Major Jackson (b. 1968) graduated from Temple University with a degree in accounting. Instead of utilizing his degree, he decided to pursue poetry and is now a renowned poet, editor, and professor. Jackson attended the 1994 conference as a member of the Dark Room Collective, a group of young poets dedicated to forming a community of established and emerging African American writers. He went on to publish his first book of poems, Leaving Saturn, in 2002. By participating in the conference’s Fisted Reading centered on the Dark Room Collective, Jackson was one of the poets who represented “the bright promise” of the future of African American poetry.

In introducing “Some Kind of Crazy,” Jackson talks about the Theatre of the Absurd, a label used to describe dramatic works of European and American dramatists based off of an assertion made by Albert Camus that “the human situation is essentially absurd, devoid of purpose.” Works within the Theatre of the Absurd are written from a distanced perspective, as if looking down on human’s actions. Keep this concept in mind while watching the video below and listen closely to how Jackson introduces the poem before he begins reading.

1. What is something you want so much you can practically see it? Describe it.

2. Who or what is your ideal “community of believers?”

3. How do you feel you represent the future?

1. In Jackson’s introduction, he says, “in college you learn about the Theatre of the Absurd peering down on those guys and, um, I grew up in North Philly and there was this guy named Steve who used to walk around for years like he was driving a car.” Does Jackson’s portrayal of Steve agree or disagree with the assertion of the Theatre of the Absurd? Why or why not?

2. Jackson goes on to say, “you come to understand that yeah, your neighborhood is kind of absurd, but people like Steve are family, y’know.” What does this statement tell you about the value of community in African American culture?

| WORD CHOICE

1. Poets often utilize specific words or phrases to convey their meaning. This is referred to as word choice. Pick what you believe to be the most important word from each stanza and explain the importance of each word.

2. Rewatch the video and pay attention to the differences between Jackson’s reading and the published version of the poem. Do you think there is a significance in Jackson’s change in word choice or omission of stanzas? Why?

| IMAGERY

1. Sometimes, we associate certain words with specific images. Poets often utilize these descriptive words, or imagery, to create a picture. How does Jackson utilize imagery to describe Steve’s car? Use examples from the poem to support your explanation.

2. In “Some Kind of Crazy,” Jackson uses imagery to paint a picture of his community. As a representative of the “bright future” of African American poetry, how is Jackson’s use of imagery paying homage to his roots?

1. Write a nine-line poem using the words you chose earlier. Only use one of your chosen words per line and keep the words in the same order as they appear in Jackson’s poem.

OR

2. Think about your community, the good, the bad, and the absurd of it. Using imagery, write a paragraph (at least five sentences) about your community.