Pressin' My Way (Shady Facts, $10) is a self-published book by Lawrence DeWyatt Abrams containing honest, vivid, and brave poems about what it means to be a double threat in contemporary America--black and gay.
In the lengthy introduction (which could use considerable cutting), a 27-year-old Harlem resident, writes that "it has been my words that have provided a healing salve for my most wounded spaces" and "very often [poetry] is the only thing that stands between me and insanity."
This rising young poet, who heads Gay Men of African Descent (GMAD), has created a book about spirituality, sexual identity, and love.
Among the best poems in Pressin' My Way are the comical "Fairy Queen" ("Take off those high heels/go in the bathroom/find some ivory/and wash your face/'cause blue is not your color."); the terrifying "Edge" ("Razor blade, you and I are old friends"); and "Somewhere Under the Bridge," the beautifully written homage to the late African-American poet Donald W. Woods, Abrams's mentor.
Despite adversity in its many guises, Larry Abrams reveals in this very slim volume (53 pages) that he is more than willing and able to continue to press his way.
Note: This article was originally published in the Manhattan Spirit newspaper on March 15, 1996 as part of its monthly Manhattan Pride lesbian and gay supplement.
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