19/07/2016

ImWithYouPoetryFoundation

Home > Features > Articles > ImWithYou

ESSAY

ImWithYou
CaveCanemcelebratesits20thanniversary.
BYSARAIVRY

ImageCourtesyofGwendolynStansburyviaFlickr

Itstartedonatrip.About20yearsago,thepoetsCorneliusEadyandToiDerricottewere
vacationingtogetherwiththeirfamiliesinItaly.Thetwohadbeentalkingaboutputting
togetheraworkshopforAfricanAmericanpoetswhentheytookadaytriptoPompeii.We
sawthehouseofthetragicpoet,Eadysays,attheentrywayofwhichisafamousmosaic
CaveCanem,itsays,BewareoftheDog.Anditseemedsuddenlysymbolicofwhatthey
weretryingtodo.Tohaveasafespace,Eadysays,thedogpatrolsthespacethatweall
have.
Twodecadeslater,CaveCanem,thepioneeringliterarynonprofitsupportingpoetsofcolor
thatEadyandDerricottecofounded,isthriving,welcominghundredsofpoetsfromacross
theUnitedStatesandtheworldtoitsannualsummerprogram,nowheldattheUniversityof
Pittsburgh.ManymoreattendCaveCanemreadingsandeventsduringtheyear.CaveCanem
hasalsoestablishedthreeawardstheCaveCanemPoetryPrizetheCaveCanem
NorthwesternUniversityPressPoetryPrizeandtheToiDerricotte&CorneliusEady
ChapbookPrizethathavehelpedcementitspositionasaninfluentialliteraryorganization.
CaveCanempoetsincludeaPulitzerPrizewinner(TracyK.Smith),NationalBookAward
winners(TerranceHayesandRobinCosteLewis),andmanyyoung,impressivepoets,such
asRickeyLaurentiisandNateMarshall.
http://www.poetryfoundation.org/features/articles/detail/90034

1/8

19/07/2016

ImWithYouPoetryFoundation

TocelebrateCaveCanems20thbirthday,thePoetryFoundationaskedavarietyofCave
Canemaffiliatedpoetsfortheirthoughtsandmemoriesonwhattheorganizationhasmeant
tothem.Thepoetswereinterviewedseparately,andthequotesthatfollowhavebeenedited
andcondensed.
ToiDerricotte(cofounder):CorneliusandSarah[Corneliusswife]andIfirstmetat
SquawValley.Ihadbroughtagroupofblackpoetsundergraduateswithme.Thiswasthe
firsttimetheyhadbeeninthissituationwheretheyweretherareblackpeoplethere,andI
justlovedthewayCorneliusandSarahsupportedthem.Ifeltthistrustandloyalty,andthat
meanssomuchwhenyouhavesomeoneyoucantalktoandshareyouranxietieswith,
somebodywhosays,Imwithyounomatterwhat.
Wewentonavacationthenextyear,andduringthevacationImadeupmymind.Ijustsaid,
WouldyoubeinterestedintryingtoputtogetheraworkshopforAfricanAmericanpoets?
Wehadgonethroughmanyconversationsaboutthedifficultyaboutbeingtheonlyone.And
theybothsaid,Yeah!Isaid,ItriedIjustcantgetthefunding.AndSarahsaid,Letsdo
itoutofourownpockets.CaveCanemhashadthiswayofalmostdivineorchestration.As
soononedooropens,youseewherethenextdoorwayis.MyfriendFatherFrancissaid,If
youeverwanttousethemonastery,justcallandcomeonup.Hewastheretreatdirectorof
amonastery,[theMaristBrothersCenteratEsopus],overahundredacresontheHudson
Riverandabuildingthatwaslikeacastle.WecalledhimfromCapri,andhesaidsure.And
thenwehadaplace.
CorneliusEady(cofounder):TheoriginofCaveCanemcomesfromourownexperiences
ofbeingpoetsandstudentsofpoetry:thefeelingthatsomehowAfricanAmericanpoetrywas
somesortofstepchildofnormalpoetry,thatpoetswerenotreallybeingtakenasseriously
orasdeeplyastheycouldhavebeenwhentheywerebeingstudiedatall.Youstartfeeling
thatsomethingsoutofwhack:Whyisntittakenasseriously?Wasityou?Iknowthatalot
ofAfricanAmericanstudentshavehadthatfeelingyouretheonlyperson[ofcolor]thereor
oneofonlytwoorthreeifyourelucky,andtheresthatquestionofwhyyourethere,that
unspokenthingaboutaffirmativeaction.Insteadofhavingtodealwithallofthat,wouldnt
bebettertobeabletoconcentrateontheworkitself?

http://www.poetryfoundation.org/features/articles/detail/90034

2/8

19/07/2016

ImWithYouPoetryFoundation

CaveCanemCofoundersatCityofAsylum/Pittsburgh,2011.PhotographedbyRachelElizaGriffiths.

