In the Name of Love, A Poetic Drama
by Marvin X, Dr. M


Marvin X's poetic drama was performed at Oakland's Laney College in 1981 when the poet/playwright taught in the drama department. A childhood friend video taped the production and recently gave the poet a DVD copy for his archives. The drama deals with polygamy among other topics, and of course it is autobiographical as is most of his work. In viewing the drama, Marvin says it's amazing how relevant this drama is today with an ever decreasing male population for eligible females. How are women dealing with a female to male ratio of 14 to 1, a reality at Howard University in Washington DC.

How long can we struggle to maintain monogamy while women suffer from their men imprisoned, murdered and/or drugged out in urban combat with the forces of white supremacy? How shall the post-modern family be configured, aside from the matrifocal situation and lesbianism.

Personally, polygamy did not work for the poet, but the play demostrates an attempt to establish rules of equality, something many hip hop adults are trying to maintain but lack the knowledge, resulting in the same domestic violence and emotional abuse described in the play, which essayist Eldridge Cleaver described as returning to the Shakespearean tradition of drama as poetry, for the play is composed entirely of poetry by the man who has been called the USA's Rumi.

Actors include Ayodele Nzinga, Zahieb Wongozi and Doris Knight, directed by Ayodele Nzinga. The DVD will be released ASAP. Videography was Leon Teasley.