Birmingham’s Poet Laureate Pens a Tribute to Her City
Under the shade of trees in Railroad Park, the inaugural Poet Laureate of Birmingham, Salaam Green, finds inspiration. Originally from Greensboro, Alabama, Green has made Birmingham her home, experiencing, as she describes it, “the rhythm of life” that threads through the city’s streets, culture, and very nature.
Finding Her Voice
Although an Alabama-native and lifelong lover of words, Green didn’t always identify as a poet. After graduating from the University of Montevallo in Alabama, Green relocated to Birmingham in 1999. Those formative years were marred by personal strife, including divorce and depression, leaving Green seeking solace and grounding.
But her life took a turn after participating in a creative writing class. The course, led by Lucy Jaffe, became her beacon of light. Green recalled, “I was just able to sit on this lady’s red couch in Birmingham, have hot tea and have chocolate, and have the camaraderie of other women who are artists. It was a home that I needed at one of the most trying times in my life.”
Becoming a Poet Laureate
The writing class served as a foundation which led Green to establish Literary Healing Arts in 2016. The platform allowed her to offer workshops, one-on-one sessions, and speaking events focused on using writing as a healing process. Green’s commitment to community through the arts led to her being named Birmingham’s inaugural poet laureate in December 2023.
Celebrating Birmingham Through Poetry
This honor has given Green the opportunity to share her love of her city through her new chapbook, “Once Upon a Magic City”. The collection is a tribute to the essence of Birmingham, encapsulating all the elements that make the city magical to her. Of particular importance to Green is the poem “Little Girls of Birmingham”, a work inspired by the tragic 16th Street Baptist Church bombing that killed four young girls. Green uses this piece to honor the memory of those lost while also considering their continued influence on current and future generations.
“I want it (the poem) to be also a way that we can reimagine who those little girls continue to be in our lives, and also give the opportunity for other little girls and women and people in Birmingham to kind of float above who they are, as well,” Green said.
Writing Home
While Green appreciates Birmingham’s vibrant city life, it’s the tranquil serenity of Railroad Park that truly embodies “home” for her. Inspired by the beauty of the park, she recently contemplated the thought of writing a poem dedicated to this place. Green said, she might begin such a work with a line expressing gratitude – “Thank you, Railroad Park, for being such a home to so many. Thank you, Railroad Park, for being a community to me.”
As Birmingham’s Poet Laureate, Green’s mission is to recognize and honor the narratives of the city, its past and its people. Whether commenting on violence, the mayor’s progress, or everyday life in Birmingham, Green hopes her poetry reflects her own journey, one she describes as a never-ending homecoming to a city that has embraced her wholeheartedly.