RobinCosteLewis(winneroftheNationalBookAwardforPoetryin2015):Cave
Canemwasfoundedattimewhenintenseculturewarsweretakingplace.Howbrilliantwas
itofCorneliusandToitocreateanideaorafoundationthatwasntgoingtoengagethat
debateinanywayandwentoffonitsownandfoundedthisplacepurelyforthepurposeof
supportingemergingblackpoets?Thatwasprofoundintermsofstrategy.Itsayssomuch:
werenotheretofight.Wereheretowriteandtowriteaboutourownexperiences,ourown
cultures,sometimes,sometimesnotwereheretowriteabouthummingbirds,too,without
havingtofightforourrightsimplytoholdapenorforourrightsimplytoreadotherblack
poets.
TerranceHayes(winneroftheNationalBookAwardforPoetryin2010):Forme,
fromthebeginning,CaveCanemwasalwaysjustaplaceforfellowship,thisfortunateplace.I
wasToisgraduatestudentwhenshestartedit.IwenttoUniversityofPittsburghbecauseToi
wasthere.Sheaskedmetowork[forCaveCanem]withanotherofhergraduatestudents,
MichelleElliott.Wemadecopiesandgreetedeveryoneastheycamein.Therewasnomoney,
noexpectationforwhatitwasgoingtobelike.Whatitdidwasteardownwallsaboutwhat
blackpoetrywas.Spokenwork,experimentalpoetry,confessionalsecondgenerationpoetry,
politicalpoetryallthosesubsetsoverlappedandhybridizedandsynthesized.Itcreatedthis
wonderfulrichtapestryofafamily,ofwhatblackpoetryis.
NickMakoha(directoroftheYouthPoetryNetworkinEnglandheisworking
onhisfirstpoetrycollection):ImfromtheU.K.,andthereareverymanybarriersthat
http://www.poetryfoundation.org/features/articles/detail/90034

