BOOKS BY C. JORDAN: BOOK REVIEW: Personification of Injustice, by Con...

BOOKS BY C. JORDAN: BOOK REVIEW: Personification of Injustice, by Con...: BOOK REVIEW:  Personification of Injustice , by Connie Jordan If I can shed some light on an on-going way of life and allow people to see ...

BOOK REVIEW: Personification of Injustice, by Connie Jordan

BOOK REVIEW:  Personification of Injustice, by Connie Jordan

If I can shed some light on an on-going way of life and allow people to see things from another perpective...


This is a collection of poetry of the observations of the writer on racism and recent events between police and black people. I found this difficult to like at first. It is definitely a book that requires perseverance. Irrational vs rational thought is a great poem which urges people for the need for unity. Poems such as New Beginning could well be talking about the world as a whole but Looking Back at 2014 and Lies That Were Told are poems that clearly show the journey of black people and what they have had to endure. This has made me feel uncomfortable, I hadn’t fully realized the extent of the damage that can be caused by oppression and this collection has opened my eyes.

                                                                 Reviewed by:  Katie L
                                                                                            February 21, 2016



  Personification of Injustice

BOOKS BY C. JORDAN: BOOK REVIEW, by David Russell: Personification of ...

BOOKS BY C. JORDAN: BOOK REVIEW, by David Russell: Personification of ...: BOOK REVIEW, by David Russell:  Personification of Injustice , by Connie Jordan Personification of Injustice This collection should shake ...

BOOK REVIEW, by David Russell: Personification of Injustice, by Connie Jordan

BOOK REVIEW, by David Russell:  Personification of Injustice, by Connie Jordan

                                                              Personification of Injustice


This collection should shake anyone out of his or her complacency. It sustains throughout a tone of wholesome candour. I speak as a ‘half-informed’ person who had some experience of race relations operating in the UK, particularly in the area of the Notting Hill Carnival. I do not share Connie’s Christian convictions but appreciate the way in which they are an incredible support for her.

Connie uses that literary device to make her protest against the consequences of Slavery. The personified, individualised black people hold the white man, the slave trader, the plantation owner, the segregationalist, to task.

After Effects of Slavery refers to a desperate struggle – ‘verbalizing loudly, without a true voice.’ Another Black Life Ending and Another One Down refer to confrontations between black rights demonstrators and armed police. This is supremely pertinent to me; I had tended to think that such atrocities happened in the ‘bad old days’. But they definitely pertain to the here and now.

Can Love Conquer Hate – the brutal, armed police are compared to the Taliban; I certainly know the term ‘state terrorism’ and yes: terrorism of all kinds threatens to become the ‘norm’. Choices is an impassioned plea for those motivated by brutality and force to think, and feel and love – to go on into a peaceful future.

Clarification is one of those ‘poems’ which practically stands as a political tract: Connie indicts journalists and academics alike for abstracting, and muting, confrontation with the issue of slavery and its consequences, which she depicts so unflinchingly. Those in (white) power dodge the issue: “It’s  easier for them to blame rules, policy, laws and institutions rather than to stand individually responsible.” She makes a searing comment on the dynamics of oppression: “Even while psychology states, when a victim begins to believe the same values as the aggressor, they cease to be perceived as a threat and so there is born the ‘house niggers’ of this generation, they allow a few to get through, to sing their praise and sell their brand . . .

While the rest of us suffer from constant policing, low job availability and no preparation through a decent education, and they call us the ‘Thugs’. She urges both sides to end this dire conflict to respect each other. Error of our Ways is a highly devotional poem, censorious of mankind for deviating from the paths laid out by a benign God.

Fifty Years of Madness certainly awoke me to the ongoing contingency of the struggles of black people in the USA. Of course I had keenly followed the actions of Martin Luther King and the like, but like countless others, I had been lulled into a false sense of security, that they had succeeded in their protests and that black people had gained equality. Multiple accolades to Connie for keeping me abreast of reality.

Freedom, Justice and Equality – Connie makes a plea for all three states of affairs, but distinguishes between them: “justice denied could only be justice delayed/ but inequality ignored, keeps revolution stored.” Genocide – a panoramic vision of the massacred masses. Giving Honour to Vets – straightforward praise of combatants, who should perhaps be considered differently from those who give them their orders. Haiti’s Plight is a major challenge to humanity’s conscience.

