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2011 | Archive of Editor’s Letters: 2010 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005
JUANITA TORRENCE-THOMPSON — September 2007
When we began planning this 25th Anniversary issue of MÖBIUS, we were encouraged by our successful MÖBIUS 2006. Although this is our second issue with me at the helm, I am encouraged that it sings in poetic voices of diversity from all five ethnic groups. There is strength in diversity. Besides publishing the best American poets that crossed my desk, MÖBIUS mushroomed beyond our borders to Bangladesh, South Africa, Serbia, The Netherlands, Canada, Ireland, Italy, UK, Australia, Belgium, Thailand, Greece, Japan and Sweden. Many thanks to my staff, but also Patty Brady, Seamas O’Flannagain, Rochelle Ratner, Thaddeus Rutkowski, Tom McKeown, Derek, Richard, Kathleen, Ruth Robeson, Toni Parks, Amy Rockefeller and The Gordon Parks Foundation.MÖBIUS 2006 was donated to libraries in the U.S. and abroad and selected U.S. high schools and colleges. We want our poets to receive worldwide exposure, and to show the world what good and often great poetry is. Poetry is to be embraced, not feared. Considering the state of the world, poetry is more necessary than ever. Poetry can reach into homes and help improve lives. It often can transport you to another realm and give you hope.
To digress to a personal plane, I gave many readings in New York since MÖBIUS 2006. The highlights were: reading again at Queens Borough Hall, high schools, Langston Hughes Community Library & Cultural Center and at the Queens Council on the Arts benefit. I was commissioned to write and read a poem “In Praise of Sesame Street” which was framed and presented to the Sesame Street Workshop. In addition, my new book, NEW YORK AND AFRICAN TAPESTRIES was published by Fly By Night Press (2007) and was selected by SMALL PRESS REVIEW as a May/June Pick. Please see reviews at: www.poetrytown.com. Please read excerpts from the 2007 issue on the MÖBIUS website. Your poem may be there.
On October 27, 2007 at 7:30 p.m., MÖBIUS THE POETRY MAGAZINE will celebrate its 25thAnniversary with a celebratory reading featuring Toni Parks, Gordon Parks’ daughter, who will read her father’s poetry. She will be joined by noted poets published in MÖBIUS: Colette Inez, Samuel Menashe, Daniel Thomas Moran, Hal Sirowitz, and Roxanne Hoffman. I will be host and reader. Music by cellist, Heun Choi. MÖBIUS’ 25th Anniversary Celebration will be at The Baha’i Center, 53 E. 11th Street, New York. A tax-deductible suggested $5 donation at the door. Further information can be found on the first page of the MÖBIUS website. We hope to see you. This event is made possible with the generous support of Xerox Corporation.
Poetry is the Music of the Soul.
— Juanita Torrence-Thompson,
Editor/Publisher
MÖBIUS Editor’s Tribute to Gordon Parks
I first met Gordon Parks through my Aunt Josephine Mapp Edmonds, who was a friend of Gordon and his family before he became famous. She told me he was an avid tennis player, so in 1990, I called and invited Gordon to play tennis at the Harlem Junior Tennis Invitational at Flushing Meadows Tennis Center. It was to raise money so Harlem youth could learn to play the sport. MONY, my client, sponsored the event. I still have the NEW YORK DAILY NEWS photo of Gordon slamming the tennis ball to his opponent. In 2003, Gordon endorsed my poetry book, CELEBRATING A TAPESTRY OF LIFE. Gordon read the manuscript of my 2007 book, NEW YORK AND AFRICAN TAPESTRIES. This was before he passed in 2006. He said he loved it, but knowing he was ill, I never asked him for a blurb.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN’S dynamic anchor of “Anderson Cooper 360,” in essence said, “Gordon Parks was often in our home. One day he told me when he died he would leave me his Jaguar. I was very happy until I learned that Gordon had told my brother the same thing.” Without missing a beat, Anderson looked mischievously at the audience of “beautiful people” at the Gordon Parks Awards Dinner and Auction, smiled and quipped, “No doubt Gordon promised his Jaguar to some of you too.” The audience roared.
This was one of the highlights of the glorious evening at elegant Gotham Hall in New York which celebrated the life and arts of Gordon Parks. It was lavish, well-attended and benefited The Gordon Parks Foundation which helped to preserve Gordon Park’s legacy. Everywhere I turned people were exchanging Gordon Parks stories. This self-made man, who gave back to the community and opened doors for people of color, had friends every color of the rainbow.
Gordon’s daughter, granddaughter and other family members were in attendance. All were gracious to photographers who snapped them and many other notables including Diane Von Furstenberg who introduced honoree Gloria Vanderbilt, (Anderson Cooper’s mother). Gloria Vanderbilt gave a touching personal tribute to her friend Gordon. Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. of Harvard University and Sheila Nevins, President of HBO Documentary Films, were also recipients of The Gordon Parks Foundation Award, which “is given to outstanding individuals whose contributions to the arts reflect four principles that Gordon Parks demonstrated throughout his life: courage, vision, compassion, and dignity.” Gifted 9-year old accordionist Guyland Leday of the Family & Friends Zydeco Band also received an award after he played. When his band returned at the end to wrap-up the evening, no one wanted to leave.
There was a marvelous Film Tribute to Gordon Parks which left no doubt that his legacy is deep and will live on to inspire others to follow in the footsteps of this Renaissance Man. For 20 years he was a photojournalist for Life magazine. He wrote The Learning Tree and other books, including poetry. Gordon directed several films including “Shaft” and his classical music was performed at The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
I was fortunate to have met this great man of eloquence and elegance who encouraged my poetry. He personally autographed some of his books for me and I treasure them. We treated each other with deep respect. It was a long time before I felt comfortable calling him Gordon instead of Mr. Parks. I was happy when he told me he was writing another poetry book — EYES WITH WINGED THOUGHTS — which, along with A HUNGRY HEART — another memoir — kept him up until the wee hours. They were published in 2005. (Please see Gordon’s poetry on pages 1 and 2.) What an incredible talent! Will there ever be another Gordon Parks? Probably not, but we can always hope.
— Juanita Torrence-Thompson,
Editor/Publisher
