Poet Jaki Shelton Greene inspired by oral history

By Amanda Hickey
Staff Writer

On Nov. 9 and 10, poet and author Jaki Shelton Greene visited UNCP. Greene came to read her poetry and hold a discussion about building community through writing and art.

“I’ve always wanted to come (to Pembroke) and my friend said all I’d have to do is call and say I want to come,” said Greene to the room of students and faculty.

“I think Pembroke is a fascinating place. I’ve always been struck by the cultural convergence in this part of the state. There’s just an incredible fabric of an incredible story that I would like to tap into,” she said later in the night.

Greene read a variety of her poetry, both older and some going in her next collection. Those works included The Lesson, For Rita, For my Parents, The Death of Poetess Ritika, Visitations and Prayer for Jesse.

Greene uses events in her life in her poetry. The poem For Rita is about her friend Rita who died of breast cancer.

On Nov. 10, Greene spoke about building community through writing and art.

“I believe that writing and the arts are incredible and powerful tools for community healing and building. The arts, or writing, is the bridge between different types of people,” she said.

“When you embrace art, it becomes an incredible vessel. For me, writing has always been an incredible container for joy, grief, (all emotions),” said Greene.

Greene hoped that students would get something out of the discussion.

“Maybe they’ll begin to see their stories differently. What makes stories unique is the validation of them,” said Greene.

The point Greene pushed most was that “what you keep, keeps you,” that the object is a part of your story, your legacy.

“For people of color, sometimes it is what you know that saves you, not what you have,” said Greene.

Greene began writing because she was inspired by “listening to oral stories that were passed down through people in my community and my family. I just wanted to preserve the stories through poetry.”

Greene is from Efland, NC, which is in Orange County. She is the author of Dead on Arrival, Masks, Swiss Time, and Conjure Blues. She has received many awards, including the 2003 North Carolina Award for Literature. Greene was first published at 12. Since then, her works have appeared in collections, journals, textbooks, anthologies and have been choreographed. She has written a play, “Blue Opal.”