Snippets is another exhortation to strive for the whole truth, knowing the entirety of events and experiences, and not treating fragments as totality.  The Brother Malcolm X, I Remember is a well-reasoned attempt to assess the progress in black rights since Malcolm X’s time: ‘comparing how far we have come’. There has indeed been some progress, including Obama’s Presidency.

Connie was rightly disturbed about the harshness of some of Malcolm X’s actions and statements, but in view of the barbaric cruelty and oppression which he opposed, her final feeling is of veneration. Watch What You Say is a statement of the essence of free speech. Shallow, careless remarks, unchallenged, can do enormous damage; so can the practice of gagging and marginalising dissenting opinions and voices. This poem is admirably Voltairean:

I have taken parts of the review and posted it here however, to view the complete review, visit and leave a review of your own at:

                                                    Amazon

BOOKS BY C. JORDAN: BOOK REVIEW: Personification of Injustice, Writte...

BOOKS BY C. JORDAN: BOOK REVIEW: Personification of Injustice, Writte...: I believe poetry should draw something forth and I don't mind varies opinions/conversations regarding perceptions.  It has been implied,...

BOOK REVIEW: Personification of Injustice, Written by, 'anonymous

 Personification of Injustice

Complying I am posting the review, minus the reviewers name.
                                        Reviewed by:  'anonymous'
                                                                  February 10, 2016

I believe poetry should draw something forth and I don't mind varies opinions/conversations regarding perceptions.  It has been implied, by some, that my tone in writing these poems, hinders these poems.  Still on another level I recently had a conversation with an individual who reviewed my book, in a swap, which lead to the following discussion and their refusal to actually post the review because of their low rating.

When in reality it was their beliefs that were contray to mines that had them viewing my words with a negative hue.  Which for me is a little telling about them and their ability to be objective.  When I asked if they minded me posting the review to my blog, this is what the response was:

"Not unless you made me anonymous.  The thing about public posts on the internet is that they are permanent and I don't think want someone reading a mostly negative review that I wrote ten years from now. I may not even agree with my own comments in ten years, and it might cast me in a negative light which could affect both my personal and professional life.  But thanks for the offer."


Connie

I regret to inform you that I cannot in good conscience give your book more than a two and half star review. 
I found your book to be too preachy.  Your poems sounded more like sermons than poetry.  In other words, your poems do more telling than showing.

I have been taught by many accomplished poets that good poetry is supposed to “show, not tell.”  A good poem lets readers draw their own conclusions without spelling it out for them. 

I realize that some of my poems might be guilty of breaking this rule, but I don’t think they break it nearly as much as yours do.  The subject matter of most of your poems is timely and important, and you have some nice rhymes scattered throughout, but I found very few metaphors, similes and other poetic tropes. 

I also found too much repetition throughout your book.  Finally, I was troubled by your implied solutions or lack of solutions to most of the social problems that you identify.  For example, in “Happy Easter” (p. 27), “Understanding” (p. 59), “We Are One” (p. 62-62), and other poems, you expose your Christian beliefs, implying that the solution to all of our social problems is to merely accept Christ as lord and savior.  

In the title poem (p. 38-39), you do not offer any new observations or perspectives on what we already know about the Garner and Rice cases.  In “Snippets,” (pg. 48-49), there are no concrete images anywhere in the poem.  It is filled with abstractions.  It has no color, sound, smell, or any references that would allow the reader to be present in the moment and relate to what you are talking about.

I like your piece about Malcolm (pg. 55-56), but it made me wonder what you think of his Muslim beliefs and how you reconcile your staunch Christian beliefs with his Islamic faith.  Do you believe he went to hell because he never accepted Christ as his lord and savior?  And, is the solution to our problems to “recognize humanism” like Malcolm did, or to accept Christ as lord and savior, like you propose in many of your other poems?

If your book were advertised as a “Book of Thoughts” or a “Book of Sermons,” instead of as a book of poems, I might give a slightly higher rating, but I still think it would only appeal to black Christians who probably already agree with you.

