I Made My Boy Out of Poetry Poems, Stories, Dreams and Sho 'Nuff Truths
by Aberjhani
Since its original publication, I MADE MY BOY OUT OF POETRY (Washington Publications, 1997) has won international recognition as a modern-day classic of poetry and short fiction. It has won acclaim from general readers and literary scholars alike. Prior to the book's publication, short fiction and poetry within it was first printed in The Georgia Guardian, a weekly newspaper formerly published by the Savannah College of Art and Design (popularly known as SCAD). Poems were also published in ESSENCE Magazine and other national and international journals. A powerful literary vision of rare scope, beauty and emotional intensity, this volume contains 50 poems, 5 short stories, and 1 personal memoir essay. Stories and poems flow in and out of each other like the most lucid and articulate of dreams. These are portraits and studies of individual souls attempting to make peace with an awareness of themselves as beings more spiritual than material in a world given largely to the latter. This book offers an amazing journey through the heart and soul of a modern seeker of visions whose writings continue to resonate with contemporary readers. The quote like the following is one indication of why: "Just above our terror, the stars painted this story in perfect silver calligraphy. And our souls, too often abused by ignorance, covered our eyes with mercy." Reviewing the title on Goodreads, author Richard Van Holst noted: "¿One can sense the influence of American poets such as Walt Whitman and Langston Hughes. There is Christian imagery, but also a taste of Persian and Arab culture¿ Aberjhani's vivid style makes a powerful impression. But more importantly, he writes as one who is aware of where he comes from and of his function as a writer." Others have suggested comparisons to Franz Kafka and Edgar Allen Poe. All generally agree that his voice is a uniquely captivating one. The title at this point has been reprinted in both paperback and eBook formats.
FictionShort Stories (single author)Poetry
RELEASED1997
PUBLISHERBlack Skylark Singing
LENGTH116
LANGUAGEEN
A former editor for the U.S. Air Force and a native of Savannah, Georgia (USA), [Aberjhani][1] has authored and/or edited more than 2 dozen books and journals in multiple genres, including educational reference, biography, fantasy, mystery, poetry, history, literary reference, and memoir. He is a winner of the Thomas Jefferson Award for his journalism, the American Library Association Choice Academic Title and Best History Book Awards for his historical writings, the Creative Loafing Critic’s Pick Best Savannah Author Award for general authorship, and the Connect Savannah 2006 Poet and Spoken Word Artist of the Year Award for his poetry. In addition, he is an acclaimed visual artist whose works have been noted for their creative documentation of environmental, social, and spiritual concerns. The author is also the founder of the former [Creative Thinkers International][2] creative artists community and has served as a member of the [PEN American Center][3] and Academy of American Poets. In 2009, Aberjhani emerged as one of the pioneers of online [interpretive journalism][4]. In his position as the National African-American Art Examiner, he has logged informative and entertaining stories on such era-defining issues as: the case of Georgia death-row inmate Troy Anthony Davis; the life and death of Michael Jackson; the presidency of Barack Obama; and the legacy of Nelson Mandela. He introduced the social criticism concept of Guerrilla Decontextualization in 2010 and initiated the 100th Anniversary of the Harlem Renaissance initiative in 2011. In 2014 he joined the ranks of members on the [LinkedIn][5] website invited to publish a blog on the popular platform. His books, five of which have Kindle editions, include Democratic Dilemmas and Divine Inspiration (2025), These Black and Blue Red Zone Days (2023), Greeting Flannery O'Connor at the Back Door of My Mind (2020), Dreams of the Immortal City Savannah (2019), [Songs from the Black Skylark zPed Music Player][6] (2016), *Journey through the Power of the Rainbow: Quotations from a Life Made Out of Poetry* (2014); *The River of Winged Dreams* (2010, Bright Skylark Literary Productions); *ELEMENTAL, The Power of Illuminated Love* (2008, with artist Luther E. Vann); *The American Poet Who Went Home Again* (2008); *The Bridge of Silver Wings 2009*; *Christmas When Music Almost Killed the World* (2007/2008); *Visions of a Skylark Dressed in Black* (2012); *Encyclopedia of the Harlem Renaissance* (2003, Facts On File), which won the New Jersey Notable Book Award; *The Wisdom of W.E.B. Du Bois* (2003, Kensington Books);and *I Made My Boy Out of Poetry* (1997, Washington Publications/iUniverse). He has also edited a number of titles for both independent authors and academic institutions such as Mountain State University. Most recently he served as editor for [Savannah: Immortal City][7], and [Savannah: Brokers, Bankers, and Bay Lane - Inside the Slave Trade][8], the first 2 published volumes in the Civil War Savannah Series by Barry Sheehy, Cindy Wallace, and Vaughnette Goode-Walker. *ESSENCE Magazine* listed his *Encyclopedia of the Harlem Renaissance* among its “recommended gift items” and *Black Issues Book Review* listed it among their “Recommended Titles for the Home Library.” Grits.com selected his *ELEMENTAL* gift book of art and poetry as one the featured recommended titles for its online book club. * * * * * [1]: https://www.author-poet-aberjhani.info/ [3]: https://www.pen.org/aberjhani [4]: https://aberjhaniauthorpoet.contently.com/ [5]: http://www.linkedin.com/in/aberjhani [6]: https://openlibrary.org/books/OL25892104M/Songs_from_the_Black_Skylark_zPed_Music_Player [7]: https://openlibrary.org/works/OL15597590W/Savannah [8]: https://openlibrary.org/works/OL16533264W/Savannah
