Rise Up: Poems of Protest, Poems of Praise
Publisher: Faith Journey PublishingISBN: 979-8-9858168-0-8Genre: PoetryPrice: $15.99 Hardback, $6.99 ebookRISE UP! is a collection of powerful poetic imagery braided together from the poems of a grandfather born to parents who were slaves and the poetry of his granddaughter. As one voice, each poem reflects the rich legacy of this African American family.
Mari Fitz-Wynn is a nationally and internationally renowned motivational speaker and award-winning author. Her works include Take Heart: 26 Steps to a Healthy Home School, Connect the D.O.T.S. and most recently, her third book, RISE UP! Poems of Protest, Poems of Praise. In 2018, she received a prestigious United Arts Professional Development Literary Grant for her upcoming novel, The Secret of Faith, to be published in 2023. Most recently she was honored during in April, during National Poetry Month with one of her poems selected to appear in the ExperieNCe Poetry! 30 days of poems by 30 NC writers. An editor and writing coach with twenty-five-years’ experience, she conducts your manuscript through the first leg of its journey, refining it into gold. In her limited free time, Mari enjoys spending time with her adult children, and pursuing her passion for jewelry design and song writing, and finding clever ways to train her untrainable dog, Ducky. Learn more about her here.
Reviews
These poems are emblematic of the reality that many things that cause strife and sorrow are also the things that cause an uprising in the spirit. The pages of RISE UP! POEMS OF PROTEST, POEMS OF PRAISE is a metaphorical offering of a wellspring of solidarity that our world needs. These pages help us drink fully of the possibilities of laughter knowing that weeping dehydrates the body; reminding us that we are the water bearers of hope.
NC Poet Laureate Jaki Shelton Green
The poems in RISE UP! POEMS OF PROTEST, POEMS OF PRAISE speak wisely to our time and ask us to attend with eyes and hearts wide open, to hear two voices from two generations plead for justice, truth, faith, and beauty. Mari Fitz-Wynn gave us a wonderful gift by selecting her grandfather’s poems from his three published volumes and matching them with her own work. I can imagine him rising up to applaud this treasure of a book.
Suzanne Underwood Rhodes, Poet Laureate of Arkansas and author of Flying Yellow
What a treasure! I’m not sure I could pick out just one as a favorite. I’m so glad you did this project, even though I know it took many hours to do it all. ‘Palettes of color…open and close the dusk and dawn…’What a gorgeous way of saying that and what a beautiful picture your words paint.
D. McClintock, Author of Lambtalk