Manasco Helping to Inspire the Next Generation of Poets
AAMU Celebrates the Power of Poetry During National Poetry Month
As National Poetry Month unfolds, Alabama A&M University embraces the power of verse and the voices that shape it. Poetry, with its rhythm and resonance, has long served as a vessel for storytelling, cultural expression, and personal reflection. Students and faculty alike engage with the art form not only as an academic pursuit but as a means of understanding the world and themselves.
Pamela Manasco, an English instructor and recipient of the 2024 Artist Fellowship in Poetry from the Alabama State Council on the Arts, shares why poetry remains vital today.
“Whether you're hopeful, anxious, or joyful, there's a poem that speaks to your experience,” says Manasco. “National Poetry Month reminds us how poetry connects us – to ourselves, to others, and to the world around us.”
A Greenville, Alabama, native, Manasco holds a BA in English from the University of Alabama and an MFA in Creative Writing (Poetry) from the University of North Carolina Wilmington. Her journey into poetry began in 4th grade at W. O. Parmer Elementary School in Greenville, where a beloved teacher encouraged her writing. “I loved writing poetry so much in Mrs. Peagler’s class that I kept going. Her passion and encouragement led me to submit a poem to a national anthology, and it was published.”
Manasco says anyone can become a poet. “Poetry takes many forms – traditional verse, free verse, experimental styles, spoken word,” she explains. “Whether you write for journals, social media, or just for yourself, if you write poetry, you’re a poet. The key is curiosity and perseverance.”
She also sees songwriting and rap music as powerful expressions of poetry and artistry. Think Kendrick Lamar, Tupac Shakur, J. Cole and so many others.
“I think as educators, we sometimes place too much emphasis on uncovering hidden meanings in creative writing, which can be discouraging for students who struggle to find them,” explains Manasco. “Many contemporary poets would argue that poetry isn’t about solving a puzzle, it’s about shifting perspectives. Poetry makes people see the world differently. It can help someone realize they’re not alone in their experiences, deepen their appreciation for a subject, or simply let them enjoy the beauty of language. Like poetry, song lyrics have the power to tell stories, create vivid imagery, and evoke deep emotions.”
Manasco says the Department of English and Modern Languages continues its long-running Gwendolyn Brooks Poetry Contest, originally funded by the legendary poet herself. Open to all AAMU students – undergraduate and graduate – the contest offers cash prizes: $100 for first place, $50 for second, and $25 for third. Submissions close April 1. Students can submit their poem here.
Jeremiah McDow, a senior communications media major from Huntsville, Ala., placed second in the contest his freshman year and entered again this year.
“Poetry has always been important to me,” says McDow. “It serves as a way to tell stories, to give advice, and to learn yourself. Poetry is more than storytelling, it is a window to any writer’s life and mind.”
McDow is also submitting work for the first issue of Alabama A&M's new literary journal, “1875 Review,” an HBCU-exclusive platform for creative writing. A launch event is scheduled for Tuesday, April 22 from 6:00-7:30 p.m. in the Writing Center (Carver Complex North 125).
“We welcome all students and faculty to drop by and listen to our authors read their published pieces; we might also offer an open mic to share your own work,” says Manasco. “If students missed the submission window for Issue One, submissions for Issue Two will open in September 2025. Students interested in contributing or working on the journal can contact Manasco at pamela.manasco@aamu.edu.
Manasco encourages everyone to explore poetry. Here are ten must-read poems she recommends:
Ten Poems Everyone Should Read:
“I Was Told the Sunlight Was a Cure” by Hanif Abdurraqib
“Bandwidth” by Destiny O. Birdsong
“Fifth Grade Autobiography” by Rita Dove
“Characteristics of Life” by Camille T. Dungy
“Easter Shoes” by Cornelius Eady
“A Small Needful Fact” by Ross Gay
“Mercy” by Tyehimba Jess
“Love Letter: Heaven is a Black Woman's Smile” by Ashley M. Jones
“My Grandmother's Pound Cake is as Close to Communion as I'll Ever Get” by Jason McCall
“The Good Life” by Tracy K. Smith