aaduna in exile 2021-2022 - Frazier
If you are African American or a dear friend of someone Black or even a close, trusted ally, you may understand the phrase, “Five on the Black Hand Side.”
As a publisher of a literary journal, I have some familiarity with the use of racial/cultural/ethnic language and how African Americans have especially used English, which was not the original language of our ancestors to understand how to communicate with other Black folk within the dominant, and all too often pervasive racially motivated ruling class. A majority class fermented in a fear of revolt and uprisings emboldened by an inadequacy of an inclusive spirit and humane sensitivity.
The “Five” phraseology has always been an integral part of Black history, culture and manifested in a variety of ways especially what we have now call “the Obama bump.” Quite frankly, you can research Black language history since that is not my primary intent with this posting.
Understandably, there are numerous writers and poets who are versed in the historical and contemporary vernacular of African American folk-speak, and routinely intersperse the nuances and diversity of those cultural expressions of language in their creative work. Some linguists may abhor how “dominant/proper” English is used to communicate, but others may extol any effort to sustain and strengthen however Black folks elect to express themselves in writing or verbally.
Now, you may ask what these ideas have to do with aaduna?
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| Chantel Frazier (photo provided) |
Chantel Frazier, a poet residing in Syracuse, New York, will present five of her poems in the winter 2021-22 issue of aaduna. Ms. Frazier has the capacity to position language to convey intricate and compelling thematic imagery. Chantel is able to articulate subtle expressions of the emotional construct of folk who struggle, persevere, and enhance their spirit for mapping out a place in the interwoven fabric of humanity.
Her is an except from her poem, “Single Parent”
Being a single parent with children in high school isn’t so easy.
This is the turning point where most
teenagers found out life wasn’t so peachy.
Reality hits for most of us at a
ripe age, like if I don’t go to work these bills won’t get paid.
I’m a single parent working three
different shifts to make ends meet.
So Please don’t look down on me if
my children are running the streets.
It’s not that home isn’t where I
want to be, but the fact that no one else will do it for me.
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aaduna - an online adventure with words and images - a globally read, multi-cultural, and diverse online literary and visual arts journal established in 2010.
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