Here's Dr. Bernice Cullinan at my "coming out" party for my first book, Poems That Sing To You. She is a remarkable woman. I met her when I was three years old. I tagged along with my mom to meet Bee when my mother was signing up for doctoral advisement. Bee served on my mother's Ph.D.committee. Today she is on Mine. Bee is a Professor Emeritus at NYU. As my second Mom, she followed me my whole life and launched my career.

My nieces Chelsea and Rebecca choose good reading material.

Here's me and Mom at a convention. Schoolchildren often ask me: "What's it like to do a book with your mom?" Putting together our book Families: Poems Celebrating the African American Experience, was one of the most beautiful experiences of my life.

My nephew Cooper and my niece Paige got into the reading spirit early too. Here Cooper is reading to Paige.

My favorite time of year.

When Paige was blessed in church the rainbow of Strickland's all got together (left to right: Mark's in-laws --the Booths, Mom, Mark, Cooper, Kimberly holding Paige, Chelsea, Yours Truly, Dad, Randy, Cindia, and Rebecca).

The future poet ponders a poem.

I'm smiling at you.

Can you spot the author?

... and thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent.

A smile on Martha's Vineyard. The Stricklands have been there every summer since I was five.

Maurice R. Strickland: 1930-1998.

I'm a true Essex County, NJ Chief.