Sustained

About the Book

“If you have the privilege, you already have the right to peruse Aileen Muhammad’s collection of work from 2009 to present. I have. You had been whisked away at the very first word of every piece she has written. Aileen will unleash your spirit and take you somewhere. And everyone of her riveting, healing, love pods, take you by the hand, walks you across the street to Karma, then, hurl you through non-stop imagery, imaginings, soul deep steep vision parables that make it exciting to you ‘see’ for your Self what you have read. Sustained takes every line of verse and weaves them seamlessly with Bai’s (Carl Karni-Bain)consuming paintings that tour Persona, the soul of persona. Sustained places every verse and image on the tip of your tongue. Yes, Sustained speaks from you, through you, to where you must go. Aileen’s, Sustained, incurs nature, stretches longing to the nth degree. Both holy and sacred, Aileen defines the microcosmic juncture of the two, a formula for transcendence. Sustained traverses every revered poetic structure with a very delightful page of Haiku Feathers that manipulates the sparkle in your eye. But, oh my, the signature structural fierceness of Sustained Aileen Muhammad is a fearless language soloist. Sustained is a School of Thought entry to the annals.” Nathan Ross Freeman

About the Author

Aileen Muhammad was born in 1950 in Philadelphia. In the early 60’s, Aileen’s poetry appeared in several issues of Journal of Black Poetry, edited by Askia Muhammad Toure’ and another edited by Dudley Randall. Her poetry also appeared in several issues of Muhammad Speaks 1968 and 1969. She attended Winston Salem State University majoring in Math and Salem College where she received a Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing in 2009. She is currently a Masters of Education candidate at North Central University. Her poetry has been published in numerous journals and magazines, In 2012 her first novella was published, Cowards and Angels. Aileen wrote for Incunabula, Salem College’s literary journal and served on the board of the Center for Women Writers at Salem College. Aileen has 7 children, 19 grandchildren and resides in Winston Salem, NC. Artist: Carl E. Karni-Bain aka BAI was born in Virginia in 1959. He attended California College of Arts and Crafts in Oakland, California. He majored in classical drawing and painting.”Over the last three decades my work has dealt with the human form. I have consistently used the African Mask as the foundation of my portraits. The human face, much like the mask takes the artist as well as the viewer on a never ending journey of twist and turns, ups and downs. I use color to capture the emotional state of the subject.” Bai has exhibited throughout the United States and Internationally. His works are in the collection of private museums. He has exhibited in major art fairs like The Affordable Art Fair New York and Art Basel Miami. His work can be found in several private collections throughout the world