into spoken word?
Yes, I have. Many times. Performing for me, whether it’s poetry or music, is otherworldly. There’s something about it that transcends space and time. It’s like going to a higher place. When I’m really in my element (and not too much in my head), I lose myself in the performance. It’s almost like blacking out but in a good way. There’s nothing on this planet that compares to the experience of performing.
What does freedom mean to you?
I think my best answer to this question comes from a piece that I wrote entitled, “Finding Freedom.”
“Loving yourself and others unconditionally is freedom
Shaking bad habits is freedom
Holding on to your joy through it all is freedom
Standing in your light is freedom
Not being ashamed of your voice, your story,
and where you came from is freedom
Getting up even when everyone and everything
around you wants to keep you down is freedom
Building the life you want is freedom
Knowing better and doing better is freedom
Not letting your emotions influence every
action and decision you make is freedom
Exercising your right to choose is freedom
Saying NO is freedom
Being every bit of the FAB person you are is freedom
To find freedom
You have to be
willing to release
all that’s kept you
in bondage
To be free
you have to
free yourself
Free yourself
Free
Yourself
FREE.”
“Finding Freedom” appears in my forthcoming project, Everything I Miss(ed) At Home.
Okayy. Go off then!
What advice would you give to people who want to pursue a career in poetry?
Read. Read. And READ some more! And not just poetry books. But all kinds of books. Reading opens your mind to possibilities beyond your current realm. So absorb, learn, and apply as much as you can. Follow the journeys of the writers who inspire you and learn about their process, who or what inspired them, and how they pushed their respective genres forward. Seek mentorship from writers who are in the process of getting to where you want to be or who have already achieved the levels that you desire to achieve.
Don’t be afraid to experiment and try different styles. Push yourself and your artistry as far as you want to go. There are no limits, other than the ones we place on ourselves. Be confident in yourself and who you are as an artist and poet. People are always going to have something to say. It’s your choice what you want to do with it. If it’s constructive criticism, take it into account and determine if and how you want to incorporate it moving forward.
And it goes without saying that rejection comes with the territory. Do not take it personally. It’s not a rejection of you as a person, your artistry, or your writing. What’s for you is for you. And it won’t be denied. Your job is to keep going. Keep writing! Don’t stop, keep on!
Loving the motivation!
Please, tell us about your books/work.
I write about the human condition, and the things I see in the world around me. I write in a way that is, at times, edgy, raw, and in your face. It can be prose-like. And there’s a musicality within it. My work is inspired by personal experiences and the experiences of others, current events, history, culture, and social issues.
Themes within my work include: home / belonging; personal + collective freedom + liberation; the transformative power of love; community wellness; legacy + living a good life (relationships + family + community + honoring our ancestors); personal empowerment (self-esteem + self-love + self-acceptance); the fight against oppression (police brutality + injustice + inequality + inequity + racism + homophobia + transphobia + sexism). The subject matter can get heavy, but there’s an underlying message of faith, healing, hope, optimism, persistence, resistance, and resilience.
Whew. Wait, hold on. Let us get our pencils and write this down!
I released my first book Prevail: Poems on Life, Love, and Politics in 2012. A chapbook entitled, Exotic Shifter, followed in 2014. It served as a prelude to From The Inside Out: A Poetry Collection, which was released in 2020. After that, I digitally released a short collection of love poems entitled, shifting from the inside out, on Valentine’s Day in 2022. And my forthcoming book is entitled, Everything I Miss(ed) At Home. The poetry in Everything I Miss(ed) At Home dives into the meaning of home. The place(s) we call home. Those we find (or don’t find) within our families, friends, communities, within our intimate relationships, and most importantly, within ourselves. Release date is TBD, but it’s on the way! It’ll be published by Liquid Cat Publishing.
Where do you see yourself a year from now?
Promoting my forthcoming project, Everything I Miss(ed) At Home. More performing, on virtual and in-person stages. Participating in festivals, workshops, and author events. Getting more poetry published in online magazines and journals. Finalizing my next manuscript and preparing it to be published. And giving back in whatever way I can!
We will be on the lookout for that book!
Now let’s dig into the poem that snatched the number one spot!
Photo by Collis on Pexels
“Ghosts, Ghostbusting History + Visible / Invisible Lives (Freedom is Ours) ” by Buddah Desmond
Covered in the blood
Blessed
Praised
Adored with oohs and ahhs for what some
might call our supernatural powers and abilities
Yet, beneath the adoration—we’re deemed
disembodied souls
Ghosts
Immaculate for show and tell
For milking and misappropriation
For capital interests and bottom lines
Yet demonic and sacrilegious when we
demand the dignity and respect all beings
created by God deserve to receive
Dispirited
Ever ghostly
Most invisible
We rise up
And they ghostbust
To exterminate that which they don’t want to see
To disassociate from that which they can’t bear to concede
Ghostbusting is their band-aid
Their ego-stroker
Their power sustainer
As we know, without proper healing—sores and pain remain
And as we know, you can act like something
isn’t there all you want
But there comes a time when you can ignore it no more
History wasn’t meant to be comfortable
There were atrocities and inhumanities from
sea to shining sea that we can’t ignore
Some still happening to this day
And while some will proclaim it wasn’t all bad
We know it wasn’t all good either
Photo by Oladimeji Ajegbile
In the wrong hands, history is rewritten to
block out the true history, herstory, and theirstory that binds us
These hands set out to make our visible lives invisible
These hands ghostbust nonfiction
Turning it into the bestselling fiction that has so many
misled, pimp slapped, and hoodwinked today
These hands dare anyone to speak out and
criticize their recrafting of history
For punishment is swift, shameful, and at times, lethal
Forgive them father for they know not what they do?
Excuse me father, they know exactly what they’re doing
There’s a reason why ghosts and spirits roam
To right wrongs
To vindicate
To fight for justice
And they will not rest until their mission is fulfilled
For every uprising
Every protest
Every rally
Every boycott
Every march
Every sit-in
Every strike
Every campaign
Every cultural, political, and legal battle
Every BLACK OUT
We will not rest
Until our lives are no longer invisible
Freedom is ours for the taking
And our freedom—
Oh, our freedom—
We’re taking it!
Buddah Desmond
Buddah Desmond (aka BDez) is a writer / poet, artist, singer, entrepreneur, and health and wellness coach / advocate. His writing highlights the gritty side of life, while offering messages of hope, love, healing, and resilience.
He is the author of four poetry collections, Prevail: Poems on Love, Life, and Politics (2012), Exotic Shifter (2014), From The Inside Out: A Poetry Collection (2020), and shifting from the inside out: love poems (2022). His writing has appeared in numerous publications including MOOV, MUSED, MelaNation, Mixed Mag, LitMag 2020,No Line Left Behind, Osamasetorbest.com, and sana sana (vol. 1). He is a member of Gamma Xi Phi, and has served as a healing leader in the DC-based arts + faith + social justice organization, The Sanctuaries.
His next poetry project, Everything I Miss(ed) At Home, is forthcoming.
lol
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