“Within the universe of the extraordinary, those qualities we designate to human concepts of gender are often shared, exchanged, or even completely obliterated. Because of this mixture of traits, these twins called Genius and Madness often appear to be the same thing. They both have a tendency to blur the lines of what we call norms, or established reality. They both, when we study that grand tapestry known as history and modern-day society, tend to stand out in much bolder relief than other figures.-- from Dancing with Madness, Dancing with Genius”
Aberjhani“The Civil Rights Act of 1964 laid the foundation for the Voting Rights Act of 1965, but it also addressed nearly every other aspect of daily life in a would-be free democratic society.”
Aberjhani“The reality of a serious writer is a reality of many voices, some of them belonging to the writer, some of them belonging to the world of readers at large.”
Aberjhani“A poet is a verb that blossoms light in gardens of dawn, or sometimes midnight.”
Aberjhani“A world without poetry and art would be too much like one without birds or flowers: bearable but a lot less enjoyable.”
Aberjhani, Journey through the Power of the Rainbow: Quotations from a Life Made Out of Poetry“The gentle pulsing and flickering of stars and nebulae made a kind of music, a sweet easy mesh of whispered tones and sighing harmonies that held him in its force like the earth [holding] the moon.”
Aberjhani, Songs from the Black Skylark zPed Music Player“The job facing American voters… in the days and years to come is to determine which hearts, minds and souls command those qualities best suited to unify a country rather than further divide it, to heal the wounds of a nation as opposed to aggravate its injuries, and to secure for the next generation a legacy of choices based on informed awareness rather than one of reactions based on unknowing fear.”
Aberjhani, Illuminated Corners: Collected Essays and Articles Volume I.“Individuals often turn to poetry, not only to glean strength and perspective from the words of others, but to give birth to their own poetic voices and to hold history accountable for the catastrophes rearranging their lives.”
Aberjhani, Splendid Literarium: A Treasury of Stories, Aphorisms, Poems, and Essays“Sandra L. West and Aberjhani have compiled an encyclopedia that makes an important contribution to our need to know more about one of modern America’s truly significant artistic and cultural movements. It helps us to acknowledge the complexity of African American life at a time when the nation’s culture was taking on a recognizable shape, when race was becoming less of a crushing burden and more of a challenge to progressive people and their ideals, and when cities and their inhabitants symbolized the end of the past and the seductiveness of the new.”
Clement Alexander Price, Encyclopedia of the Harlem Renaissance“Even when muddy your wings sparkle bright wonders that heal broken worlds.”
Aberjhani, The River of Winged Dreams“The dancing vortex of a sacred metaphor clashes horns and halos to make wounded music set to the tempo of a new era in brilliant labor.”
Aberjhani, The River of Winged Dreams