A few days ago, my first wife told me she was separating from her third husband. I joked with her and said maybe we should get married and start all over again. She laughed and reminded me that I had married two fabulous women during my time in this world. My first wife was my first love. In 2000, Carmela Ciuraru edited First Loves: Poets Introduce the Essential Poems That Captivated and Inspired Them. The contributors to this book included some of my poetry friends: Ai, Star Black, Henri Cole, Wanda Coleman, Carolyn Forche, Eric Pankey, Robert Pinsky and bell hooks.
I contributed to the book too. I wrote about being seduced by Leonard Cohen’s "Suzanne Takes You Down." I love how Nina Simone sings this poem. Oh…
Next year, I have two books coming out in spring 2009. The 5th Inning will be a second memoir. My first memoir Fathering Words was published by St. Martin’s Press in 2000. The book was selected in 2003 by the D.C. Public Library system for its DC READS, one book, one city program. On Saturdays I Santana With You is the title of my new collection of poems being pubished by Curbstone Press.
As I approach 60, I think about the writing of poetry and memoir. Two loves. Each year I talk to high school and college students who have read Fathering Words. The book is more popular than any of my works of poetry. I keep telling Poetry that she is my first love but I believe she suspects a mistress is hiding somewhere in my bio note.
Lately the tabloids claim that I’m nothing but a blogger. My E-Notes each month reach thousands of people around the world. I keep reminding myself I need to spend more time writing poems. Do I need to fall in love again? I look around and see some folks still too young to go steady. I smile and tell them to always carry protection. You never know.