Tag Archives: Roger Blenman

World Poetry Celebrates Roger Blenman!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ariadne’s Notes: The World Poetry Café Radio Show on August 30, 1-2 PM PST CFRO 100.5 FM, welcomed feature Roger Blenman with a special tribute to the Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin, Also Victor Swartzman interviewed Ariadne Sawyer on her upcoming book: Love Poems  to the World, Dream Offerings. She read some of the poems and talked about the various kinds of dream, lucid , pre-cognitive and healing among others and her journey to create the book. with the dream mentorship of soul sister Vera Manuel and Elder Gabriel Bartleman.  Music by Enrico Renz https://worldpoetry.ca/?p=9337 and Don Afero https://worldpoetry.ca/?p=9678 with Ariadne’s song. 

LISTEN TO THE SHOW HERE!

Roger R. Blenman

Roger will be producing and a feature in the World Poetry Celebration of Afro Canadians at WORD on September 30 at 1:00 PM along with poetess and community advocate !Kona at the Vancouver Public Library .

-Roger R. Blenman
Barbadian-born Canadian author, playwright, spoken word artist, poet, theatre director and secondary school teacher. Has degrees in Science and in Education from the University of Toronto.
Most recent novel, Dead’er published 2015 by Hamilton Books. Other work has been published/broadcast/performed: CBC-North by Northwest, Scarborough Fair/University of Toronto Press, Antigonish Review, Bluesprint/Arsenal Pulp Press and others.
born Canadian author, playwright, spoken word artist, poet, theatre director and secondary school teacher. He has degrees in Science and in Education from the University of Toronto.

Most recent novel, Dead’er published 2015 by Hamilton Books. Other work has been published/broadcast/performed: CBC-North by Northwest, Scarborough Fair/University of Toronto Press, Antigonish Review, Bluesprint/Arsenal Pulp Press and others.

Aretha Franklin 

Who are you to mourn
the queen
when all the other ‘warble in the throat wanna-bees’
been down-loaded and dismissed,
she remains

When all the other soul singers, sold-out
and tossed their racially ambiguous locks
over their shameless shoulders
she still reigns

What can I say in tribute to my only monarch
that she has not already articulated herself.

Do I need to stop and “think”
Do I need to show ‘respect’
Am I in a ‘chain of fools’
‘saying a little prayer,’ ‘till you come back to me’

I am going to tell my lover
that ‘it wont’ be long’
that ‘I am willing to forgive’
and that he makes me feel, ‘like a natural woman;’

You taught me soul Aretha
I will tell my world that
‘you send me’
‘one step ahead’
on ‘the freeway of love’

Today I sing Aretha
Today I am “Rock Steady,”
in these ‘ever changing times’

Today I sing the Blues
and I am never going to let you go
Aretha.
you are, in, of, and all, soul.
You are Aretha the first.

Will you send me
where you are?

I heard Aretha this morning.
In my heaven all the angels
are as beautiful as she.
There’s lines of sliver in the black of their hair
Their lips are full
They have breasts and cheeks of southern brown

And Aretha is the archangel at the heavenly piano
she tempers the soul among the seraphim
And the notes she sings
echo from the celestial to the terrestrial

“You better think. Think!
what you trying to do to me

“You better think. Think!
what you trying to do to you

“Let your mind go, let yourself be free
Freedom. Freedom. Freedom.”

Oh Ms Franklin
I have never loved a man
the way that ‘baby, I love you.

Roger Blenman (C) All rights reserved.

On tonight! Feb. 22 World Poetry Celebrates Black History Month!

 

World Poetry Celebrates Black History Month!

Our 13th year!

February 22, 6:30-8:30 pm, New Westminster Public Library, 716, 6th Street, auditorium.

Hosts: Author  Roger Blenman and Marce Miller

A  tribute to women of colour, past, present and future.

Features: Candice James, Siobhan Barker.

Short film by Stacy-Ann Buchanan, youth filmmaker Stigma, depression and anxiety.

Music and dance  by the Children of Zion Vancouver.

Lavana La Brey

Come celebrate with us.

Free raffle, open mike.

Info: contact Ariadne Sawyer, ariadnes@uniserve.com or 604-526-4729. Article in Tan, The Afro News: http://www.theafronews.com/empowered-youth/

Orange_Black

RogerRBlenman

World Poetry is honoured to present activist Ahjamu Um from the US!

Author/Activist Ahjamu Umi with The Courage Equation!

May 18, 2015 by Ariadne Sawyer

Exciting News! Reporter Ariadne Sawyer for the TAN The Afro News !

the-courage-equation

Due to a death in his family, activist Ahjamu Um was unable to come. Our love and prayers go out to him in this time of need and support. We hope he can come at a later date.

Writer on Tour from Portland, Oregon. Author/activist Ahjamu Um with The Courage Equation!

Listen to the World Poetry radio show interview with Ahjami on June 9th, 9 pm on CFRO, 100.5 fm. * Author and poet Roger Blenman was able to fill in for him on the show.

June 13, World Poetry Vancouver, June 13th, Britannia Public Library. 1-3 pm. Book signing, refreshment, free book raffle!

Unfortunately the launch was also cancelled.

Hosts: Lina Fanat and Roger Blenman.

On December 10, 2014, Raider International Publishing House in New York, NY, released The Courage Equation. This 542 page literary fiction piece is an extremely creative and clever narrative centered on issues of white supremacy and patriarchy with a suspense filled story-line.

The adventure is told through the eyes of Boahinmaa Omawale. She and her husband Adisa organize a group of activists from Accra, Ghana, and the San Francisco, Bay Area, to unite to carry out a clandestine seek and destroy mission against the leaders of a violent white supremacist group in Oregon after a growing number of young Black boys start turning up missing.

The power of this book is in its courage in addressing the elephant in the room in oppressed communities and social justice movements; the role of patriarchy in subjugating the women in those communities and movements. Boahinmaa and the other women in this story address sexism from their male comrades during the mission, and other critical issues such as rape culture, in head on and thoughtful ways that give all of us reasons to rethink and challenge how we understand those issues. In addition, a unique aspect of this story is the positive way in which Africa is represented. Strong women and men in Ghana, who are focused on self-determination and independence, are the foundation of the community Boahinmaa and Adisa live in. Boahinmaa, as a white woman in an interracial relationship who lives in Africa, gives perspective on how to exist within an African organization in a healthy and productive way. Plus, her honest and intimate interactions with Black women provide classic insight into those relationships that are rarely explored in literature and popular culture. Finally, the group’s bold decision to unapologetically fight fire with fire is an urgent departure from the dominant narrative that oppressed communities must always suffer silently or at least non-violently.

The Courage Equation is the second novel published by author/activist Ahjamu Umi. The book can be purchased through all online book sites and by order through any bookstore. More information about the dynamic activist work by the author, including information on his activist and literary workshops, can be found through his website at www.abetterworld.me

A wonderful light in the world!

Source : The Afro News.