“Scattered Clouds by Reuben Jackson is the balm for the sting of ‘real’ American life”
In the lastest review of "Scattered Clouds" Serena Agusto-Cox explores the pain and triumph in Jackson's poetry.
SERENA AGUSTO-COX recently posted a glowing review of Reuben Jackson's poetry collection "Scattered Clouds" on her excellent blog Savvy Verse & Wit.
In her review, Agusto-Cox focuses on the immense tremors of pain that shake the book at its core and on the hope lingering in their aftermath:
"Scattered Clouds by Reuben Jackson is the balm for the sting of 'real' American life, laced with a hope that we can overcome, persevere, and take the lessons we’ve learned from those lost to us and apply them to our future selves to create a better tomorrow. It’s the coverage we need away from the storm without forgetting that storms do come."
She also pays special attention to the fan-favorite Amir & Khadijah Suite, finding hope in Reuben's love ballads.
"It’s Jackson’s song of hope, either for himself or for all of us. His heart is full of love and it is reaching out to us in line after line searching for connection."
Lastly, Agusto-Cox selects her favorite poem from Scattered Clouds to be "Sunday Brunch."
Scattered Clouds is a volume of lyrical, emotionally forthright meditations on love, loss, and longing. The volume contains the complete text of the author’s award-winning first collection, fingering the keys; his nationally lauded poem, “For Trayvon Martin”; and his suite of ruminations on a long-time and deeply missed friend, the late barbershop owner Amir Yasin, and his widow Khadijah Rollins. These poems, exploring Amir’s late-life romance with Kadijah, became a national internet sensation.
Rose Solari Came of Age as Teacher at “The Writer’s Center”
In this short essay, Rose Solari muses on her time as a teacher working in the early ’90s at Bethesda’s up and coming “The Writer’s Center”, and on how a recent reconciliation led our 2019 book launch back to The Center.
Grace Cavalieri and Other MD Poets Honor Stanley Plumly on Midday W/Tom Hall
Grace Cavalieri, Elizabeth Spires, and Michael Collier discuss the life and work of former MD Poet Laureate, Stanley Plumly, on WYPR’s Midday with Tom Hall.
“Melodic Recollections of Notable Musicians: Stories from the Stacks” Reuben Jackson on VPR
In “Melodic Recollections of Notable Musicians” Reuben spends an hour recalling his adventures and misadventures as curator of the Smithsonian’s Ellington collection. For anyone interested in knowing more about Reuben Jackson and the immense jazz influence in his poetry, this is the place to start.