I Made My Boy Out of Poetry Poems, Stories, Dreams and Sho 'Nuff Truths
by Aberjhani
Since its original publication, I MADE MY BOY OUT OF POETRY (Washington Publications, 1997) has won international recognition as a modern-day classic of poetry and short fiction. It has won acclaim from general readers and literary scholars alike. Prior to the book's publication, short fiction and poetry within it was first printed in The Georgia Guardian, a weekly newspaper formerly published by the Savannah College of Art and Design (popularly known as SCAD). Poems were also published in ESSENCE Magazine and other national and international journals. A powerful literary vision of rare scope, beauty and emotional intensity, this volume contains 50 poems, 5 short stories, and 1 personal memoir essay. Stories and poems flow in and out of each other like the most lucid and articulate of dreams. These are portraits and studies of individual souls attempting to make peace with an awareness of themselves as beings more spiritual than material in a world given largely to the latter. This book offers an amazing journey through the heart and soul of a modern seeker of visions whose writings continue to resonate with contemporary readers. The quote like the following is one indication of why: "Just above our terror, the stars painted this story in perfect silver calligraphy. And our souls, too often abused by ignorance, covered our eyes with mercy." Reviewing the title on Goodreads, author Richard Van Holst noted: "¿One can sense the influence of American poets such as Walt Whitman and Langston Hughes. There is Christian imagery, but also a taste of Persian and Arab culture¿ Aberjhani's vivid style makes a powerful impression. But more importantly, he writes as one who is aware of where he comes from and of his function as a writer." Others have suggested comparisons to Franz Kafka and Edgar Allen Poe. All generally agree that his voice is a uniquely captivating one. The title at this point has been reprinted in both paperback and eBook formats.
FictionShort Stories (single author)Poetry
RELEASED1997
PUBLISHERBlack Skylark Singing
LENGTH116
LANGUAGEEN
A former editor for the U.S. Air Force and a native of Savannah, Georgia (USA), [Aberjhani][1] has authored and/or edited more than 2 dozen books and journals in multiple genres, including educational reference, biography, fantasy, mystery, poetry, history, literary reference, and memoir. He is a winner of the Thomas Jefferson Award for his journalism, the American Library Association Choice Academic Title and Best History Book Awards for his historical writings, the Creative Loafing Critic’s Pick Best Savannah Author Award for general authorship, and the Connect Savannah 2006 Poet and Spoken Word Artist of the Year Award for his poetry. In addition, he is an acclaimed visual artist whose works have been noted for their creative documentation of environmental, social, and spiritual concerns. The author is also the founder of the former [Creative Thinkers International][2] creative artists community and has served as a member of the [PEN American Center][3] and Academy of American Poets. In 2009, Aberjhani emerged as one of the pioneers of online [interpretive journalism][4]. In his position as the National African-American Art Examiner, he has logged informative and entertaining stories on such era-defining issues as: the case of Georgia death-row inmate Troy Anthony Davis; the life and death of Michael Jackson; the presidency of Barack Obama; and the legacy of Nelson Mandela. He introduced the social criticism concept of Guerrilla Decontextualization in 2010 and initiated the 100th Anniversary of the Harlem Renaissance initiative in 2011. In 2014 he joined the ranks of members on the [LinkedIn][5] website invited to publish a blog on the popular platform. His books, five of which have Kindle editions, include Democratic Dilemmas and Divine Inspiration (2025), These Black and Blue Red Zone Days (2023), Greeting Flannery O'Connor at the Back Door of My Mind (2020), Dreams of the Immortal City Savannah (2019), [Songs from the Black Skylark zPed Music Player][6] (2016), *Journey through the Power of the Rainbow: Quotations from a Life Made Out of Poetry* (2014); *The River of Winged Dreams* (2010, Bright Skylark Literary Productions); *ELEMENTAL, The Power of Illuminated Love* (2008, with artist Luther E. Vann); *The American Poet Who Went Home Again* (2008); *The Bridge of Silver Wings 2009*; *Christmas When Music Almost Killed the World* (2007/2008); *Visions of a Skylark Dressed in Black* (2012); *Encyclopedia of the Harlem Renaissance* (2003, Facts On File), which won the New Jersey Notable Book Award; *The Wisdom of W.E.B. Du Bois* (2003, Kensington Books);and *I Made My Boy Out of Poetry* (1997, Washington Publications/iUniverse). He has also edited a number of titles for both independent authors and academic institutions such as Mountain State University. Most recently he served as editor for [Savannah: Immortal City][7], and [Savannah: Brokers, Bankers, and Bay Lane - Inside the Slave Trade][8], the first 2 published volumes in the Civil War Savannah Series by Barry Sheehy, Cindy Wallace, and Vaughnette Goode-Walker. *ESSENCE Magazine* listed his *Encyclopedia of the Harlem Renaissance* among its “recommended gift items” and *Black Issues Book Review* listed it among their “Recommended Titles for the Home Library.” Grits.com selected his *ELEMENTAL* gift book of art and poetry as one the featured recommended titles for its online book club. * * * * * [1]: https://www.author-poet-aberjhani.info/ [3]: https://www.pen.org/aberjhani [4]: https://aberjhaniauthorpoet.contently.com/ [5]: http://www.linkedin.com/in/aberjhani [6]: https://openlibrary.org/books/OL25892104M/Songs_from_the_Black_Skylark_zPed_Music_Player [7]: https://openlibrary.org/works/OL15597590W/Savannah [8]: https://openlibrary.org/works/OL16533264W/Savannah
