"some students give apples" Nominated for a Pushcart Prize

Confession time.

I was seeing writers I LOVE being nominated for Pushcarts and Best of the Nets all over the place, and feeling VERY PROUD/HAPPY for them, but also a little sad that it wasn’t me.

I also recognized feeling surprise that it wasn’t me, which was very unusual, until I realized that I’ve been nominated for a Pushcart or BoTN (or both) every year since 2018.

After some soul-searching and smacking of self, I remembered I’m not owed a damn thing. That I will lean into my joy for others. That I write for me, regardless of whether anyone else notices.

And then I got an email from Relief Journal saying my poem “some students give apples” was nominated for a Pushcart. All the above remains true, but the recognition is still nice.

Two poems in Relief Journal

Proud to have two poems—[Say we survey the wondrous cross burning] and “some students give apples”— in the latest issue of Relief Journal, where I had some of my first publications when I started this whole poet journey.

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[Say we survey the wondrous cross burning] as it was intended…

A Good Friday remix (2023)

Featured Reader at Rozzie Reads 11/18/21

On Thursday (11/18) at 7pm, I will be one of two featured readers at Rozzie Reads Poetry put on by the good people at the Friends of Roslindale Branch Library.

Unless something changes, I will be reading a set of “love” poems, and yes “love” is in quotes for a reason. There will be selections from Teaching While Black and Dust & Ashes, along with some new and unpublished poems. These might include poems of unrequited love which might be about you. Who knows?

This is a Zoom reading that begins at 7 pm.

Here are the details:

Rozzie Reads Poetry on Zoom

When: Thu Nov 18, 2021 6:30pm – 9:30pm Eastern Time - New York

Where: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81699465628?pwd=TE5yV2NCd29iSlM1TGtQOVQyMHMwQT09

Meeting ID: 816 9946 5628
Passcode: 582069
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Meeting ID: 816 9946 5628
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Featured Interview with The Main Street Rag

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Recently I had the honor of being interview by Shawn Pavey for The Main Street Rag about my first chapbook Teaching While Black, but also writing, education, creative, inspiration, race, and a host of other topics. The questions were thoughtful and timely and, as always, I tried not to bring shame on my family while answering.

An introduction to the interview by the Publisher/Managing Editor of The Main Street Rag, M. Scott Douglass:

Featured Interview

I need to give a shout out to Main Street Rag co-founder, Shawn Pavey for his wonderful interview with Matthew E. Henry and one to Matthew as well for his part in making it one of the best interviews Main Street Rag has ever published.

If that’s not enough to get you to turn the page and dive in, let me tell you two things about Teaching While Black by Mr.(Dr.) Henry. First, we knew the day it arrived for consideration that we wanted to publish it. It was a unanimous decision among all readers who just happened to read it at the same time (the wonders of Submittable). Second, as the interview will illustrate, when I read this as a manuscript, I was in the classroom. I was there. The scene was vibrant; the characters alive.

If you have not read Teaching While Black and this interview doesn’t inspire you to want to read this book, your poetic and social soul may well be lost.

The whole interview, as well as some poems from the collection, can be found in the latest edition of The Main Street Rag

A couple of pics…

“der wilde jagd” in Nombono: Speculative Poetry by BIPOC Poets

I wrote a poem about a rapture. Not The Rapture. A rapture. An imagined eschatological event where a certain class of people would be caught up, taken away from here. And there would be much rejoicing. I wrote this poem specifically for a publication and was fortunate enough to see it accepted.

“der wilde jagd” is featured in Sundress Publication’s Nombono: Speculative Poetry by BIPOC Poets edited by Aka Lezli Hope.

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"an open letter for back to school night" at Second Chance Lit

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Due to the pandemic, I was unable to read this poem to a variety of classrooms packed with parents feigning attention. In part, this is why I am still gainfully employed.

Biological Creatures found my poem "an open letter for back to school night" worthy to be included in their inaugural issue. But then they went under. Thankfully, the good folks at Second Chance Lit gave it new life You can read it here.

And as always, if you see yourself within its lines, you get no apologies from me (esp. if you’re a parent of one of my kids).

Addendum

What it might have looked like if I had actually read this at back to school night in the middle of a pandemic…

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Sonnet wins The Fare Forward Poetry Competition

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I am thrilled to announce that one of my theological sonnets—[Say Jonah was right and grace is wasted]—was the winner of The Fare Forward Poetry Competition!

In addition to publication in the next issue of Fare Forward, there was a cash prize, and bragging rights.

A special thanks to the journals who rejected this poem as not being good enough.

You can read it here

Two Poems Reprinted in Teaching Black Anthology

I am honored to have two of my poems reprinted in the upcoming University of Pittsburgh Press anthology Teaching Black: Pedagogy, Practice, and Perspectives on Writing edited by Ana Lara and Drea Brown.


Both of these poems— “an open letter to the school resource officer who almost shot me in my class” & “the surprising thing” — appear in my first collection, Teaching While Black.