Amiri Baraka’s “Preface to a Twenty Volume Suicide Note” fascinates me on so many levels. Over the past month I have delved deep into the life of this Black Nationalist and Poetic Hero, learning the ins and outs of his persona to the best of my ability. Coming up with the idea on how to properly portray Baraka was something that came easy to once I looked at the poem for one last time. I knew it would be important to express the confusion, the long paths, the darkness, the change, the struggle, the hope, and of course, the light at the end of the tunnel. All of those things are portrayed in the video without words being spoken because of the impact the scenes have. Same way the poem forces readers to read between the lines, so to will you, the viewers have to read between the lines and notice the small details from the change in the pavement to a hand opening the door. Each detail was planned accordingly to try and fully express Baraka’s poem in the same effortless way he did when he wrote it for his Daughter.
The light at the end of the tunnel signifies a lot for Baraka as well as for me. Attaching myself with Baraka and connecting with him allowed me to view his life and times through my own lens. By applying my scope to his time, and his scope to my time I was able to fully understand the true meaning behind the poem. Finally, after arriving at the finished product I can safely say that everything Baraka is trying to portray in his poem is portrayed through my digital lens and in the video. I hope you all enjoy it as much as I do, and of course, try to connect with the beauty of Baraka’s writing and follow along with his message, as well as mine.
Thank you all for a wonderful semester and I wish you all luck on the rest of your projects and future endeavors!
Respectfully,
Eli Attias
“The New York Writer”
