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Read a Poem a Day!
In 'Americana,' the poet takes us on a unique journey through time and emotion. Poems can be mirrors to our souls, reflecting the past with calm wistfulness, preserving moments like cherished relics. Yet, there's also a place for the poet's reactionary spirit, where the words ignite, pushing both the author and the reader to action.
Through the eyes of a child growing up amidst the tumultuous backdrop of the Vietnam War, evolving race relations, and the vibrant cultural renaissance of the 1960s and 1970s, Harvey's verses offer a profound glimpse into an era of transformation. His poetic voice, molded by the likes of Allen Ginsburg, Amiri Baraka, Langston Hughes, and Ai, combines the reflective wisdom of yesteryears with the resounding force of contemporary activism.
This collection isn't just a relic of history; it's a timely exploration of our enduring search for truth. As you delve into these pages, you'll find not only the enduring echoes of the past but also two new pieces that bridge the gap between America then and now. 'Americana' reminds us that, in poetry, the truth is always right on time."
Excerpt:
New York!
Herds of humanity
Graze on street corner slop and ride in the bellies
Of silver worms beneath city gutters
Street people are ragged and unfashionably stinky.
Everyone else is fashionably ragged.
"Andy" sells me a beaded sweater
off an old lady's dead shoulders.
A roguish Puerto Rican painter copies
A Robert Colescott painting as his own black creation.
Got all dressed up to go to the theatre in Harlem.
Got there stinky and hot--Harlem,
Who bombed it?
Noise all night long in Brooklyn.
No ugly people live in New York
Everyone is Cafe' au lait. Tall boy with five-inch hair
Sits wide-legged on the sub in baggy trousers.
His throat is stiff with defiance, But his dark
Eyes linger in mine for a moment.
Everything is for sale in New York
Even a hug from daddy long legs.
*****
Other Notable poetry volumes by the author:
The Last Supper
3AM: Poems and Stories From the Other Mind
Bark Too
About the author
Charles W. Harvey is a native Houstonian and a graduate of the University of Houston. At UofH he studied fiction under the guidance of Rosellen Brown and Chitra Divakaruni. In 1987, Charles was a 1st place prize recipient of PEN/Discovery for his short story Cheeseburger, which went on to be published in the Ontario Review. In 1989 Charles Harvey was awarded the Cultural Arts Council of Houston Grant for Writers and Artists. Also in 1989 he was a finalist in the MacDonald's Literary Achievement Awards. Charles has been published in Soulfires, Story Magazine SHADE, High Infidelity, The James White Review, and others. He is the author of the novels The Butterfly Killer, The Road to Astroworld, and Antoine's Double Trouble. He is also the author of several story and poetry collections. He also writes for the stage and screen.
