The New Anthology of American Poetry: Vol. III: Postmodernisms 1950-Present

QUEEN LATIFAH [DANA OWENS]

517 Queen Latifah [Dana Owens] Ø Walt Whitman shakes because he believes in God. Walt Whitman closes his eyes. He is a small man and his beard is ludicrous on the reservation, absolutely insane. His beard makes the Indian boys righteously laugh. His beard frightens the smallest Indian boys. His beard tickles the skin of the Indian boys who dribble past him. His beard, his beard! God, there is beauty in every body. Walt Whitman stands at center court while the Indian boys run from basket to basket. Walt Whitman cannot tell the difference between offense and defense. He does not care if he touches the ball. Half of the Indian boys wear t-shirts damp with sweat and the other half are bareback, skin slick and shiny. There is no place like this. Walt Whitman smiles. Walt Whitman shakes. This game belongs to him. 1996 “Defending Walt Whitman,” one of Alexie’s most anthologized poems, focuses on tribal veterans who served in Kuwait. The poem also reflects Alexie’s intimate knowledge of basketball. See his treatment of his high school years in The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. Finally, the poem resonates Whitman’s sympathetic treatment of Native Americans, his interest in the body, and his compassion toward the victims of war in Leaves of Grass. QUEEN LATIFAH [DANA OWENS] b. 1970 Queen latifah—sometimes comic, often bold, always spontaneous—is one of popular culture’s major contemporary icons. Whether dressed as a campy vamp or a defiant rapper, she asserts her strength in a musical and film culture that the media often presents as male-dominated. Queen Latifah has been compared to such modernist African-American performers and lyricists as Josephine Baker, Billie Holliday, Ma Rainey, and Bessie Smith, who were also compelling creative figures in their day. Unlike them, however, she has been able to amass control over her creative work by becoming a record label president and entrepreneur. With more than eight CDs, forty-three films, and three television series, Queen Latifah has won many awards, including a Golden Globe Award, a Ø Queen Latifah [Dana Owens] 518 1. The song was produced by Boogie Down Productions, a company owned by rapper KRSOne , who also contributes to this lyric. 2. Lawrence “Kris” Parker, rap artist who participates on this track, using his stage name of KRSOne (or KRS-1). Grammy Award, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards. She also was nominated for an Academy Award for her role as “Mama” Morton in the musical Chicago. Among her other nominations are six Grammy nominations and one Emmy Award nomination. Born in Newark, New Jersey, Dana Elaine Owens adopted the stage name of “Queen Latifah.” Latifah in Arabic means “delicate” and “very kind.” Queen Latifah has devoted her career to foregrounding issues of women—especially black women. She also is a strong advocate of education and has been serving as co-chair of the Lancelot H. Owens Scholarship Foundation. further reading Ann M. Ciasullo. “Making Her (In)Visible: Cultural Representations of Lesbianism and the Lesbian Body in the 1990s.” Feminist Studies 27.3 (2001): 577–608. Cheryl L. Keyes. Rap Music and Street Consciousness. Champaign: University of Illinois Press, 2004. Linda Mizejewski. “Queen Latifah, Unruly Women, and the Bodies of Romantic Comedy.” Genders 46 (2007). www.Genders.org, www.queenlatifah.com. Queen Latifah. The Evil Men Do. CD. WB Music, 1989. The Evil Men Do You asked, I came, so behold the Queen Let’s add a little sense to the scene I’m living positive, not out here knocked up But the lines are so dangerous; I ought to be locked up This rhyme doesn’t require prime time I’m just sharing thoughts of mine Back again cause I knew you wanted it From the Latifah with the Queen in front of it Dropping bombs, you’re up in arms, you’re puzzled The lines will flow like fluid while you’re guzzling The sip I drop you on a BDP-produced track1 From KRS2 to be exact It’s a flavor unit quest that today has me speaking Cause it’s knowledge I’m seeking Enough about myself, I think it’s time that I tell you About the evil that men do The Evil Men Do Ø 519 3. Echo of a joke by comedian Robin Williams: “Reality, what a concept!” 4. Largest city in South Africa. 5. Conflation...