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In the black and white of life, I see vibrant hues

In the black and white of life, I see vibrant hues

by Renee Matthews Jackson

 

In the black and white of life, I see vibrant hues

Reaching God’s promised years, I’ve paid most of my dues
Prefer singing sultry jazz, not songs of salty blues
Realized that some I have known truly have no clues
In the magic of each exhale
I breathe in the breath of good hope
Because of witnessing all too well
The Great Spirit helps me to cope
When rainbows dissolve into crystalline bright stars
The new world crumbles the old, leaving fresh-faced scars
Blatant evidence of fright in border patrol Czars
“Alligator Alcatraz”; humans caged behind bars
I retreat to my happy place
Where colors dance and tend to play
And leave this world without a trace
Eyes wide, unveiling God’s great grace
*
For man is not meant to live in chaos that abounds
But enjoy all of creation with its sights and sounds
Feet planted in the soil to get the source from sacred grounds
And if they might be tilted, straighten up our crowns
*
Paint a pretty scene in your mind
Let go of the tension and grief
Be humble, stand tall, and be kind
Charge your soul and summon relief
Don’t move about like you are blind
Harness the powers of your belief

And stick to your Muse, it will bind

Renee Matthews Jackson [2025]
Artwork by Renee Matthews Jackson

About Dale Shields

Dale Ricardo Shields is a 2017 winner of The Kennedy Center/Stephen Sondheim Inspirational Teacher Award®. He is the 2021 winner of the Paul Robeson Award, presented (jointly) by the Actors Equity Association and the Actors Equity Foundation, the 2017 AUDELCO/"VIV" Special Achievement Award, 2017 and 2015 Tony® Award nominee for the Excellence in Theatre Education Award, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 ENCORE AWARD / The Actors Fund. Recently, he won the 2022 Legend Award - (alma mater) at Ohio University. His extensive professional credits as a Director, Stage manager, and Actor (Broadway, Off-Broadway, Off-Off-Broadway, and Regional) As an actor he has appeared on Saturday Night Live, Another World, Guiding Light, The Cosby Show, and ITV television series "Special Needs" and National commercials and film. He is a member of the Actors Equity Association, Screen Actors Guild, the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, the American Guild of Musical Artists performance unions, Music, Theater, and Dance Professionals in the Academy (MTDPA), and an associate member of the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers. Professor Shields began his artistic academic career in New York City at Playwrights Horizon, The South Bronx Action Theatre, and MindBuilders, and was invited to join the teaching staff at the Joseph Papp Public Theatre (New York Shakespeare Festival) for six years. He represented the United States for Theatre Young Audiences at the ASSITEJ Theatre Festival in London, England. As an actor, he studied acting at The Negro Ensemble Company (Anderson Johnson), The New Federal Theatre (Hal Scott-Dick Anthony Williams) and The National Improvisational Theatre in New York City. Additional acting workshops with Dorothy Silver (Karamu House) and The Cleveland Playhhouse. He has been a professor and visiting artist at Ohio University, The South Bronx Community Theatre, Karamu House, The Cleveland School of the Arts, The College of Wooster, Denison University, Macalester College, Susquehanna University, The Cleveland Playhouseand SUNY Potsdam. B.F.A and M.F.A - Ohio University. [Phi Kappa Phi Honor Soceity] Website(s) - Research - Iforcolor.org [Theatre and Black Studies/Artistic Diversity Research] Career - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dale_Ricardo_Shields [Career]

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