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ME in IN

 Poets from Indiana, Mari Evans

OK, so she was born and educated in Ohio. I know, but she spent 70 years in Indianapolis, and that clearly puts her in that Indiana poet category, and Indiana needs poets like her to open itself up to the rest of the world. She was an activist, playwright, poet, children's author, and more. She was both politically/socially aware and joyous, and it can be hard to do both of those. Sonia Sanchez said of her at Evans' funeral, "We were reborn in your spreading sails." I suspect that a entire generation of writes fit under those sails, especially since she was a long-time teacher, writer, and supporter of others. 

For a glimpse of her work, look at this excerpt from "I am a Black Woman:"

I am a black woman
tall as a cypress
strong
beyond all definition still
defying place
and time
and circumstance
assailed
impervious
indestructible
Look
on me and be
renewed


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