Books have an immense power not just over the mind but also the human spirit.
One forgotten literary hero is Ambrose Bierce whose satirical masterpiece The Devil’s Dictionary demonstrates the power of negative thinking. In this work he targets everyone and everything. Nothing is sacred nor should it be. With great humor he demonstrates that self-interest is at the heart of almost every institution, every action, every charitable deed and act of goodwill. If there is anything specific this book attacks it is self-deceit and self-righteousness. …

“I’m not a crusader for hip-hop, or for language, even though I deal with words. I deal with words to point at the spirit. You know what I’m saying? I’m more concerned about the evolution of humanity. And the music that I make, be it hip-hop or rock, and the language that I use, be it spoken or written, is aimed at invisible things that one can only connect to through prayer and meditation. and my concern is seeing that meditative state becoming reality in …

Robert Creeley has been known as a Black Mountain Poet (along with Charles Olson and Denise Levertov), the Poet Laureate of New York State and a professor, but most importantly, he is a writer with a unique perspective on what’s happening in literature today. I recently interviewed him about community, online writing, spoken word poetry, and finding an audience. Here’s what he has to say:

Jamelah Earle: What kind of role do you think writing and connecting with a community of like-minded artists plays …