I am The Rage is a poetry collection that explores racial injustice from the raw, unfiltered viewpoint of a Black woman in America. Dr. Martina McGowan is a retired MD, a mother, grandmother, and a poet. Her poetry provides insights that no think piece on racism can; putting readers in the uncomfortable position of feeling, reflecting, and facing what it means to be a Black American.
We had the pleasure of chatting with Martina about her poetry collection, I Am The Rage, her love of writing, book recommendations, and more!
2020 was an incredibly bizarre year, and it’s rolling on into 2021. Have you set any resolutions for the year?
I have not set resolutions for several years; they don’t work well for me. I usually commit to one to three words as an overarching theme, a north star for the year. This year I’ve chosen the word “Embrace.” Embrace what life brings or throws and use it.
When did you first discover your love for writing and poetry?
I have been writing for myself since I was very young. About 10 years ago I started a blog and have been writing there, primarily about personal development and leadership. Poetry is a newer genre for me. I have been exploring it for the last three years, mostly for myself and more recently with a small writing group. This has helped gain some confidence in writing and sharing the work.
Your debut poetry collection, I Am The Rage, is out February 1st 2021! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Enlightening entree into difficult conversations
Now tell us a little more! What can readers expect?
What readers can expect, I think, depends on their personal experiences.
For my audience who are African-American, Latinx, or use other hyphenated race descriptions, they can expect to read words about things they’ve thought, experiences lived through, what they see still happening around us, but not often openly expressed.
I think for those people who don’t belong to hyphenated groups will find a glimpse into what it is like to live as an African American in the society that in which you never feel completely safe or free. I think for them it will open their eyes to some extent and give some context to why we think the ways we do about the world. I hardly speak for every African American woman, but I think it will help them see a little bit better
Can you tell us about where you drew inspiration from?
I draw my inspiration from many decades of living in America as a person of color.
I also am a lifelong learner and I have been a heavy reader since I was a child. I have always been one of the nerds in my extended family. Several decades ago, I embarked on a quest to spend time with Black and Latinx literature, because these were many writers and poets, and a few musicians I had not been properly exposed to, either through formal or informal education. I carried my children with me on this literary journey.
And then, of course, there is the news which sadly and give us a new story of some horror and or abuse daily that’s not to say that there aren’t stories of kindness and love and these give father for writing as well
The short answer is that I draw inspiration from everyone and everything.
What challenges did you face while writing and how did you overcome them?
I’m new to being published but I think I face the same challenges as any other writer.
It’s having confidence in what you write and sharing it with other people. Initially we write for ourselves, but ultimately, we write for and to others.
I adhere to writing practice, so I don’t suffer often from writer’s block. I am committed to something daily. Is it all good? Of course not, but it flexes the creative muscles and fuels the engine of creativity. If I can get one piece out, several more may flow from that.
I read something daily as well. So, the wheels are always churning.
Out of the 30 poems in the collection, is there one that you feel the most passionate about?
if I must choose one it would be “There is Too Little Time.”
I would choose this poem because it speaks to the difficulties of parenting children of color.
For all the children, young adults, and mature adults, who have been lost to racial violence, educated in drop-out factories, housed in prisons for minor offences, the lessons hit home again and again. There is not enough time for our children to truly enjoy their childhoods, while simultaneously fighting to find their way into professions, and then struggling to make progress within those systems to reach a point where they can be reasonably content with their lives. And all of this while still living in constant fear and insecurity.
What’s next for you?
I hope to publish my second book before the end of 2021. Daily writing generates a lot of material.
I will continue to do speaking engagements and meet with discussion groups about my own book, as well as the works of others.
I will continue to fight against all forms of injustice where I find myself at this point in my life.
Lastly, are you currently reading anything and do you have any book recommendations for our readers?
I read several books simultaneously. I am currently reading:
- Caste by Isabel Wilkerson
- Killers of the Dream by Lillian Smith
- Fractures by Carlos Andres Gomez
- Voices by Lucille Clifton
- Captivity by Toi Derricotte
- Indigo by Ellen Bass
I also belong to a few reading groups and discussion book discussion groups group who have no past me with reading some things outside of my normal purview
