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Feb. 7, 2005 During my haitus I had an opportunity to read sveral books. Two that stood out where Walee's "Confession Is Good For The Soul" (iUniverse, ISBN 0-595-36825-X) and E.D. Johnson's, "The Mark of Cain" (iUniverse, ISBN 0-595-13150-6). “Confession” is a collection of songs, poetry and hypnotic essays by one-name Newark, New Jersey native Walee. The book should offer the warning, “Proceed with caution,” because this writing hits hard and ventures from mellifluous prose to dances in debauchery. It is “Def Poetry Slam” and “BET Uncut” folded together into an uncommon mix, but one guaranteed to excite your literary palate. The author presents a stark and enlightening vision of the angst, optimism, joy and pain of black manhood. The poems are centered on love, betrayal, honesty, mistrust and run the gamut of the emotional ups and downs (literally) that constitute relationships. His word flow is sometimes as soft as Kareem’s sky hook; other times he is as subtle as a Jerome Bettis run up the middle, hitting us with vivid imagery and honesty seldom found in the poetic endeavors of today’s writers. It is most fitting to call him a combination of the Last Poets’ Omar Ben-Hassan and r & b artist Prince. Walee’s poetic train ride is a potpourri of emotions that takes us through dark tunnels, alleys littered with broken dreams, fields of poppies and a cruise across the waters of love…love…love…no matter where or how you find it. For example, in “I’ll Take ‘Who Am I,’ For $2,000, Alex’,” the New Jersey scribe writes: “Her famous line after a few glasses of Hennessey and Alize is, ‘My husband would kill us if he ever found out’ as she proceeds to blow the entire nightshift at Wendys,” “Confession” is divided into four parts. “Falling In Love With Love” plays like side two of an old Isley Brothers album. It is a series of ballads that detail the intricacies of male-female relationships. “Signed, Sealed and Delivered With A Kiss” is typical Wally: A smooth flow peppered with point-blank sexual references. “And On This Day,” is a frank take on the idealism of wedding vows. The second segment, “Why Does It Hurst So Bad?” focuses on falling out of love and the subsequent head trips that lead to either personal growth, or disaster. “All for nothing” is a reminiscing of post-love sorrow, anger and disillusion that lingers after a break-up. The third part touches on the trips and tribulations of brothers on the dl. The poems “Are You…?” “I’ve Got to Tell Somebody,” and “Now That You Know,” capture the emotional and psychological dilemma that these brothers face, from shame and seduction to the romantic aspect. Chapter four, “Am I My Brother’s Keeper?” is a look at family, covering the joy, dread, passion and dysfunction of siblings and other loved ones. Here Walee displays the love, hope and hurt we feel when dealing with the various members of family. There is also a hard-hitting piece of work titled, “Black By Popular Demand” where Walee writes: Br> “The verdict is in / “Not guilty! / that is what they say / But I saw them push him, kick him, punch him, beat him all the way / Did my eyes deceive me? / they say that justice is blind / I watched in horror, 1-2-3-4-56 damn times.” In short, “Confession” is not a poetic journey for the faint of heart. But it is an eye-opening jaunt for those who like reality served spicy, bittersweet and in large doses. E.D. Johnson’s “The Mark of Cain” might seem to get off to a slow start, but the author takes the reader on a deliberate walk through the psyches of the central characters, Marshall Garnett and Malik. Marshall is an r &b superstar married to closet crackhead Collette, who has no appreciation for being taken off the streets and into a lavish lifestyle. Malik is a murderer of a racist Governor, and a member of a black paramilitary organization. While the book offers insight into the world of the pimps and leeches who make up the music industry, the more compelling element of the tale is the exploration of the mentality that makes up the black nationalist network known as The Cell. Johnson is not only knowledgeable of his material, but frighteningly eloquent. His arguments are issues that are being raised throughout black America. Malik is not diabolical, but a man driven by impulse and the knowledge that black people, in the eyes of whites, have outgrown their usefulness and are being targeted for genocide. His unwillingness to conform extends to his relationship with fellow cell members, two of whom he wages a serious battle with. The tension builds when Malik and Marcus’s worlds commingle. We see the contrast between the black man who has supposedly “made it” in spite of his black skin and one who sees celebrity as a sham and most as disillusioned sell-outs. Moreover, Malik has issues with women, particularly Collette and her desperate-for-love best friend, Ressie. Unlike most books coming out of the so-called “urban fiction” genre, this one doesn’t bash black men, nor portray blacks as gun-obsessed maniacs. “The Mark of Cain” chooses to analysis the conditions that create the large numbers of “angry black men” and how such a psychological make-up impacts upon black male-female relationships. Racial dynamics—black man/white woman—are disseminated as well. Both “Confessions” and “Mark” are books that discuss issues of relevance to both black male and female readers. This is further proof that there are authors published via non-traditional presses who are worthy of widespread readership. ------------ About the author: Timothy Stelly is a 46-year old California native with a wide variety of interests-from fishing to politics, which have a lot in common: Both require you to deal with worms and most of your time is spent idling. He is a former Democrat, believing that Party represents outdated ideas. He is officially registered as an Independent, choosing to keep his options open. Timothy is also the author of more than 80 screenplays and novels, two of which have been "published": "Tempest In The Stone" and "The Malice Of Cain", both available through PublishAmerica. He defines his writing style as "Hip-hop fiction; a cross between Richard Pryor and Richard Wright." His UK columns is written in a hard-edged style, but he is not yet a curmudgeon or a conservative. (Is that redundant?) After all, one of his favorite movies is "The Adventures of Milo and Otis." stellbread0.tripod.com Email: stellbread@yahoo.com Tell a friend about this site! ------------ All articles are EXCLUSIVE to Useless-Knowledge.com and are not allowed to be posted on other websites. ARTICLE THIEVES WILL BE PROSECUTED! |
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