3/8

19/07/2016

ImWithYouPoetryFoundation

youhavetofaceasapoetinEngland.Butwhenyourethereinfrontof50othergreatwriters
somearefaculty,somearestudentsyourealizetherearealotmoreofusthantheworld
wouldhaveyoubelieve.CaveCanemgivesrisetoakindofpermissionyouneedtogive
yourself.Itgivesyouthatimpetus,thatzeal.Itputsyouinalignmentwithalotofothergreat
writersofcolor.
Lewis:IfirstbecameawareofCaveCanemintheearly2000s.Idontrememberwhotold
meaboutit.Idoremembermyresponsewasthatitsoundedlikeamythicalplaceandhow
coulditpossiblyexist?Atthattime,somanyartsorganizationswerebeginningtofold.
IwasveryillatthetimeIhadhadanaccidentandwasbadlyhurt.Irememberbeinginbed
readingforthefirsttimetheseyounger,blackpoets.IrememberreadingKevinYoungsbook
intractioninawe.AndCorneliustoo,andElizabethAlexander,andIrealizedtherewasa
wholecommunityIdidntknowwasoutthere,andifIcouldlearninanywaytowritea
halfwaydecentpoem,Imaybecouldparticipateinthatconversationorinthatculture.I
wantedtobeinserviceinanywayIcouldinthatliterarytradition,andtheirworkwasan
invitationtojointhem.
Eady:Thefirstyearitwasasmallclass.Wehadmaybe24or26fellowsweaccepted,alot
fromtheDCareathatwastherealcatalyst.OncetheycametoCaveCanemandsawwhat
thatmomentwasanditwasauniquemomenttheytookitbacktoDC,anditspreadlike
wildfireintothewritingworld.
Hayes:JoelDiasPorter,[aka]DJRenegade,toldalotoffolksinDC.Twopeoplehetold
wereyoungpoetsatthetime:YonaHarvey,nowmywife,whowasatHowardUniversity,
andTaNehisiCoates,whowasalsoatHoward.YonaandTaNehisiappliedatthesame
time,butTaNehisididntputhiszipcodeontheapplication,anditneverarrived[toour
office].Isentouttheveryfirstlettersofacceptance.IcanrememberYonasname,andI
thinkIwouldrememberTaNehisiCoatessname.Whoknowswhatwouldvehappenedhad
heactuallyputthezipcodeontheapplication?ObviouslyhesfaredOK.
Derricotte:ThefirstnightofCaveCanem,wedecidedtohaveanopeningcircle,andthis
wasthequestion:whyareyouhere?Andboy,Itellyou!Peoplestartedfloodingtheroom
withtheirstoriesofisolationandlonelinessandthewaystheyhadbeenharmed.Alotof
peopledidntevenknowhowtothinkaboutthemselves.Butthenwhenyoulookaroundthe
roomandyouseepeopleyouknowaregreatwritersandyouretherewiththemitslike,oh,
man,yourevalidated.Thisbondformed.Itwasintense.CorneliusandIsaid,Whosin
chargehere?becauseitwaswaybeyondanythingwehadthoughtpossible.
Eady:Wediditwithoutamapwhichisacrazythingtodobutalsotherightthingtodo
becauseitallowedthefellowstofeelthattheyhadastakeinthisaswell.Itwasntthis
alreadymadeupthingwhereToiandIweretellingpeoplewhattheweekwouldbelike.The
openingcirclewassuggestedbythefellows.TheclosingcirclewassuggestedbyFather
Francis.Oneofthetraditionswherethesecondyearsthrowagraduationpartyorceremony
forthethirdyearswassuggestedbythefellowsthemselves.Theycameintotheofficeone
http://www.poetryfoundation.org/features/articles/detail/90034

4/8

19/07/2016

ImWithYouPoetryFoundation

summerandsaid,ThetraditionatCaveCanemisandwelookedateachotherlike,what
tradition?
Makoha:Openingcircleremovesallkindsofbarriersthatpeoplehave.WhenIwasthere,I
thoughtitwasagettoknowyouexercise,butitsetsyouupfortheweekitsayielding.It
allowsyoutobeaconjurerfortheweek.
IcameinwithapreconceivedideathatIknewwhatIwasdoing.Butthecirclesetsyouupin
aspaceofunknowing.Ididitthroughtears,criedlikeIhadntcriedbefore.Ilookbackand
seeIwasinsanctuary,andIrealizedwhatmyfamily,mywifehadsacrificedformetobe
there.
RioCortez(receivedthefirstToiDerricotte&CorneliusEadyChapbookPrizein
2015):Iwasveryquietthatfirstyearandjustlistened.Thehugedrawwasthefaculty.Alot
ofmyheroeswereteachingthoseworkshops.Itwaslifechanging.Ialsometmyfiancat
thatfirstretreatin2011.WerebothCaveCanempoets,andwerebeingmarriedbyRobin
CosteLewis.
Lewis:Theyaskedmetomarrythembecauseweloveeachotherdeeply,butitsalso
becausewewereatCaveCanemtogetherandwewatchedeachotherworkhard.Andinthe
backgroundofallthisworkyouredoingindividually,youhaveallthesepeoplesupporting
youandencouragingyoutogowhereveryouneedtogo.
Iwrotetwopoemsaboutmyblackfamilysowningslaves,thinkingIdbetarredand
feathered.WhatIgotwasnothingbutencouragement,notshame,notquestioning,not
anythingbutHowcanwehelpyoumakethisverysignificant,thematicallysignificant,work
better?Andalso,Howcanwemakesurethatyouarewholebytheendofit?Howcanwe
loveyouintomakingthisOK?
Hayes:CaveCanemwaslikeareunionofrelativesyoudidntknowyouhad.Onenight,the
groupoffellowsseparatedfromthefaculty,andwewentdowntotheriver.Icanbarely
rememberwhowasthereYonawasthere,Renegadewasthere,HermanBeavers,Iwantto
saymaybeVanJordanwastheretooandMajorJackson.Wejustwentdowntotheriver,
whichwasntthatfarfromthegrounds,andmaybewemadeafire.Itwasntaworkshop,it
wasntinthecafeteria,itwasjustushangingoutandsingingandhavingagoodtime.Itwas
animportantmomentitwassomethingthathadnthappenedforanyoneatthatmoment.
Derricotte:Peoplewouldbeupallnighttherewasalounge,andtheydbeintherewriting
poems,helpingeachotherwritepoemsallnightandgoingoutinthemiddleofthenightto
Kmartforfriedchicken.Therewasaneedforeachother.Therewassomuchtheyneededto
talkaboutthattheyhadnevertalkedaboutbefore.Itwasnotonlybringingpoetstogether
butalsobringingtogetherauniquegroupofpeoplewhohadfeltalotofpressureandnow
sawawaytobefree.
Irememberacircleoneyearwhenwewereallpartying,andwewereout,andtherewasa
goldmooncenteredoverourcircle,ahugegoldmoon.Ithoughttheuniversewastellingus,
http://www.poetryfoundation.org/features/articles/detail/90034

