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Category Archives: Family, Memory & Personal Essays
A Funeral, Two Graduations, and a Milestone Birthday Celebration
In a six-day span, I attended my baby brother’s funeral, our two daughters’ graduations, from middle school and high school, and my sister Cheryl’s milestone (60th) birthday celebration. At Whitney’s funeral, I spoke on behalf of our family. Here, I … Continue reading
Posted in Family, Memory & Personal Essays
1 Comment
Fifty Shades of Green
The title of this blog may have led you to it, perhaps thinking that it was going to be something freaky about the Irish on this St. Patrick’s Day. Granted, today I’ve seen sexy pictures of women in green on … Continue reading
Hammerin’ Hank, and Me!
Henry Louis “Hank” Aaron died yesterday, January 22, 2021. As soon as I learned of his death, I was deeply saddened. He was one of my childhood heroes, and when I played Little League Baseball I wore his “lucky” number … Continue reading
Posted in Family, Memory & Personal Essays
Tagged Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, January 6th Insurrection, MLB, sports
1 Comment
“The Man Who Cried I Am!”: Celebrating Fifty Years of Life
It seems like only yesterday when I wrote this piece as I approached a milestone birthday, but it’s been nearly ten years. As I approach another milestone birthday, I am looking to complete my fourth collection of poetry, entitled, The … Continue reading
Posted in Family, Memory & Personal Essays, Streets of Rage
Tagged Allen Ginsberg, being a teenager, Black Patriotism, Black Shadows and Through the White Looking Glass, Granada, Growing Up, Howl!, juveniles, Panama, patriotism, Pedagogy of the Oppressed, Poetry, raising black boys, Relationships, Sometimes Blue Knights Wear Black Hats, The Black Blood of Poetry, The Wretched of the Earth
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Remembering 9/11/
Almost everyone has a 9/11 memory. On that fateful day, I was on an uptown #4 train, heading to work. When the first plane struck the first tower at 8:46 AM, I was still underground, in a tunnel, riding the … Continue reading
Still Celebrating Life!
I saw the best minds of my generation drop out of school and get their education on the streets, in the schools of hard knocks: in group homes, reform schools, jails, reformatories and prisons. They dropped out of schools that … Continue reading
Posted in Family, Memory & Personal Essays
1 Comment
The Alchemy of Transforming Teens?
A week ago in the early morning rush hour I bumped into a young lady on a Brooklyn street in Brownsville. “Mr. Waters!” she said, giving me a hug. Fourteen years ago this young lady was 14 years old, a … Continue reading
A Father’s Day Message…for Mothers
Beware the self-fulfilling prophecy! One day, in the South Bronx, I observed the following: a young Latina mother with two boys, around ages 6 and 10, standing in front of a bodega. The mother seemed agitated. The older boy was … Continue reading
There are no second acts in American lives?
F. Scott Fitzgerald famously wrote, “There are no second acts in American lives.” That’s only true if your life is a one act play! I’m in my third act, approaching the climatic scene, and the denouement won’t be anti-climatic!
Posted in Family, Memory & Personal Essays
Tagged American lives, F. Scott Fitzgerald, life
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William Eric Waters, aka Easy Waters 