I'll be honest with you--with few exceptions, I am not drawn to books of poetry. I think I’m still traumatized by my English teachers from say, the fifth or sixth grades. I have strong memories of my struggles to write those rhyming stanzas, haikus and other forms of grammar school poetry to fulfill a writing requirement, not to mention the mad dash to fill up that darn booklet before a parent-teacher open house. "The Moments, The Minutes, The Hours," the poetry of Jill Scott is a new exception.
In the tradition of Gwendolyn Brooks and E. E. Cummings, Ms. Scott has published a volume of her poetry. She keeps it real in true free-form style with pieces like "Revolutionary Man"--"I am grown now, a woman, got my house, got my car, gotta cat too, yeah! But I needs me a man, like air, like wa‘ta, yeah!"
How about "Perms, Hot combs, and Curlers" where she speaks for sistahs everywhere "get it out" I say, "5 more minutes" she say, "get it out" I say, "5 more minutes if you want it straight," blisters, sores, peels, I pick, leaving lighter designs underneath, I burn because I want my pride to blow in the summer wind...." this reader feels her pain as if we're the ones sitting there going back and forth with that "hairdresser" in her kitchen/beauty shop.
Click here to hear Jill Scott's on-air interview with Tom
"The Moments, The Minutes, The Hours," is a compilation of Jill’s thoughts, observations and perhaps, song ideas that may make it to an upcoming CD. And like a poetic everywoman, she writes while balancing a number of different hats or steps from flats to stilettos with such grace and ease. Does she speak for us? How about, "Today 4/4/00 (my birthday)”--"Didn't wash, didn't style, brush or grease my hair, didn't eat right, didn't iron my clothes, didn't match them either.....didn't do nothing, but be my funky self."
I chose Jill Scott’s book this month because in this gift-giving graduation season, this is a perfect li'l sum sumthin' to give to poets and other creative types. Whether they are graduating from 8th grade, high school or college, there is something in "The Moments, The Minutes, The Hours" for everyone. Don't limit the gift giving to grads, as soulful moms and dads who have their own notebooks full of poetry from days past, will also appreciate the poetry of Jill Scott.
When Jill was a guest on the radio show not long ago to promote the book, she said this was a long-time dream of to publish her poetry. I can't wait for her fulfill another dream and publish a volume of "The Moments, The Minutes, The Hours....Part II."
