Brown unLike Me, by Emmanuel Ortiz
When I first saw this poetry “chapbook,” I felt a faint glimmer of recognition at the author’s name, which clicked into place when I found the poem, “A Moment of Silence,” at the end of the book.
“A Moment of Silence” is one of those poems that draws a sharp reaction from nearly everyone who reads it. 
Some are outraged that it compares the tragedy of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 to other events; others find the comparison insightful and inspirational. It’s hard to imagine anyone reading the poem without actually thinking about it; that’s great praise for any writer.
Each of the eight poems in Brown unLike Me is powerful in its own way.
“These Hands” uses vivid images to convey a legacy and the author’s sense of responsibility to communicate: “Within these hands / Lie the stories of other hands / And the ability to tell them; / To bring past into present. / The privilege to forget, / Therefore the responsibility to remember.” After I finished the book, I returned to re-read “These Hands” again, reflecting and thinking.
I wanted to link to the book at Amazon.com, but to my surprise, the book isn’t available there, and I also found that the publisher’s web site is defunct. Brown unLike Me, published in 2008, already seems to be an orphan book. (I bought it at a library book sale.)
Fortunately, you can experience most of the poems through YouTube videos of the author’s readings:
“Poem for Toni Smith” is a anthem to dissent. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNF4MN3bDa8
“Brown unLike Me” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDfv_d_wtfU
“There is an Island.”
- http://www.firstpost.com/topic/place/fort-wayne-in-there-is-an-island-for-gabriel-video-p10mR9bHn0Q-2577-1.html
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p10mR9bHn0Q
“The Day Marvin Gaye Died,” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L90WJx6BH2o
“I Remember the Children,” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJQGmz5FbSQ
“A Moment of Silence”
