Intro

J. Vern Cromartie's book reflects his roots as Gullah-Geeche African. It is writing that has appeared elsewhere but collected for the first time here. We appreciate his voice, especially the language and rhythm of the South, so essential to our understanding of Self these days. I only wish he had time to be a poet full time, but only an old fool like me will devote full time to writing. Other people, like Vern, lead normal lives as in job, wife, children.

But I would like to see J. Vern explode his poetic genius, herein we are only allowed to see a glimpse of what is in his soul. Thankful for this, but wanting more, more and more. We hope you can appreciate what you read here, but I am looking to the time when he can be a full time poet, yes, let that sociology go and sing as he does so eloquently here.

Since he claims to be a student of mine, we should expect him to perform multiple tasks, so maybe I should just appreciate the poems in this volume and be thankful.

Actually, he was a student of mine when I taught theatre at Laney College in Oakland, 1981. But J. Vern says he had studied my writings in Georgia when he was a teenager. This shows how pervasive was literature from the Black Arts Movement. He is a continuation of the BAM tradition of telling it like it is in common language even a fool can understand.

Salaam,

Marvin X