Complementary Readings

Jakyra Green, author of the poem “Dear Brother” from Volume 66, issue 4, chose to read and briefly discuss Carl Brandon Moore (who goes by Taqwaa)‘s poem, “Thank You, Whoever You Are,” as part of our new interview series. Upon hearing about this, Taqwaa was overjoyed to read and discuss Green’s poem in return.

Jakyra Green reads Taqwaa’s poem “Thank You, Whoever You Are”:

Taqwaa reads Jakyra Green’s poem “Dear Brother”:

This reading by Taqwaa is a part of a much longer phone interview which will be published in coming weeks.

Jakyra Green (she/her) grew up in Elkhart, IN, and graduated from Goshen College with majors in English and education. Her poetry is shaped by her lived experiences in all its joys and challenges. She was named Poet of the Month in June 2022 by PAN-O-PLY Magazine, and her poem “The Sistine Chapel Took Four Years to Complete” appeared in Broadside Publishing.

Carl “Taqwaa” Moore was stolen from a lab and raised in the forests of Tennessee by gnome ninjas . . . He was captured in 2003 and has spent the last twenty-two years in prison, tryna get his mind right. His goal is to be the best son, father, brother, husband, and neighbor he can be. He would like to thank Allah, Cliff Krcha, Durlands library, Carl, Yvette, Storm, Lisa, Sylvia, Helen, Lynn, and Kim: “I am who I am, because y’all loved me.”