[This review was originally published on the Akoma Buttons Web site.]
Deep Within Us All: A Collection of Poetry (bonus spoken word CD included)
By phate (W. Feagins, Jr.)
Pneuma Publishing International, Inc., 2004 (1st ed.)
[$24.95 ISBN 0-9746797-2-0]
There is something inside each of us that transcends the confines of race, class, politics, economics, religion and even space and time. Something, whose longing does not discriminate where it will take up residence. It is present in the breath of every person; its dialect the Universal Language. This something is the human experience and William Feagins, Jr. eloquently and skillfully shares the human experience in his debut collection of poetry, Deep Within Us All.
Penned under the name phate—Poetically Healing and Teaching Everyone—Feagins introduces a collection of over 60 poems that takes readers through the hope and despair of urban life. Even if you’ve never experienced inner city blues firsthand, if you have a beating heart Feagins’ words—inked in the well of Life—will pierce through and you’ll have no choice but to feel the pang of raw emotion. His words are purposely designed to inspire change. In his message to readers, Feagins writes that, “Racism is still alive and well, police brutality happens, there is still rampant sexism, and African-Americans are still killing each other for little or no reason. I draw attention to issues not because I want to glorify them or because I am a negative person, but because problems will never be resolved until we admit there are problems.”
Deep Within Us All is a mirror that forces us to look at the ugly parts of ourselves. Poem after poem the words scream, “Look! Look at yourself! Look at the crack addicted mothers, the fatherless households, the gangbanging young men and promiscuous young women, the violence in the streets and in the homes, the forgotten dreams! That’s all you. Now what are you going to do about yourself?”
Exposing the truth is not an easy task, but sometimes accepting the truth is as much a challenge. Feagins demonstrates with this collection that he is a captivating storyteller, painting word pictures so vivid that I almost felt too emotional to read on once I got to the third poem. “Heavensent” (p. 19), told from the point of view of a 14-year-old young man who reluctantly turns to a life of hustling, had me in tears as I rode the train to work one morning. I realized I know this young man—I see his face on just about every corner around my way. I’ve called him out of his name and thought him beneath me, not knowing the story of his life and how he got to be on that corner. Not knowing, that is, until I read Feagins’ words and gained a new understanding.
Not only does Feagins shine as a writer with Deep Within Us All, he also showcases his abilities as a highly capable spoken word artist on the accompanying CD. As DJ Rampage, Feagins produces, arranges, records and mixes all of the tracks featured on the disc. And please be advised, this is not your typical underground, Maxell recordable disc with Sharpie writing all over it. No, this is a professional recording that’s a continuation of the high quality presented in the paperback. The CD includes 25 tracks, with several pieces that are exclusive to the CD. The musical experience takes the written word to a new dimension and is a perfect complement to the book.
Urban life as we know it won’t change overnight, but it will change. Deep Within Us All offers hope for a brighter future, a better future, if each person not only reads/listens to the words but takes them personally and follows Feagins’ call to action. He is tired of the pain. Are you?
Visit www.deepwithinusall.com or www.akomamarketplace.com” to purchase your copy today.
Reviewed by Sandria M. Washington www.writeousmedia.wordpress.com.
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