Music Either Deepens or Elevates My Mood
Soundtrack for Over Yonder: A Poet's Exploration of South Carolina State Parks, Part II
Hello Bloomers,
Photo Credit: Will Crooks
In honor of my latest book, Over Yonder: A Poet’s Exploration of South Carolina State Parks, I created a playlist. You can listen before reading, while reading, or even after finishing the book. I believe these songs capture the mood and tone of Over Yonder.Here is the link to my Over Yonder Playlist: Over Yonder Playlist
I hope you enjoy this curated music selection. I hope it buoys and buffers you as it does me.
The cover of the book is indigo—a fitting choice since the collection took on themes of water and sky. Shout out to my publisher, Lib Ramos, and cover artist, Alexander Rouse. I love the design, the art, and the whole look of this book.
This book is dedicated to my grandmother, Katie Latimore, who was a guiding force throughout its creation. Born in 1901, most of her life she would not have been allowed to enter a state park. Still, she was a woman of the land and rivers, a fisherwoman whose favorite color was blue. Her voice and spirit are firmly rooted in these poems.
The book took on a life of its own—like a body of water. One morning at 3 AM, my intuition urged me to revisit the story of Pleasant Ridge Negro State Park. Though I had already written about it in The Song of Everything, this poem begged for inclusion. It was not easy to write and may not be easy to read or hear. You can find me reading “What to Do in Water” on Lobolly Press X Good Printed Things’ Podcast: What to Do in Water
One of the opening epigraphs of the book is a Bruce Lee quote:
“Be like water making its way through cracks. Do not be assertive, but adjust to the object, and you shall find a way around or through it. If nothing within you stays rigid, outward things will disclose themselves.”
I didn’t include the rest of the Bruce Lee’s quote, but it has also stayed with me every since I heard it: “Empty your mind, be formless. Shapeless, like water. If you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle, and it becomes the bottle. You put it in a teapot; it becomes the teapot. Now, water can flow, or it can crash. Be water, my friend.”
Over Yonder arrives at a time of deep reflection about the path my life will take. I am facing health challenges and have struggled with throat ailments for the past six months. At times my body feels full of hard edges—bones like sharp mountain ridges pressing on me from the inside. I have a lymph system that runs through me like wildfire. Still, I have continued to see my doctors, to push through the fatigue and pain. Bruce Lee’s wisdom reminds me to flow, even when it feels impossible.
I am grateful that Over Yonder is being released as a celebration in my birthday month. On August 27, I turn 62. The timing is also significant because this book arrives during Black August, a month-long commemoration that honors Black liberation fighters and political prisoners. I was born the day before Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his I Have a Dream Speech. Who knew we would still be fighting for our rights and our culture in 2025?
Know this, poetry is how I fight. Poetry is how I LOVE. I have dedicated my professional life to this struggle––this beauty.
I did not include this song on my playlist, but here it is as it is fitting: I Will Stay On The Battle Field (this is my mantra too) or I Will Trust in the Lord
I thank you for supporting my work and my walk.Also Check out my interview with Kendra Winchester on her podcast ReadAppalachia
Stay well. Stay safe.
And remember to:
Bloom Anyhow!