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Bio:
L. E. Scott is a Wellington-based jazz poet, performer, prose writer and reviewer. He was born in Cordele, Georgia, in 1947. When a teenager, he moved with his family to Trenton, New Jersey, where he attended high school. After graduating, he was drafted into the United States Army and spent a year in Vietnam as an infantryman (1967-
8). After discharge, he attended Trenton State College, then left the United States to travel in Europe, West Africa and Australia. He came to New Zealand in 1976.
Scott started writing at twelve, and has so far published thirteen collections of poetry and short fiction. He has also edited three verse anthologies. His work has been published widely in journals, magazines and newspapers in New Zealand, Australia, India and the United States, and he has performed at poetry festivals worldwide. He is currently New Zealand editor of the Australian-based journal Kalimat.
Biblio:
Poetry:
- The Coming of Lewis E. Scott
, U.S.A.: Pride Publications, 1972
Together¾
Sheila and Lewis, Trenton, N.J.: Pride Publications, 1973
Time Came Hunting Time¾
Vietnam, Cammeray, N.S.W: Saturday Centre Books, 1978
This Bitter Earth, Eastbourne: Hawk Press, 1978
3 Shades: Apirana Taylor, Lindsay Rabbit, L. E. Scott, Wellington: Voice Press, 1981
Nothing But a Man, Days Bay: Voice Press, 1981
Songs for My Father, Wellington: Blackberry Press, 1983
Nightfall: Empty Spaces Before the Morning, Lower Hutt: Anchor Communications, 1985
Hour of the Wolves, Melbourne: Nosukomo, 1987
A Woman Called Maasumaa, Auckland: Bent Publishing, 1995
Earth Colours: 1970-
2000, Wellington: HeadworX, 2000
Poetry and Prose:
- In Celebration of My Spiritual Father: For James Baldwin (1924-
1987)
, Auckland: Dada Afrika, 1990
Black Family Letters from Boston, Wellington: BlueBlack Press, 1994
Edited:
- Each Other’s Dreams: Contemporary Black American Writing
, Hamilton, Outrigger, 1982
King’s Cross Pub Poets, Lower Hutt: Hutt Valley Community Arts Council, 1985
Wiimpatjai Bulku Pipinja¾
Black Fella’s Message¾
Aborigine Writers, Sydney: Gavemer Publishing, 1986
Recording:
A Poem for God
lo-fi (rm : 315KB, streaming)
hi-fi (mp3 : 1.8MB )
A Poem for God
I've lain with the preacher-man's wife
I've lost my innocence
She sings in the United Methodist Church
My grandmother once said from the Good Book:
The sins of the father will visit the son
There ain't no God if this is true
A letter from a long-lost friend came
Telling me and asking me did I remember
Patricia Strongman? - She's dead
Her mouth is full of dirt
Her face is dissipating
My childhood was yesterday
My grandmother still reads from the Good Book
And in the graveyard
So many of my friends no longer speak to me
As cold, as cold, as a winter's windowpane
Standing by the door singing a spiritual
Is a one-eyed blind man
Talking about all God's children
But he doesn't say what
Perhaps he could say:
In my father's house
there are many mansions
if it were not so
I would have told you
I am going away
to prepare a place for you
that where I am
there ye may be also
In my father's house
Standing by the door singing a spiritual
Is a one-eyed blind man
Talking about all God's children
But he doesn't say what
Day before, when I was nothing but a snotty-nosed child
Your Mama used to whop me for doing wrong
Gave me a note to take home and
My Mama whopped me again
The preacher-man has died in my life
And I'm still being whopped
I've been a Baptist all my life
Did Mary feel good when she conceived?
In other words, an orgasm
Did Jesus Christ ever shit when he walked
The earth?
In the winter time if you don't mind the cold
You can walk on water
A miracle is nothing more than a season in your life
In front of the church, near the pulpit
The fat women sit
Swaying and sweating
Bright red nail polish
Who wants to be born again
[Earth Colours: 1970-
2000 (Wellington: HeadworX, 2000)]
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