5/8

19/07/2016

ImWithYouPoetryFoundation

Thisisyourtime,thisisyourtime.Wearewithyou.
Cortez:Theresahugevarietyofagerangesandprofessionalbackgroundsandregional
poets.Inotonlymetwriterswhowereblackbutalsowriterswhowereworkingfulltime,who
werebalancingtheirlivesinasimilarwaytome,andthatwasinspiringtoseethatthat
couldbedone.
Lewis:Youspendyourwholelifeinprofoundisolationifyoureablackpoet,culturally
speakingifyoureawriteritslikebeingfromanothercountry,andyourethesolecitizenof
thatcountry.Thensuddenlyyouwalkintothisplaceandyoufindallyourothercountrymen
andcountrywomen.Thatsaprofoundexperience:torealizethatyouhaveawholecityof
peoplewhoarelivingdispersedaroundtheworldbutyouneverthelesscarrythisplaceinside
fortherestofyourlife.
Mahoka:Whenyouheartheworks,yourealizethetotalcompendiumofpossibilityofwhat
blacknesscanbe.Itgivesyoumoreconfidenceinyourownstory,inyourownnarrative,orin
thenarrativesyouwanttoplayaroundwith.IusedtogorunningeverydaybecauseIwanted
tokeeptheplaceinmybody.WhatwastheairlikeinPittsburgh?Whatwasitliketowritein
Pittsburgh?EvenwhenIwasbackinEngland,mybodyrememberedandbroughtitbackto
mynavigation.
Cortez:WhenIgotthere,Iwasreallyshy.IhadgrownupinSaltLakeCity,whereIhad
beenaterminaloutsider.Ididntknowalotofpeople.Iwasinawe.Itsoundslikefake
testimonywhenIleftCaveCanem,Ihadanetworkorafamilyofblackpoetsalloverthe
country.Ifsomeonehasareading,weallshowup.Itsaspiderwebofconnections.Theresa
lotoflovebetweeneveryone,andyouknowthatifyoureatareadingandyouseeaCave
Canemfellow,youcheerlouder,evenifyouvenevermettheperson.Asyoutravelcause
theyrealloverthecountrypeoplestayononeanotherscouches.
Eady:Everyyearisunique.TheoneconstantisthatToiandIhavebeenthereforevery
summer.WehavethememoryofTerranceHayesandYonaHarveyhookingupatCave
Canem,andwehaveElizabethAlexanderpregnantandthenbringingherkidandthenbeing
pregnantagainatCaveCanem.
Hayes:Therehavebeenafewcouplesovertheyears,butwewerethefirstCaveCanem
couple,firstCaveCanembaby.Ourdaughterwasbornin1999,cametoalotoftheearly
retreats.Wegotmarried13monthsafterwemetatCaveCanem.Idontknowifanybody
everbrokethatrecord.
Lewis:Nobodywasexpectingmetowriteaboutanything.Theywerejustexpectingmeto
write.ThecontrastwithotherworkshopswhereIhadheard,Whydontyoutalkmore
ghetto?whateverpeoplesprojectedstereotypesofblacknessare,andtherearecountless
andendless,nothavingtohearanyofthatbuttohavepeopleengagetheworksolelyonits
owntermswithoutquestioninginanywayanyperformanceorrepresentationor
engagementorlackofperformancethathasneverhappenedtomeinmylifeagain,nordoI
http://www.poetryfoundation.org/features/articles/detail/90034

