I See Through Eyes [Paperback]

Eric Payne (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 15, 1999

"I See Through Eyes" is a volume of poetry and short stories about love, love, hope, despair, and spirituality written from the African American perspective.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Payne's words take flight soaring to heights reached only by those fearless of personal reflection. A realistic replica of life of a 29-year old black male. -- Rolling Out Urbanstyle Weekly --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

About the Author

Eric Payne began his craft as a writer at the age of seven when he wrote, directed, and produced a play based on the Peanuts comic strip character, Charlie Brown. Since then, he has expanded his repertoire to include poetry, fiction, songs, and essays. Originally from Chicago, Illinois, he now lives and works in New York City after having completed undergraduate and graduate degree programs respectively at Cornell University and Binghamton University. Eric is a member of Poet's & Writer's and the African American Online Writer's Guild. He is the recipient of the 1998 Editors Choice Award for outstanding achievement in poetry from the International Library of Poetry. In addition to his poetry, fiction, and articles featured in Anansi, A Cascade of Memories, A Celebration of Poets, Papyrus, and on Fyah.com & TimBookTu.com, Eric Payne has written his first novel entitled Without Love which is presently unpublished, and has self-published his first volume of poet! ry and short stories entitled, I See Through Eyes.

Product Details

• Paperback: 90 pages
• Publisher: Wet Paint [distributor]; 1st Aesop's Renaissance Press ed edition (April 15, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0739201778
• ISBN-13: 978-0739201770
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #10,745,286 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Named a Top 50 Dad Blogger by Cision Blogger and named a Babble.com Top 50 Dad Blog of 2011 Eric Payne is an author, writer, photographer, social media strategist, a healthy guy, a loving husband and father.

Originally from Chicago, Illinois, Eric came to New York City after graduating from Cornell & Binghamton Universities. A little more than a decade later he met a woman, fell in love, had a couple of kids and then got married. He's been making sense of it all ever since.

"Becoming a parent doesn't change you. You either intentionally opt to change or don't notice the subtle changes you begin to make as you allow parenting to take over your life. Does this mean you should shirk your responsibilities in the name of being a free spirit? Of course not! But don't blame a kid who didn't ask to be brought here for why you're not living your life to the fullest. If you want to, you will find a way -- and you'll hopefully find a way to incorporate the kids along with you."

Follow Eric on Twitter at http://Twitter.com/EPayneTheDad
Like Makes Me Wanna Holler on Facebook at http://Facebook.com/MakesMeWannaHoller
Read his award-winning blog at http://www.makesmewannaholler.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A very passionate writer!, June 27, 2001

By 

thegritsdotcom "The-Girl-Reading-In-The-South... (Texas, United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: i see through eyes (Paperback)

When you hear folks say that Eric Payne's book, I SEE THROUGH EYES, is filled with poetry and prose that has the ability to capture young minds and make old ones pause in deep reflection, then, you better believe it! I found that long after I finished reading this book, I could hear or see something in my day that would bring to mind certain poems from this collection.

This book consists of six sections with seven to thirteen narrative poems and prose pieces per section. From the beginning of the book to the end, Eric allows readers to see through his eyes and intimate thoughts some of the concerns, frustrations, and celebrations in the experiences of men. He articulates clearly in, "The Neighbor" and "If I Was White, I Wonder," the struggles black men often have with racism and social acceptance. He describes man's spiritual nature and reverence for God succinctly in, "Man," "Faith," and "There is No God." Poems like, "The Phone Call," "Variation on The Phone Call," "When," and "My Heart," depicts the anxieties they feel when finding love or facing heartaches. Then that sexy little Haiku titled, "Sunrise" along with poems, "Braggadocious" and "Petals Against My Skin," are so sensual and passionate that they are guaranteed to make a woman smile.

Reading I SEE THROUGH EYES, does capture one's attention and rocks like a lover as Bernice McFadden, author of SUGAR and THE WARMEST DECEMBER states on the book's cover. I enjoy reading poetry and I especially enjoyed this book and this writer's intimate thoughts about issues that are not always expressed openly by men. I look forward to reading more by Eric Payne in the future!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome Talent!, October 3, 2000

By 

Dominique - See all my reviews

This review is from: I See Through Eyes (Paperback)

This collection of poetry and prose is entertaining and enlightening. To delve into the mind of a man on aspects such as Love and God is refreshing. Selected favorites such as Sunrise, which shows that the simplicity of words can be enough and Petals Against My Skin that make vulnerability appealing is reason enough to add this to your collection. Women everywhere need to See Through Eyes and get this book. Better yet...men...make the jesture and get your woman a copy!

4.0 out of 5 stars Inspired by religion, sexuality, racism and family, August 16, 2004

By 

Stephen E. Jordan II "Stephen Earley Jordan I... (New York, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: i see through eyes (Paperback)

Eric Payne's "I See Through Eyes", a collection of short stories and poetry, chronicles life as a black man inspired by religion, sexuality, racism and family. Payne appropriately categorizes his works into six divisions: Young, Havin' Fun Wide-Eyed & Naïve; Lamentations; Fires of Revelations; Perchance Romance; To Know God; and Liberation. As such, the reader can readily recognize a gradual growth towards individual freedom in each segment.

Payne's poem "Because" reveals deep-rooted [Black] family values, suggesting individuals should step back and be thankful for their present situation established by ancestors whom he claims have "[made] my way clear / blindly moving, not knowing the outcome / working your hands with faithful vigor / for my sake [. . .]" .

While his short story "Insanity Wears High Heels" pokes with the narrator's probable and ultimate sexcapades, readers can still expect a wonderful and purposeful moral as a conclusion. Payne intertwines his knowledge of music with the beats and rhythms of his natural rhyme scheme, eloquently detailed passages, and allusions to Coltrane and Donna Sommer.

There is an ardent need for young, talented writers such as Payne. "I See Through Eyes" easily quenches the appetite of hungry youth who may find relativity in his truths.

Unsuccessfully edited in regard to inconsistencies in style, yet well written, Payne's works effortlessly take a reader back to the oral tradition, where readers are soothed by delicate, precise words and traditional themes of human nature.