Cedric Tillman's Blog - Posts Tagged "10th-anniversary-edition"
Lilies in the Valley, 10th Anniversary Edition
Willow Books is publishing a 10th anniversary edition of Lilies (at a special prize of $10)!
https://aquariuspress.myshopify.com/p...
I'm thankful as always to Dr. Randall Horton & Heather Buchanan for giving me the chance to go the places this book has taken me. From the announcement:
"The title of my first book comes from a song we used to sing in church when I was little, down in my hometown of Lilesville, NC (pop. 600 or so). It's an old spiritual and I will always think of home when I hear it. (Please check out John P. Kee's version on YouTube to get a feeling for it!) The first section of LILIES IN THE VALLEY is mostly about those first 7 years of my life down "in the country," and I think anyone who wants to understand "where I'm coming from" in all my work has an advantage if they know small town life and religion. The title was also, to an extent, an ode to a certain type of black person-the title poem uses hyperbole to acknowledge those of us who are a little "'hood" and a little "academic" but mostly an amalgamation of both extremes-and thus are "lilies in the valley" between those constructs."
"Cedric Tillman's LILIES IN THE VALLEY is poetic scripture. Rooted in culture, family, love, and the word, Tillman proves that sacredness can drive verse and keep it fresh like newly baked biscuits. This is modern poetry but grounded in the past. It is hip-hop and Sunday morning, church dinner chatter, love and happiness, Carolina shouts and sermons, a new voice ready to testify and do so in a way that no one has yet done before." --Brian Gilmore, author of come see about me, marvin
"Cedric Tillman’s LILIES IN THE VALLEY still resonates with emotional appeal, remembering and storytelling ten years later from first publication... LILIES IN THE VALLEY is one book to read right now. Maybe these poems could save us. --Lenard D. Moore, author of The Geography of Jazz; Long Rain; and A Million Shadows At Noon; Founder, Carolina African American Writers’ Collective
Cedric Tillman hails from Anson County, NC & Charlotte. He is a graduate of UNCC and The American University's Creative Writing MFA program. He is also a Cave Canem fellow.
https://aquariuspress.myshopify.com/p...
I'm thankful as always to Dr. Randall Horton & Heather Buchanan for giving me the chance to go the places this book has taken me. From the announcement:
"The title of my first book comes from a song we used to sing in church when I was little, down in my hometown of Lilesville, NC (pop. 600 or so). It's an old spiritual and I will always think of home when I hear it. (Please check out John P. Kee's version on YouTube to get a feeling for it!) The first section of LILIES IN THE VALLEY is mostly about those first 7 years of my life down "in the country," and I think anyone who wants to understand "where I'm coming from" in all my work has an advantage if they know small town life and religion. The title was also, to an extent, an ode to a certain type of black person-the title poem uses hyperbole to acknowledge those of us who are a little "'hood" and a little "academic" but mostly an amalgamation of both extremes-and thus are "lilies in the valley" between those constructs."
"Cedric Tillman's LILIES IN THE VALLEY is poetic scripture. Rooted in culture, family, love, and the word, Tillman proves that sacredness can drive verse and keep it fresh like newly baked biscuits. This is modern poetry but grounded in the past. It is hip-hop and Sunday morning, church dinner chatter, love and happiness, Carolina shouts and sermons, a new voice ready to testify and do so in a way that no one has yet done before." --Brian Gilmore, author of come see about me, marvin
"Cedric Tillman’s LILIES IN THE VALLEY still resonates with emotional appeal, remembering and storytelling ten years later from first publication... LILIES IN THE VALLEY is one book to read right now. Maybe these poems could save us. --Lenard D. Moore, author of The Geography of Jazz; Long Rain; and A Million Shadows At Noon; Founder, Carolina African American Writers’ Collective
Cedric Tillman hails from Anson County, NC & Charlotte. He is a graduate of UNCC and The American University's Creative Writing MFA program. He is also a Cave Canem fellow.
