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EASTPOINTE — If Darolyn Brown was a poem, the words flowing across the page would tell the story of a young girl who grew up reading poetry, used various written passages in her classroom when she became a teacher, and has several favorite poets she finds inspirational.
Brown will share her love of poetry this month when she presents “Let Freedom Ring: A Poetry Event Celebrating Black History” at the Eastpointe Memorial Library. Two dates are scheduled: 2 p.m. Feb. 11 and 6:30 p.m. Feb. 26. Light refreshments will be provided.
In celebration of Black History Month, Brown will recite poems from Black poets James Weldon Johnson, Maya Angelou, Langston Hughes, Robert Hayden and Paul Laurence Dunbar. Audience members, too, will become more familiar with the work of two poet laureates of Detroit: Dudley Randall and Naomi Long Madgett. All the writers in the presentation are deceased, and Brown is helping to carry on their history.
“I really want people to hear poetry, like it and enjoy it. I ask people to use their imagination,” the Eastpointe resident said. “I love to bring poetry to people. I like seeing people appreciate it and enjoy poems.”
The Cass Technical High School graduate might even read one of her own pieces, “She Who Is Called Ma,” which she wrote “a long time ago” that pays tribute to her mother.
“It’s about my mom and about her life,” Brown said. “She got married and had five kids. The marriage didn’t last. She raised the kids with grit and determination.”
Brown began reading poems at a young age.
“I would take poetry books from the library,” she said. “I liked the rhythm and the words.”
Anyone who was a student of Brown’s at Osborn High School in Detroit, where she taught English for 32 years, will remember the poetry lessons she had in class. The retired educator, who also taught for two years at Detroit’s Frank Cody High School, often encouraged her students to write their own poems. Most times, they reflected on their families or their feelings. The students received extra credit if they recited them in class aloud.
Along with her love for words with patterns that flow, Brown also looks forward to celebrating Black History Month every February.
“It’s just a reminder of all the great things people of color have done,” Brown said. “It’s a time to stop and think about it.”
“It’s vitally important to celebrate Black History Month because Black history is American history,” Library Assistant Director Christopher McCollum said via email. “The month-long celebration spotlights the contributions of Black people and the impact they’ve had on American culture and society. All too often, these stories are unfairly sidelined, and this is an opportunity to bring them to the forefront.”
Library staff members bring in local programs on a regular basis and felt Brown was the ideal fit for “Let Freedom Ring: A Poetry Event Celebrating Black History.”
“The library believes in partnering with local talent to provide excellent programming for our patrons. We found Ms. Brown’s expertise and passion for poetry to be inspiring,” McCollum said. “Poetry allows the reader and writer to feel the same emotions in a way that is difficult to reproduce in other types of writing, helping build sympathy in its readers. Reading poetry also helps develop a bigger vocabulary and has been shown to help improve literacy among its readers.”
The library is located at 15875 Oak Ave. For more information, call (586) 445-5096.
