Welcome to Poetically Yours. Poetically Yours showcases poems by northern Illinois poets. This episode features Christopher D. Sims.
Sims is a nationally recognized poet who has presented on labor issues with the Contras Labor Center at the University of Southern Maine and the Georgetown University Kalmanovitz Initiative for Labor and the Working Poor. An established writer, his poems are in solidarity with marginalized communities all over the country and the world. Sims performs in many cities across the U.S. His poem "To (Em)power Palestine" is featured in the recently published anthology of poems Poppies For Palestine.
This poem is called “A Compendium For Malcolm Jamal Warner."
“Entry One: Langston’s Echo” — alluding to poetic lineage”
I hear Langston in
Your voice, brother,
Your choice to challenge
Systems of restraint, opposition,
shackles. Langston would have
been proud as you belted loud
the conditions of our people.
You too knew life ain’t no
crystal stair. The harsh air of
hard summers when it seems
Black blood is flowing through
communities continuously.
Brother you were beyond woke.
Clearly, is how you spoke.
Langston is following us,
followed you, ‘til you
shared the words
for our uhuru, our
freedom. Brilliant
Malcolm merging
music words superb.
“Entry Two: Huxtable Reverberations” — what it meant to be a steady Black son on national TV
You learned from Mr. Cosby.
A Black man’s moves, philosophies,
the psychology of a Black man’s mind.
No apologies from a Black man’s mind.
For Black men, we Black men, are divine.
It was time for us to learn, to listen, to position
Ourselves as fathers, as father figures, as
men in solid leadership. As Theo, you took
it all in. You let the lessons begin. We are in
your debt for showing us how to grow.
The flow between son and father is righteous,
is needed, is epic, is collective memory from
our African roots. You stayed rooted. You were a tree.
A Black son was what you were made to be,
a Black sun, too.
“Entry Three: The Jazz Between the Lines” — honoring your musicianship
Bass guitarist. Stardust and steady.
Steady with the medley, the melodies.
Melodies heavenly. Your excellency
helped you win a Grammy. Grio, djali,
you were solidly. Jamming man. Jamming
man. Getting down. You got down with the
sound. Soundscapes. String-picking. Thumping.
Vibing. Surviving through your music, you were.
Miles Long, and you were Miles ahead.
The band, you led. A leader. A sound
provider. Providing the right vibes.
Bass playing. Black sayings. Black
dedications with Black, soul sonic
vibrations. Continuations of the
music you found inside.
Inside the rhythm.
Inside the solar system.
Inside your visions.
Visualizing what good sound is.
Through your music, your words,
you live, give.
Copyright Christopher D. Sims
07/21/2025
All rights reserved
