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LOVE, IS, THE BEAUTIFUL BLACK WOMAN

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"To grasp Her, to embrace Her, to
even love her
would be loving love Itself
And what more would a man, want
Desire, or need
Love is the Beautiful Black woman"

So reads "Love Is," the opening poem of Love, Is, The Beautiful Black Woman, the debut collection of poetry by Vernon Davis. A moving tribute to the prevailing attributes of Black womanhood, Davis' opus is altogether penetrating, wistful, and at times amusing. Its purpose is to extol the collective virtue of all African-American women, and it accomplishes this feat in a number of ways.

Consider this passage from "You Are The Sun":

"You are the Sun
that shines love into
his heart, and gives
warmth to this soul."

And this one from "Blackness Divine":

"She is the Creator.
She is Love.
She is that fantasy
That men are always wanting of."

Such vivid depictions are indicative of a humble respect and admiration almost too great for words.

Of course, when dealing with the all-encompassing subject of love, one must be prepared to take the good with the bad. Davis masterfully conveys this sentiment in "Deception":

"When I first met her,
she was beautiful.
Tight fitting clothes,
long flowing hair,
a sweet lovely smile...
But, when I saw her the
next morning,
she was wearing an oversize bathrobe
and what little hair she had
was in stubby braids..."

He also reflects on the woes of unrequited affection in passages such as this one from "Faded Warmth":

"Then your sister came and said, It's Time...' Do you have to?' I asked. `Yes,' you replied. `My husband is here, waiting.'

In a word: "Ouch."

If you're looking for one piece to sum up the essence of Davis's collection, though, the aptly titled "Passion" does it best:

"Her Name is Passion
And
We All Want Her
**Why?**"

Love, Is, The Beautiful Black Woman is a rewarding read, a treatise on the essence of desire and compulsion. Once you've read it, you'll find yourself celebrating the virtue of that someone special in your own life who you'll never see the same way again.

Love, Is, The Beautiful Black Woman is Vernon J. Davis's first book of
poetry. He penned poems illustrating his appreciation for African
American women and paralleled them to the meaning of love.

In `Love Is', he wrote:

the Beautiful Black woman
Destined to become that, which has
never been
Across the stars, the universe
Her Love is free as the wind


Most of the pieces were written to uplift and inspire African American
women as well as give them insight on the male perspective of their
actions. Each poem had a unique rhythm that could easily be followed
if read aloud.

Any African American women in need of a spirit boost would definitely
benefit from reading this collection of poetry. The only negative
aspect of the book was that Davis personalized a few poems by giving
them individual names, like Diane, which gave me the feeling that he
had published his private diary. I think it is important for readers
of poetry to be able to interpret poems for themselves and not be
influenced by the authors perspective of an individual that readers
may not know.

Reviewed by Darnetta Frazier
APOOO BookClub

LOVE IS, THE BEAUTIFUL BLACK WOMAN is a written celebration of the beauty that is contained within every black woman, and a tribute to their essence.

Vernon J. Davis takes the reader on a poetic journey of the senses, and every poem in this book, from the title poem "Love Is," to my personal favorite, "What Dreams May I Have," captures the passion, the fire, and especially the love that only a black woman can inspire.

Some of the poetry, such as "What Is a Woman Like," "Hot Chocolate," "Diane," and "Antala," is descriptive, and the poet's words are so vivid, you can close your eyes and almost visualize the personality and spirit of the woman each poem describes.

Others, such as "Love At First Sight," "Your Eyes," "Golden Girl," and "What Do You Feel," allow the reader to sense the deep love and appreciation that the poet wishes to convey to his Nubian queen.

Upon completion of this book, I felt as if the poet had embraced me verbally, and I felt a new sense of pride and joy in being a black woman. This is the first poetry collection by Vernon J. Davis, and I eagerly await future works by this gifted poet. This book would be a perfect gift for a black man to give or share with the woman he adores.

Reviewed by Rowena Winfrey
for The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers