Kimberly “Kemah” Wilson started her poetry reading by keeping the mood light with a song about meatballs.
From this song, the Greenfield resident transported listeners across a variety of topics including LGBTQ pride, racism and America’s future.
Wilson presented her reading at The LAVA Center on Saturday afternoon. Most people in the crowd knew Wilson personally and said they were touched by her work.
“The pieces had such a span of thought and insight,” commented Wilson’s friend, Mindy Bragon.
Wilson explained she started writing when she was 12, but was not encouraged to pursue writing by her mother. In her adult life, she struggled with mental illness, eating disorders and substance abuse. Her writing became dark, but as she grew healthy again, she turned to writing as a way to find light in her life.
Her parodies and poems exhibit complex themes. In her poem about racism titled, ‘Whys Yous Scared of Mes’ (Why are you scared of me) she writes, “Every time I leave my house, I have to be a good Black person.” The poem dissects how racism has affected different aspects of her life.
from the Greenfield Recorder, 7/26/22
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