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ART IV: Remembering Gwendolyn Brooks by Haki R. MAdhubuti

I found this poem recently while researching Dr. Haki R. Madhubuti, founder of Third World Press, the oldest independent black publishing house in the country. A couple weeks ago I received a generous personal tour of the publishing house, and met Dr. Madhubuti in person. He gave me signed copy of his 2004 poetry book, Run Toward Fear. The MFA program at Chicago State University is housed in the Gwendolyn Brooks Writing Center, and was formerly Chaired by Dr. Madhubuti. Although it would have been wonderful to study under him when he taught at the university, I’ve enjoyed my first year in the program with our current chair Dr. Nicole Lavalais. Dr. Lavalais is a knowledgable teacher of literature and film, and an author of Summer of the Cicadas. Finding this poem was a wonderful full circle moment, and helped me connect to the deep history of Chicago State University. I love every line of this poem.

For David  J. Steiner, artist and filmmaker, December 26, 2016

art has its own language, name, and questions,

   has clear talk, justice, and motivation.

art does not create itself,

   does not escape the daily windstorms,

   fires, gun blasts, ignorant mumblings,

   or cruel misrepresentations of the

   rulers and their gatekeepers.

artists and their art are liberated souls

forever sprinting and searching in the world.

they do not see borders, walls, or can’t do possibilities,

and when confronted with such,

they quietly and questionably,

loudly and deliberately—with

pens, paper, computers, film, cameras, paint,

canvas, phones, creative ideas, and feet—

run toward fear

without hesitation or limiting doubts,

with good and loving intentions, struggle

to move all of us into the yes community of

life-centered people

as directed by their art, conscience, and culture

while intentionally

advancing quality definitions of a

kind-based civilization and world.

~ Haki R. Madhubuti