HOW THE BOOGEYMAN BECAME A POET

Hip-hop artist Tony Keith, Jr., narrates his free-verse coming-of-age memoir. His pacing and tone allow listeners to feel the power of his words and imagine his world. His skill as a narrator is evident as he delivers lyrical imagery mixed with dialect. Sound effects illuminate the poems' themes: Drums aid listeners in picturing the richness of African imagery in one poem; in another listeners hear the murmurs of a cafeteria. The growl of the Boogeyman occurs each time the figure appears, the personification of Keith's doubts and fears about money, intelligence, performance, racism, and being gay. As Keith discovers self-expression, the Boogeyman shows he's been tamed into a poet. S.W. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine [Published: MARCH 2024]