I Made My Boy Out of Poetry (Collectible Autographed First Edition)

No more than 500 copies of the first edition of I MADE MY BOY OUT OF POETRY featuring Smithsonian artist Gustave Blache III's "Portrait of a Young Man" on the front cover. After surviving hurricane Katrina, "Portrait of a Young Man" went on to sell at a very respectable price in an auction in New Orleans. The highly-acclaimed artist, who spends his time between New Orleans and New York, now has 2 paintings, including a self-portrait, maintained within the Smithsonian Museum, making the original edition of the title seen here one of the most valued collectibles around if one is able to obtain a copy.

I Made My Boy Out of Poetry contains six stories and fifty poems reflecting a synthesis of polished academic form and the raw energy of spoken word culture. Reviews have hailed it for its creative daring, spiritual vitality, and intellectual range. It is often described as a modern-day underground classic and stands among the most frequently-quoted books on the Internet.

Prior to its publication, work from the title appeared in a number of both well-established and underground publications. These included: The African-American Literary Review; The Angry Fixx; The Dull Fly; The Georgia Guardian; Out of the Blue; Poets, Artists, and Madmen; The Savannah Literary Journal; and The Savannah Tribune. Later, ESSENCE Magazine featured work from the title.

Weighing in from the University of North Caroline in Greensboro, playwright and poet Mark Smith Soto noted the following of the author: He has a powerful understanding of the music words can make, not only with their sound but with their meanings... he has intelligence, emotional range, imagination, and is alive to the very tips of his fingers.