FeedsInkster author publishes book of poetry
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Inkster native Karen S. Williams has just published her first book of poetry.Inkster native Karen S. Williams has just finished a long journey.
Her first collection of poetry, Elegy for a Scarred Shoulder, released recently, is the culmination of more than eight years of hard work.
“It was an exhausting time, but it was a good experience,” she said. “I really enjoyed it.”
The book is a collection of 42 poems that chronicle the real and symbolic health issues—and advancements—African Americans have experienced from the times of slavery to the modern age. She said many of the poems are based on the true stories and experiences of historic clergymen like Richard Allen and Absalom Jones as well as more recognizable names such as Ervin ‘Magic’ Johnson.
The idea dated back to her time working with the Wayne County Health Department, she said.
“Going out in the community and working with people and seeing all these issues—I saw the need to document it in literature,” Wiliams said. “I wanted to talk about the health issues of our people.”
Williams said she was drawn to writing at an early age.
“I really started in junior high school,” she said. “That’s when my teachers realized I had a gift.”
She credits their influence in the development of her craft; they urged her to pursue it in junior high, high school and college as well. She’s had poems published before, including in the anthology Young Americans Speak, which is published across the country. Not bad for someone who originally pursued a degree in journalism.
“I thought I would be the next Jessica Savitch, but it didn’t work out that way,” she said with a laugh.
Williams graduated with a journalism degree from the Ohio University Scripps School of Journalism. She’s since earned two master’s degrees from Wayne State University and Michigan State University.
The book originated in 2000, when she started the four years worth of research necessary to find the stories and put them in lyrical form. Then came another challenge—putting them in a timeline and picking which stories to include.
“I really wanted to get those hard-to-find stories,” she said. “Those are what we all talk about at the kitchen table.”
She said she chose poetry to express them because she was more familiar with the medium and the combination of written and spoken word seemed to fit the subject matter.
It is available on Amazon.Com and through the publisher’s website, www.aquariuspressbookseller.net. It can also be ordered through Williams’ website, www.kswpoetry.com.
“This book is a cry to the people: ‘What can I do?’” She said. “I wanted to give back, to make a difference. These are issues that we can solve, but we need to do it together. We can’t do it in a vacuum.”
Williams is working on a second book of poetry to be published soon. It is about growing up in Inkster, and tentatively titled ‘Inkster’s Daughter.’
