“SUMMERTIME AND THE LIVIN’ IS NOT EASY”
Article by: Elaine Stevenson
Sha Rene’ recites her spoken word poetry from her book, “Words Can Explain” for the “New Writers Night Event at Barnes & Noble in Princeton Market fair. Sha Rene’ was selected from many other writers and placed on the “short list” as they say in politics to perform this evening. Sha Rene’ speaks lyrically about the issues. The room was crowded with readers and coffee shop college goers who heard a singing voice from across the oom. “Summertime and the livin’ is easy” the Porgy and Bess song rings aloud for a moment as people started peering out from the bookshelf isles to see where the voice was coming from.
It was coming from Sha Rene’ as she began to read her first poem in her book called, “Namesake” “This is for my mother; this is for my mother who picked cotton. She hurt her hands a child. I would always wonder if it’s harder now!” Sha Rene’ did not hold back her works when describing her personal story of her family just having a family reunion where her great, great grandfather was a slave. Most African American families have this story and Sha Rene’s is no different. Sha Rene’ then went on the perform her poem called, “Roots” She describes the Alex Haley movie in comparison to say that, “Everyone knows that TV show we watched in the 70’s called Roots. Well my poem is about keeping you grounded, Grounded to the earth. “Like a Root, I hear a sound calling and fall I must in order to stand tall!” She says these words in a compelling strength from her heart as she performs as if there is an actress on the stage.
After the appreciation from the audience on this poem, Sha discusses HIV in the African Community. She makes note to the audience of the recent special on CNN, “Black in America” She quotes the show by talking about the stats in Washington DC and then performs her spoken word poem that Sha calls her HIV anthem called, “Anyplace Anywhere Anytime.” With the tagline, “Only if I were yours and you were mine” Sha gets political with her poem called “Sight” where Sha speaks up against the wars and says, “It has to stop” her poem says, “People are grieving for this nation to stand up and rise up to be.” Sha says the poem was like a piece of art”, as she turns the pages to the audience. “I challenged myself to place words on a page line by line with no sentences yet create relativity.”One nation fights a nation and another and another. It must stop,” she says. Sha Rene closed her performance with a Love poem, called “Life”. “Life is never what you expect it to be. This is a poem about Love and relationships.”
The evening was hosted by Debra Lampert-Rudman the event planner at Barnes & Noble Princeton located at 353 Route One South, Princeton, New Jersey. The other writers were:, Susan Ray Baker, Euna Kwon Brossman, Angela Chang, Jane Coloccia, Mark Eastburn, Coach Cecil Mosensen (read our other press release, “Love and Basketball” about Sha and Cecil) and Fred Walker. Sha Rene’ met all of the writers and signed autographs for the fans.
Sha Rene’ sends a special Thank you to Debra & Charlotte as well as the entire staff at B&N Princeton.
Video footage by: Marcellus Cason
Copyright 2008
Summer’s Day Publishing
10 Schalks Crossing Road 501-147
Plainsboro, New Jersey 08536
609-372-3524
For more information on Sha Rene’ visit her official web site at http://sha-rene.com
Fans write to ShaReneFanClub@aol.com
