Hennaman: Poems

By Derrick I.M. Gilbert

With the spoken-word CD All That and a Bag of Words and the Catch the Fire!!! anthology already to his credit, poet and sociologist Derrick I.M. Gilbert (aka D-Knowledge) here drops HennaMan, his... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1573228095
• ISBN13: 9781573228091
• Release Date: March 2000
• Publisher: Riverhead Books
• Length: 129 Pages
• Weight: 0.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 5.5" x 8.2"

Customer Reviews

D-Knowledge certainly kicks knowledge

As a young woman, aspiring poet, and a simple lover of poetry, I must say that this is by far one of the best poetry books I have ever read. D-Knowledge is a gifted and eloquent writer who is able to tackle the world with a ferocious, yet gentle touch. He can be sensitive and seductive, then full of consciousness and fire. His poems are easy to understand, but they don't lack in message. If you love the "griots" like Giovanni and Sanchez, you can't help but love D-Knowledge. Hennaman is a must read for anyone who appreciates good poetry.

D-Knowledge certainly kicks knowledge!

As a young woman, fellow poet, and simply lover of poetry, I must say that this is by far one of the best books I have ever read. D-Knowledge is a gifted, eloquent writer who is able to tackle the world with such a ferocious, yet such a gentle touch. He can be sensitive and seductive, and then hard-core and fiery. His poems are easy to understand, yet they don't lack in the message. If you love the "griots" like Sanchez and Giovanni, then you can't help but love D-Knowledge. The brother is "all of that and a bag of words" and Hennaman is a must read for anyone who loves and appreciates poetry.

D-KNOWLEDGE IS D-BOMB!

As an african-american woman with a passion for poetry, I have to say that Hennaman is one THE BEST collections that I have EVER laid my hands on. His passion and black consciousness run so deeply through his rhymes, that reading his words is like having some type of metaphysical experience. He talks about the tragic "double-consciousness" that most black americans have to deal with at some point in their lives, he slams misogyny and homophobia in the same breath that he elevates black women and a desire for higher learning. He celebrates jazz greats from Trane to Miles to Monk, speaks out against the genocide of Native Americans and challenges his own people to open up their eyes when it comes to things as politically necessary as voting to those as cosmetically tragic as getting a nose job. He examines his own mistakes, challenges and love/hate relationships with black women in poems that spill over with deep-seated passion and toe-curling eroticism. To put it simply, the MAN IS BAD and the POETRY FIERCE. He reels you into a level of consciousness that you didn't even know existed and spits you out as a renewed and inspired human being. I have not felt this excited, renewed and validated by a new african-american artist "on the block" (although d-knowledge has been around for awhile), since I first heard Jill Scott's or Mos Def's debut CDs. Yes, his poetry is that good.If you love poets like Ruth Foreman, ashe bandele, Jessica Care More, Carl Rux, the legendary Sonia Sanchez, Paul Beatty or Traci Morris, mc's like Mos Def and Black Thought or singers like Jill Scott, then you'll LOVE Derrick Gilbert, aka D-Knowledge. And if you haven't heard of the other aforementioned artists, you should check them out too - but not before you check out HENNAMAN....

good soild book

It is a interesting set of poems that can connect you into the person. It is a deverse consept.It is loded with poetic images.

Oh My!

I had the chance to see him perform this. Oh My! After reading his poems in Hennaman, I found myself feeling great. It's a Miracle. Although I am not black, I enjoyed hennaman, it was really enjoyable. His poems are not too serious and all are very readable and modern.