"What an
Old Man Sees Sitting Down, A Young Man Cannot See
Standing Up"
~IBO Proverb
Somerville, Mass. resident, Wellesley professor, and
Poet Ifeanyi Menkiti celebrated his 70th birthday on Aug
28, 2010. It was a surprise birthday hosted by his
family. It started at the Dilboy VFW Hall in Davis
Square, and ended with a feast and celebration at his
home on Malverne St. just outside Davis Square. Menkiti
is a celebrated philosopher as well as poet, and is the
owner and some say savior of the famed Grolier Poetry
Book Shop in Harvard Square in Cambridge. Originally
from Nigeria, Menkiti has taught Philosophy at Wellesley
College for many years, and has published numerous
collections of poetry, as well as being a loyal friend
to poets and writers.
As evidenced by the crowd at the VFW Hall, Menkiti has
touched the lives of a wide cross-section of people.
There were fellow Nigerians in long, colorful and
flowing African robes, as well as staid academics clad
in boat shoes and chinos.
There were two featured readers at the festival that was
hosted by Menkiti's son Bo. One was the noted poet and
translator David Ferry, (who will be a reader at The
Somerville News Writers Festival) and Tomas O'Leary
poet, and beloved Bagel Bard. Ferry read some excellent
translations of Horace, and O'Leary charmed us with his
witty yet profound poems and songs. O'Leary who defected
to the Republic of Cambridge years ago, was born and
bred in Somerville and was evidently in his element. As
always O'Leary had a generous dose of the Irish charm
and blarney with everything he read.
Menkiti's children, Nneka, Ndidi, and Enuma, as well as
Carol his wife spoke of the man's sense of dignity, his
commitment to education, community and his embrace of
the cultures of the world. There was also a presentation
of an honorary driver's license, a gift from Frances
Tingle, the mother of Jimmy Tingle. It seems that
Menkiti still does not drive at this ripe age, and takes
a bus to work daily.
There were also presentations of Nigerian dance, songs
in the native language of IBO and reading from the
Nigerian poet Chinnua Achebe. The family put together a
multi-media presentation of Menkiti's life that traced
his beginnings in Nigeria to the prestigious trappings
of his longtime academic appointment.
After there was a dinner and celebration in a large yard
outside the Menkiti home on Malverne Street. Here
Menkiti greeted many guests, family, friends and
neighbors—a
long and varied lineage that has marked this man's rich
life.
In many regards attending this celebration was like
attending a big reunion for the poetry community. I ran
into the poet and novelist Collen Houlihan, Tapestry of
Voices founder Harris Gardner, noted poet Kathleen
Spivack, President of the New England Poetry Club Diana
Der-Hovanessian, novelist and W.B. Mason Creative
Director Paul Steven Stone and his wife Amy, performance
poet Michael Mack, Grolier Poetry Book Shop staff member
and poet Elizabeth Doran and many others.
Menkiti has lived in Somerville, Mass. for many years,
and I am glad to count him as a friend. He is one of the
major players who has helped Somerville, Mass. become
"The Paris of New England."
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