Goodbye, Lavonne Westbrooks, genius of a poet and...

[Trish Saunders]

...my beloved friend. She was an editor at Poetry Circle and, for a time, at Open Arts Forum.
A genius of a poet!
I love you so much, Lavonne, and I will miss you deeply.

 

[silent lotus]

she was indeed one of the very special ones
a true mensch ....may she be remembered for her honesty & kindness

it was a honor for many years to be one of the recipients of her unique hand crafted
New Year's cards


silent lotus



How To Become Famous


i wanted to quote
my own poems
but i knew
how disinterested he'd be
being preoccupied
with my breasts and all
i mean
why should i waste
my breath?
so i quoted shakespeare instead
you know
that speech hamlet makes
to ophelia
where he makes her
feel just like a slut

i know
he won't remember
what i said
but one day
he's gonna tell his friends
he fucked a poet


© Lavonne Westbrooks


2009


`


Lavonne Westbrooks
October 8, 1952 - October 23, 2024

`

 

[Trish Saunders]

That was the first poem of hers I ever read, in 2009, must have been, and I was stunned by it. I wrote her an email, and she wrote back the sweetest message.

Rest in peace, my dear friend.

 

[Trevor Cunnington]

I'm newer to this site, so I never had the honor of reading her work before now, but it's lovely. Sorry for your loss.

 

[Scott Douglas]

I'm so sad to hear this news. She was good to me while at PC.

I remember that poem you posted.

 

[Michael Ashley]

RIP Lavonne, you were a great one alright!

 

[John Gurney]

she was indeed one of the very special ones
a true mensch ....may she be remembered for her honesty & kindness

it was a honor for many years to be one of the recipients of her unique hand crafted
New Year's cards


silent lotus



How To Become Famous


i wanted to quote
my own poems
but i knew
how disinterested he'd be
being preoccupied
with my breasts and all
i mean
why should i waste
my breath?
so i quoted shakespeare instead
you know
that speech hamlet makes
to ophelia
where he makes her
feel just like a slut

i know
he won't remember
what i said
but one day
he's gonna tell his friends
he fucked a poet


© Lavonne Westbrooks


2009


`

Love it!

 

[John Gurney]

Sad. No one gets out alive.

I suppose that’s the greatest penalty of getting old-witnessing your friends depart.

Every year , I add a few more to the list.

 

[Jenn Zed]

After hearing of another friend who died recently, I wanted to say goodbye to Lavonne too .. I never knew her well, but I always liked her poetry very much.

She was a good writer.

 

[Trish Saunders]

After hearing of another friend who died recently, I wanted to say goodbye to Lavonne too .. I never knew her well, but I always liked her poetry very much.

She was a good writer.

Jenn, Lavonne always knew, somehow, exactly what to say. What to say, when you were celebrating and joyful, or depressed and anxious. Her poem, "How to become famous" was a game changer for me: You can use the word, "fucked" in a poem? You mean, You can talk about someone staring at your breasts? She made me want to write poems. Rest in peace, darling Lavonne. Her daughter, now has become a friend.

 

[John Gurney]

She was fearless in her writing , a rare commodity indeed.

 

[Trish Saunders]

She was fearless in her writing , a rare commodity indeed.

She really was, John, she would just go there, you know .... and she was the kindest soul.
A true original. I loved her unique Southern voice, her passion for justice. She, of course, detested Trump, but she was always hopeful.