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The Panther
May 2, 1994 Pi 9
CAU Senior Rhymes With Reason
Christian Gooden/Staff Photographer
Eric Lamb is working on his first book of poetry.
By Wendy Isom
Staff Writer
“...Forced to roam the streets like a child
without- parental supervision, resulting
from 18 years of uniform hinchment/
dictatingyour routine decisions like children in
iron play pins/ cribs of steel, they were
told when to sh—, when to p—, when to eat
and when to sleep and taught how to slave
for the drugs they craved, just to feed
an addiction to a high and their hearts
are as cold as ice...they could scream or
cry/ its a miracle to the world that they
are not insane or dead because every time
they stray from their cell block, there’s a
billy club upside your head/ Look what
they did to your manhood...
Eric Lamb has a lot on his mind- over
100 poems to be exact.
At 22, this Clark Atlanta University
senior psychology and philosophy
major/ is working on his first book of
poetry.
His style has been recognized at a
contest sponsored by Kappa Alpha Psi
at Emory University. Lamb was the
only student, from a historically black
college out of 13 students, came in
first place. He also received first place
in two Alpha Kappa Alpha poetry read
ings. He was also named “One of the
best young writers,” at Columbia
University in New York.
He is a frequent speaker at African
Dejoule during poetry nights. He has
also addressed the African Centered
Energy in motion conference. In addi
tion, this rising poet has has worked
alongside activists Na’im Akbar and
Askia Toure.
In addition, he will speak at the
Atlanta Black Arts Festival this sum
mer. Lamb said his favorite poet is
Paul Lawrence Dunbar. “Although
they never really talk about him. - He is
underrated,” he said.
He has his own philosophy on being
true to the art of poetry. “You have to
dig deep, It’s not all about rhyme
because if its true, real, life-like, it
flows,” he said.
As a poet, he said he finds it most
rewarding when his work touches his
audience. He distinctly remembered
after one reading when “a brother came
up to me picked me up and spun me
around and said, ‘Man you were
deep!”’
Lamb said he vividly recalls his first
encounter with poetry. In 1987, after
witnessing the tragic death of his
father, Garfield , his uncle, James
Harrison enrolled him in an African
studies class to keep him focused.
There, he learned Arabic, and African
history. At the end of the class he was
asked to write a poem on his experi
ence. He said the poem, titled,
“Unification,” led him to recognition.
With the combination of his uncle’s
Continued P23
Local Art Students Design
Official Freaknic Logo
"We wanted a black-oriented image that
represented strength, something bold. We also
wanted something that was festive, but also
corporate and professional looking."
-Juan Little/Logo designer
By Delia Welch
Contributing Writer
Two students majoring in graphic design at
the Atlanta College of Art designed the official
Freaknic logo.
Juan Little and Douglas Evans said they stum
bled uopn the job as a result of a simple misun
derstanding.
The students were supposed to view an art
exhibition at East City Hall in midtown, but
confused it with City Hall downtown. A securi
ty guard directed them to the Mayor’s office of
youth services, to receive the correct directions.
They engaged in small talk with the office
director, who happened to mention that an offi
cial logo for Freaknic was needed. Tuttle and
Evans offered to come up with a few ideas.
In the beginning the duo developed six differ
ent designs. They went before a committee to
decide which was the best one.
“The present design won the committee over as
a winner,” said Evans.
When asked what they wanted the logo to
express, Little said, “We wanted a black-orient
ed image that represented strength, something
bold. We also wanted something that was fes
tive, but also corporate and professional look
ing.”
The two admitted that in the beginning, they
did not feel they would be taken seriously
because they were still students. However, they
said they handled all business involving the
logo in a very professional manner.
“On the other hand, designing an official logo
for an event like Freaknic at age 21 is excellent
exposure and opens up avenues and ventures
that will set us on the path towards fufilling our
goals,” said Evans.
Already, they have received offers to work on
other projects from people who have seen their
Continued P23
Christian Gooden/Staff Photographer
Art students Juan Little and Douglas Evans
designed the official Freaknic logo.
The official Freaknic logo.