6/8

19/07/2016

ImWithYouPoetryFoundation

expectitto.Thatshowspecialitis.
AnyexperiencethatIbroughtorwantedtoexamineinmyworld,Icoulddoitthere.Mostof
thestrongestpoemsIthinkIveeverwritten,includingpoemsthatwereinmybookthatjust
wonaNationalBookAward,IwroteatCaveCanem.Plantation,thefirstpoeminmybook
Flicit,thelastoneinmybookClaudiaRankinewasthefacultymemberIwrote
Flicitfor,CarlPhillipswasthefacultymemberIwrotePlantationfor,andthereasonI
hadthecouragetodothosehard,politicallycomplicatedpoemsisbecauseIwasatCave
Canem,andIknewnoonewasgoingtosayanythingtomenobodywouldsay,Youcantdo
this.Youcantwritethis.
Hayes:ThelasttimeIwentIthinkitwasmylastteachingyeartherewasamomentwhen
AveryR.Young,aChicagopoet,sangapoemsongkindofthing,andheclearedtheroom.
HewassayingthissongpoeminspiredbyTrayvonMartinsdeath.Itwasachurchmoment.
NikkyFinneywaslostinthewoods.Shewentwalking.Iwassittingonthesideofahill
crying.Thewholeeventjuststopped.Aftermaybe15minutes,wetriedtogetourselves
togetherthenighthadtogoon,butthatwasakindofouterspacemoment.Those
momentshappenoften.Thosearethemomentswhenitsmorethanpoetry.Theres
somethingelsegoingon.
Derricotte:Justafewweeksago,TerranceHayesandDawnLundyMartinhereatthe
UniversityofPittsburghhadareading,andtheywereallCaveCanempeople:theelders,Afaa
MichaelWeaverandIthemidgeneration,TerranceandLyraeVanCliefStefanonandRoss
Gayandthethirdgeneration,RickeyLaurentiisandNateMarshallallonthestage
together.ItwasthemostwellattendedeventthatweveeverhadatPitt.Ahundredpeople
hadtobeturnedaway.Butwhateveryonesaidwas,Ididntknowthatblackpoetswereso
diverseanddoingallthisdifferentkindofwork.Theywereamazedattheconnectionoflove
betweenallofthesepeopleandtherespectwehaveforeachotherswork.Lyrae,whoisin
her40snow,saidtoayoungpoet,Rickey,whois27,Howdidyouwritethatpoem?Iwant
youtocometomyhouseinNewYorkandstaywithmeandteachmetowriteapoemlike
that.
ThatswhattheconversationhasbeensinceCaveCanemstarted.Itisnt,Whosthetop
poet?Letslearnhowtodothatpoem.ItsHeyIlovewhatyouredoing.Teachmehowto
dothat.Youhaveallthisdiversityfromthediaspora.YouhavepeoplefromTrinidadand
Oregon,fromallover,fromEngland,andeverybodysbringingsomething,andtheyre
grabbingontoWhateveryouknow,Iwanttoknowthattoo.Thatsbecausetheylove
poetrysomuch,andtheyresoambitious.Nottobefamous,nottowinprizes,buttowrite
greatpoems.
OriginallyPublished:July13th,2016

JumptoReader0Comments

http://www.poetryfoundation.org/features/articles/detail/90034

7/8

19/07/2016

ImWithYouPoetryFoundation

RELATED
RELATEDAUTHORS

ToiDerricotte
CorneliusEady
TerranceHayes
RobinCosteLewis

BIOGRAPHY
SaraIvryhostedtheNationalMagazineAwardwinningpodcastVoxTablet.Shehaswrittenaboutbooks,art,television,
andothertopicsforthefortheNewYorkTimes,Bookforum,theBostonGlobe,TabletMagaine,andother
publications.

Continuereadingthisbiography

PROSEFROMPOETRYMAGAZINE

NewPacificIslanderPoetry
BYCRAIGSANTOSPEREZ

http://www.poetryfoundation.org/features/articles/detail/90034

8/8