Riehlife Poems-of-the-Day: Essence.com lists 40 favorite poets by Jenisha Watts

Byriehlifegrace

I had the pleasure of sitting next to Emil Wilbekin, manager digital editor for the online extension of Essence. The occasion? The National Bar Association’s 30th Annual Gertrude E. Rush Award Dinner at the Renaissance St. Louis Grand Hotel in St. Louis, Missouri.

One of these award recipients was Emil’s mother, Cleota Proctor Wilbekin, Esquire of Cincinnati, Ohio. She has several arm lengths of accomplishments…including world-wide quilting exhibits. Emil and his brother movingly introduced his mother.

During our conversation at the table, Emil mentioned that one of April’s “Hot Topics” in the entertainment section of Essence-online was list of Essence’s 40 favorite poets chosen by Jenisha Watts.

Here’s the link for the slide show of 40 phenomenal African-American poets as their pictures and poems read like a roll call for the richness of life.

Essence.com list and portfolio originally published Thursday, April 8, 2010, for their 40th anniversary.

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