In previous generations, one could expect to find at least two things in every Black household: a King James Bible and a portrait of Dr. King. This penetrating work of literary art - simply entitled, "The Poem" - will be the third essential item in every Black household for generations to come It is truly, a "Bible" for strong Black families While it is no replacement for the Bible itself, "The Poem" should be consulted - like the Good Book - on a regular basis. By seeking to pave anew, a highway riddled with the potholes of cultural discontinuity, the traffic jams of moral and ethical bankruptcy, and the convenient off-ramps of separation and divorce, Franklin seeks to provide the would be traveler with practical and spiritual alternatives which are far less costly than the toll roads of naked secularism. Franklin believes that there are few if any, shared values and virtues, convictions and commitments, intellectual threads and fibers among Black folk to weave together a tapestry of common thought as it relates to the family unit. What is the family? What is it's purpose? Why is it necessary? Who are its members and what are their respective roles? "To each of these questions," Franklin insists, "there are dangerously divergent responses across the spectrum of Black experience. And while the specter of police brutality against Blacks has forced each of our households to have 'the conversation' with our children about their words and actions in the event they get pulled over by an officer, we have yet to avail ourselves to any shared wisdom of how to navigate relationships which, all too often, prove to be just as deadly as a routine encounter with law enforcement The Poem was written to fill that void " Taken directly out of his seminal book, "Moving Blackwards," Franklin offers 'The Poem' as a pocket reference of sorts to those who prefer a short but salient read. The Poem covers everything from how to date and what to look for in a mate, to how to treat the elderly members of the family. It traces the sexual contours of marriage and treats the issues surrounding domestic violence. It offers direction both to the teens in the family, as well as to the larger community within which they learn and grow. It speaks with clarity and conviction to 'newlyweds' and 'old-heads' alike. It reflects both the poetic genius of Langston Hughes and the humorous gifts of Richard Pryor Yes "The Poem," is destined to be known and loved by all of Black America, as the 'other' good book
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