Patricia Smith is an American poet, teacher, performance artist and author born in 1955. She has published several poetry collections including Teahouse of the Almighty and Close to Death. A selection of her poetry was produced as a one-woman play by a Nobel Prize winner. Her collection Life According to Motown was staged favorably in theaters. In 2006, she was inducted into the International Literary Hall of Fame for Writers of African Descent at Chicago State University. Several of her poems are quoted focusing on themes of remembrance, struggle and survival. The document provides background on Patricia Smith and excerpts from her poetry.

1. Blood Dazzler
Gina Homan
Sarah Phillips

2. Patricia Smith
 Born in 1955
 Poet, teacher, performance
artist and author
 2008 national book award
finalist
 Teahouse of the Almighty
 Close to Death
 Life According to Motown

3. A selection of Patricia’s poetry has been
produced as a one woman play by a
Nobel prize winner
 Life According to Motown, was staged by
Company One Theater in Hartford Ct.,
and reviewed favorably in The New York
Times
 In October of 2006, during the Gwendolyn
Brooks Creative Writing Conference at
Chicago State University, Patricia was
inducted into the International Literary
Hall of Fame for Writers of African Descent

4. Quotes
 The President Files Over – “Every moment
I’m awake, aroused instrumentals channel
theme songs, speaking what I cannot.”
 Won’t be but a Minute – “He gon’ be all
right. That dog done been rained on
before, he done been here a day or two
by hisself before and we sho’ can’t take
him.”

5. Quotes (cont’d)

“Paddling in frantic blue circle, he fights
his slippery chain, treads toward a little bit
more of remember-Damn dog ain’t
nuthin’ but trouble. But I loves me some
Luther B. I loves him to death”(21).
 “The weakened mob veers into the open
for breath. Ashy babies bellow, B-boys hurl
gold-toothed fuck-its, everyone asks for
food..”(26).

6. Writing Strategies
 Emotion – makes you feel horrible for the
victims of hurricane Katrina
 Relation – describes scenes so well that
you feel like you were there
 Informative- giving out information about
what happened as it happened
 Legitimacy- true stories allow the reader
to know what they are reading is true.

7. Questions
 Does a reader need to be a resident of New
Orleans, or have experienced tragedy to
understand what the author Is talking about?
 What did you think when hurricane Katrina
hit?
 What was your favorite poem out of this book
and could you relate?
 Has anyone had a relation to someone who
was involved in hurricane katrina?
 Has anyone volunteered anywhere else with
any other natural disaster?

8. Bodi, a hurricane Katrina
Rescue.

9. Bibliography
"Patricia Smith - Wordsmith - Biography
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