On December 27, 2014, baltimoreblackwoman.com was born with the posting of my first essay, Christmas Past: The Toys I Played With—And How They Shaped Me – baltimoreblackwoman, written as an introduction to me and to the world I grew up in. My initial goal in starting the blog was to share my stories in the … More baltimoreblackwoman Celebrates 6th Anniversary!
The Art of Trees October 23, 20204:11pm My father taught methe art of treeswhen I was young, always pointing out his favorites: 1.In Druid Hill Park there lay a giant tree trunk gnarled and imposingfor as long as he could remember. Each time we drove past it,on our alternate routefrom West to Northeast Baltimore,he would … More TREES – A Series of Ekphrastic Poems
This post begins a new section of the blog, devoted to reflections and tips on writing.I’ve been a writer for as long as I’ve been able to form words on paper. In school, I loved nothing more than the smell of fresh paper and the feel of a writing instrument. From freshly sharpened wooden pencils … More The Writer’s Life
I have been a registered voter in Maryland since 1971, the year I turned 18. I have always considered voting to be my sacred duty. Although I have a few vague memories of Dwight (“I Like Ike”) Eisenhower and his wife Mamie (with those famous bangs), my political awakening really began in 1960, when at … More 2020 Elections: Voting in the Age of Covid (My Coronavirus Diaries, Installment #20)
8/21/2020 Dear World, I am worn out from the events of the past week, the last 2 weeks, the past month, the last 8 months, the last 4 years. Like being on a succession of amusement park rides–the merry-go-round, the roller-coaster, the tilt-a-whirl, the fun house, the bumper cars. All going faster with each ride. … More A Letter in Quarantine (My Coronavirus Diaries, Installment #19)
History is not infallible.His story tells onlywhat he choosesto remember. Her story is woveninto his threads,until we pickthe threads apart. I. It has only beenone hundred yearssince women wonthe “right” to vote. A right entwined with that of herpolar opposites— The Black Man andThe Black Woman,both subjugatedto the White Man. The History Books,Filled with talesof … More History Swallows HerStory
On this 244th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, wherein the seeds of the United States of America were planted, I am struck by how much and how little ,we have achieved. If nothing else, we have fought continuously to define what “independence,” “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,” “freedom,” “rights,” and “responsibility” mean. … More Independence Day 2020: Reflections on Monuments, History, and Now
June 24, 2020 2:55am What to do with two fresh lemons,gifted by a friend who drops offfresh produce every two weeks? I’ll make a pitcher of lemonade! Do I remember how? I halve the lemons and squeezethem by hand into a measuring cup,since I no longer havethe fruit squeezer I thought wasin the kitchen … More Making Do In Quarantine: A Pitcher of Lemonade (My Coronavirus Diaries, Installment #18)
June 16, 20204:47pm When I can’t keep up with timebecause my clocks are out of rhyme. The cell phone makes me think it istwo minutes later thanthe analog wall clock andthe cable box clock,while the kitchen stove clockis two minutes slower thanthe rest, And the car clock,two minutes faster still. There Are Days When I … More There Are Days (My Coronavirus Diaries, Installment #17)
June 14, 202010:50am Of all the Heroes of Covid-19braving the illness to serve us—The doctors and nurses,firemen and EMTs,grocers, meatpackers,postal workersand pizza deliverers, The lowly garbage manwas forgotten. Week by week,Month by monthof these coronavirus days, We’ve gathered our trashand recyclable waste,set them outat our curbs or in our alleys, in the full and certainknowledgethat … More The Forgotten Heroes of Covid-19 (My Coronavirus Diaries, Installment #16)
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