On Seeing Myself for the First Time

Sonia Sanchez and Toni Morrison in Winston-Salem, NC '94

It was like seeing myself for the first time
realizing it was me staring back at me.
Wondering how I got there when
I'm standing here.
More fascinating than seeing my
reflection in crazy house mirrors--
all my perfections magnified a thousand times

"Sister-girl, hey, its me looking right back at you."

We grip shoulders.
We stand nose to nose
in awe of each other.


I wrote this poem after seeing a photography exhibit by the great Eugene Redmond--part photographer, reporter, poet, and historical chronicler--who took pictures of the various writers who attended the conferences with him over the years. The pictures are a veritable cornucopia of black literary history. I only wish there was a book that I can purchase cause the exhibit left me wanting more--more of his photos coupled with various poet's work on the writers themselves. If you haven't read any classic Black or African-American literature, then do so quickly. Whether its Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man or Gwendolyn Brooks' A Street in Bronzeville or Sonia Sanchez's We a BaaaDDDD people. Embrace yourself today.