“Out of my Hands” at Zone 3

Two of my kids suffered a tragedy that changed my life. I wrote a horrible poem and a couple of songs about it that never saw the light of day.

Over a decade later, while teaching a memoir unit, I wrote a longer work about it— the first piece of prose I had written since high school. Over the next few years it saw many revisions, many suggested revisions from journal editors, many night thinking.

It’s a story I read every year in my classes. I think I’ve not cried when reading it once.

I am proud to have “Out of my Hands” appearing within the pages of Zone 3.

, ,

"Award Winning Poet Matthew E. Henry Reads for Gordon College"

, ,

"Award Winning Poet Matthew E. Henry Reads for Gordon College"

Last fall, three-time Pushcart nominated poet Matthew E. Henry performed a poetry reading in the Barrington Cinema as a part of the Princemere Writers Series. Led by English Professor Mark Stevick, the Series invites renowned and emerging writers to Gordon College to share their art and engage with Creative Writing students. Henry also visited with Stevick’s Literary Journal class to discuss writing, editing, publishing, and teaching…[Click for full article]

Two poems in Discretionary Love

Some times people ask me why I don't write love poems. I tell them all my poems are love poems, but I know what they mean. So I show them ones like these two just published in Discretionary Love and they stop asking.

sweetness

before she began, she placed the glass jar between us—
filled with fresh, golden honey—and a sizable spoon.
homemade. an amateur apiarist, she kept a ready supply.

as she began, I remembered how my mother mixed 
honey with lemon, a pinch of salt. a folk remedy 
for sore throats, the beginnings of a cold. 

when she was through, I asked why. she thought 
I meant the amber on the table, not the gaslighting
she called brutal honesty. she said it was to help me 

swallow my feelings.  

an open letter to the one who should have got away

                                            …yet, somehow—
as the scorpion thrashed her pincers
and drowned—the frog survived,
flopped ashore, croaked himself
back to life. a week, a month later,
along the same muddy shore,
another barb-tailed arachnid
implored him for safe passage
across the stream. a ride
atop his slick, perforated back.
it’s not that he doesn’t remember.
it’s just his nature. he never learns. 

"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.

processed_IMG_20211122_203428921~2.jpg

[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
One tap mobile
+19292056099,,81699465628# US (New York)
+13017158592,,81699465628# US (Washington DC)

Dial by your location
+1 929 205 6099 US (New York)
+1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
Meeting ID: 816 9946 5628
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kerdFzE9WA

,

Featured Interview with The Main Street Rag

,

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.

,

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

,

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…

,

Sonnet wins The Fare Forward Poetry Competition

,
Fiddler-2.png

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