Please forgive me if my criticisms come across harsh or insensitive.  They are meant to be constructive.  My hope and prayer is that you will take them constructively and consider them when you write in the future. 


MY RESPONSE:

Wow, I wore your remarks and on some level I can get there but I do have to wonder if a majority of those remarks were based on your individual religious beliefs which were not the same as mines.  I agree they are "preachy" in an effort to get people to see the error of their ways, which at this time is running out of control as you look around the world and my goal was not to conform to metaphors or poetic trophes because it is my form/style of expression and I believe in clarity instead of fog as you can see here in this blog I wrote for the Writers Drawer called Clarity

In terms of my religious/spiritual beliefs - that has been what has comforted me throughout life's 'mishaps' and I do not make the final 'judgment' - so whether Brother Malcolm goes to heaven or hell is not my decision - I just know he was a man who lived LOUDLY - I respected him and in terms of 'humanism' he was a man on the road to 'awareness' that it IS all about humanism, before he was gunned down by his brotherman - I lived that experience in a time and place where assainations ruled -

Also for me you overlooked all the times I directed people to take a stroll inside themselves to change their hearts and minds as the true solution to the problems we as humanity face.

I could say more but truly I accept the concept that different people are working from different perspectives.  You can post your review of my book and there will probably be those who agree with you - because I know from experience people do not hear truth objectively it is always riddled by 'personal influences' and denials.

Don't worry about the two and a half because I was only going to give you three.  I generally do not rate poetry because although I like to write it I seldom enjoy reading it because of the tropes and metaphors that hide meaning and stiffles feelings but I did at least 'feel' some things when reading your poems with controversy/disagreement as well.

Thanks for your time!!

Connie

The reviewer sent me this back:

Thank you for your thoughtful response.  Please do not post anything less than a four star review of my book.  I do not really need anybody to review my work, but positive reviews have been linked to better sales, and I would like to at least recoup what I invested in the production of my book. I will not post any public reviews of your book because if I cannot help you, I do not want to risk hurting your book sales.  I told you in advance that I am picky about the poetry I like.   I agree that we have different beliefs and I respect your beliefs, but I also know people whose beliefs are more closely aligned with your than mine who write poems that are not preachy like yours. I used to be accused of writing preachy/didactic poems, and I have worked hard to make the adjustment.  Just because a poem is not preachy does not mean that it is foggy or cryptic.  I personally hate foggy or cryptic poems, as should be evident from my own work.  I do not regret reading your book.

All I can say is this is truly indicative of the validity of "objective" reviews as well as the process as a whole.  Definitely something to think about!!!

BOOKS BY C. JORDAN: A POEM: Recognize, by Connie Jordan

BOOKS BY C. JORDAN: A POEM: Recognize, by Connie Jordan:  A POEM:  Recognize , by Connie Jordan                                             From:  Personification of Injustice   Personificatio...

A POEM: Recognize, by Connie Jordan

 A POEM:  Recognize, by Connie Jordan
                                            From:  Personification of Injustice


 Personification of Injustice

 
 Now that we have Clarification, it is time to Recognize. Some people critize my 'Tone' in expressing the wrongs but the tone of the behavior that brought me to these words is much stronger.  For my words have not stolen lives nor hindered, in any way, the progress of a people.  I have to live in the reality created by hate, bigotry and racism all irrational to me, but I survived and I see things clearly.  The amazing thing is that I do not feel that way towards you, even after all these years and the things you continue to do!!! Happy Black History Month!!!
 

RECOGNIZE
That was funny how you thought you could
deprive, yet, we rose above the tides of what
you thought, we deserved,

Breaking the shackles used to bind us to you,
lost in the insanity of believing in your power
and the control you had over us,

You lost sight that like you we too had a mind,
could see you were wrong in your laws,
sprouting constitutional righteousness, not
extended to us and our realities,

Yet, we channeled our energies, gathered our
meager resources, faced you toe to toe, told you
we wouldn’t take it any more,

So you backed off a little, began to continue
on your path by deceit, taking your evil deeds
to another level and for a while things settled,

But the face of the beast just learned to hide
behind a new disguise; awareness never leaving
our conscious mind, just made weary from the
constant battle,

Realizing that it would seem lessons would have
been learned, not yet accomplished our goal, so
we rose again to the challenge and will continue
to rise, time and again,

Because the spirit is strong,

With the torch of hope in our heart, we move on,
passing on parts of us to stand up if need be, until
needs are met and we are no longer judged,

And executed on the streets where we live, we will
not go back to being slaves, only moving forward
on this path, you should recognize that in our eyes
and our ability to survive,

Open up your eyes

BOOKS BY C. JORDAN: A POEM: Clarification, by Connie Jordan

BOOKS BY C. JORDAN: A POEM: Clarification, by Connie Jordan: A POEM:  Clarification , by Connie Jordan                                                 From:  Personification of Injustice In honor o...

