Clarence Major is a consummate artist whose work in poetry, fiction, and painting has been widely recognized. He has been part of twenty-eight group exhibitions, has had fifteen one-man shows, and has published fourteen collections of poetry and nine works of fiction. Major's works-and this collection in particular-are distinguished by his poetic sociability and his unblinking but generous and affectionate portraiture.
In From Now On, a retrospective of poems from the 1950s to the present-including selections from each of Major's previous books of poetry as well as a generous selection of new poems-Major creates a vivid gallery of nimbly drawn characters. Here he establishes a voice that is singular and musical, one that draws witty, moving, and empathetic portraits of African American urban and country dwellers. Ultimately, this collection maintains Major's intimate, conversational poetry while simultaneously becoming more eclectic, multicultural, and cosmopolitan. Major's poetry is affable, but it suggests an insistence that we can connect with history and social change through the dynamic lives of the people we encounter daily.
"[Clarence Major] is passionately committed to the aesthetics of language. His poems, viewed as pure form, demonstrate a tireless quest for the right word."
Fanny Howe, African-American Review
"Whether it is through the usage of musical rhythm and images, or slang, at all times, Major maintains a sense of constantly shifting expression and attempts to capture the sharp edge of exhilarating, lived experience."
Jake Marmer, Chicago Tribune
"I hated reading Last Day on Earth, but I kept coming back to it. Each chapter was taut, mysterious and compelling. And when I did stop reading-I devoured it in three sittings-I was haunted by Steve, a mass murderer, and his slow, steady transformation from Dean's Award winner to shooter. What makes this book especially appealing is the parallel narrative-the writer living a screwed up childhood,