A POEM: Clarification, by Connie Jordan

A POEM:  Clarification, by Connie Jordan
                                                From:  Personification of Injustice

In honor of Black History Month - let's get some Clarification on how we arrived at where we are in 2016.  Even through the harshness it is never to late to change direction!!!



  Personification of Injustice



CLARIFICATION

As I sit here watching the 'conversation'
about racism in America, I feel like we
are all getting caught up in the weeds,
as I heard one news anchor express the
other day,

Let's start by understanding from whence
we come;

Back in the day we, meaning black people,
where snatched from our homes, treated
like animals on the journey to our new
domicile, humiliated, sexually abused,
beaten and sold,

Stripped of our heritage and repeatedly told,
we needed this treatment to keep the control;
now let's define some relevant words;

Stockholm syndrome/traumatic bonding:
traumatic bonding does not necessarily
require a hostage situation but we,
as black folk, where indeed held hostage,

But this syndrome describes strong emotional
ties that develop between two persons, where
one person, white folks/the United States
of America or simply the government,

Since it's easier for them to blame rules, policy,
laws and institutions rather than to stand
individually responsible; intermittently harasses,
beats, threatens, abuses or intimidates the other;

Now we as black people have experienced all
of those behaviors, directed towards us
for centuries,

As times changed, so too did methods, until here
we are in twenty-fifteen, they calling it policing,
and simply shooting rather than lynching, although,
that propensity to lynch does still exist in the midst
of this madness,

Yet, as I have listened to them attempt to blame the
victims of these heartbreaking atrocities, their
justification being we need policing cause of black
on black crime, when their white on white crime is
just as substantial;

Even while psychologically states, when a victim
begins to believe the same values as the aggressor,
they cease to be perceived as a threat and so there
is born the house niggers of this generation, they
allow a few to get through, to sing their praise,

Sell their brand, while the rest of us suffer from
constant policing, low job availability and no
preparation through a decent education,
and they call us the 'Thugs'!!!

When you come to my house and disrespect me
in front of my family and friends, I begin to believe
I just don't matter; while we have a reason for our
behavior, you feel justified in the hate you have been
perpetrating for all of these years with no reason,

Based on that I have to ask, who the real thugs are,
yet, in analyzing the situation, both sides need
to recognize this protesting that's happening,
on some levels could determine our fate, so let's
get it together, before it's too late, knowing that over
time, hate breeds hate,

Let’s change our direction

BOOKS BY C. JORDAN: A POEM: Rebirth, by Connie Jordan

BOOKS BY C. JORDAN: A POEM: Rebirth, by Connie Jordan: A POEM:  Rebirth , by Connie Jordan                                         From:  Matters of the Heart   You came to me in a time of n...

A POEM: Rebirth, by Connie Jordan

A POEM:  Rebirth, by Connie Jordan
                                        From:  Matters of the Heart


 


You came to me in a time of need, feeling rejected by love
however, you planted a new seed of love, generating new birth,

You nurtured it with tenderness and kindness, healed me of the
self-imposed blindness and erased my insecurities,

You had the audacity to show me I still had the capacity to love,
opened up my eyes and my heart,

Lifted the fog that had surrounded me as though you were sent
from above, you ministered to my soul and waited patiently
for the momentum to unfold,

I was like the petals of a rose bud you were sublime,
giving me time to blossom into this beautiful new design,

I was living life lost in time, trepidation was my solitary bind,
now my spirit soars, life has opened its doors and I,
once again, see beauty in the things around me,

It was as though you pushed a lever, you were oh so clever
in your endeavor to make me whole, thank you for being,
so bold