Peace! Power! Control!—An Interview with Marvin Wade

This past Monday, we published a new poem, “The Gangster Effect” by the inimitable Marvin Wade, on our website.

You can read the poem and listen to a recording of it in Marvin’s own voice here.

Following is an interview the members of our collective conducted with Marvin as part of our Tuesday evening writers’ workshop. We hope you enjoy Marvin’s insight into the process behind his artistry. And if you have other questions or comments for Marvin, send them our way!

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Re/Creation Collective: What are your favorite lines in this poem? Why are they your favorite, and how did you come up with them?

Marvin Wade: Wow! My favorite two lines in the poem is

1)  "... only to that will they testify. Afraid of taking the stand. Afraid of taking a stand."   This line speaks to how distorted the "no snitching" policy is. It has civilians afraid. But no snitching wasn't meant for civilians. Only toward other gangsters in the game. 

2) "...our favorite scenes involved him with a gun. Being used to abuse to amuse one."  Loved how "use" was bounced around to show our love for the gangster despite his violence.

             I came up with a lot of the lines by playing around with words in my head that could make a cohesive fit. Can't just come up with words that just rhyme. Lol. They have to fit. They must collectively convey the message. Like the great Chuck D once said in a song called, "Don't believe the hype" he said, "I don't rhyme for the sake of riddling."

R/C: In editing this poem, we talked about finding the balance between the initial raw inspiration evident in the piece and a more refined sensibility to express what you intended. Can you talk a little about your writing and revision process, and how you knew when the poem was finished?

MW: I like to read aloud my material as I'm writing it. This process allows for me to register the flow of the writing. If I don't feel an easy flow to it, I will either add to it or take away. Trusting in my instincts to make the best decision. 

R/C: How has your definition of a true “gangster” changed over time? What would you say it means to really be a “gangster”?

MW: Well, when I was young I believed that the gangster was the king of the hood. He could do no wrong in my young naive eyes. But while living the life of a gangster myself and then paying the price for the lifestyle with a 25 to life sentence, I began to slowly realize during this time, that the true kings of the hood were the Fathers, the hardworking Men, the righteous political and religious leaders. It wasn't the gangster. To be a gangster to me now meant to be one bent on the destruction of the community. The gangster to me was a selfish individual. But the gangster is also living a facade. He has truth beneath the surface. He has redeeming qualities. It ultimately takes a collective to get him to see this truth. And that he has the time and space to unearth his truth. It doesn't have to take going to prison for  time and space to discover This truth. 

[Editor’s note: To read more of Marvin’s ideas about this, check out his essay, “Time and Prison: Are they mutually exclusive?”]

R/C: Who were the gangstas in your hood?  

MW: Most of the Gangsters in my neighborhood were the drug dealers, the pimps and hustlers. These were the men who were admired by myself and others. I couldn't relate to those who made it out the "hood" by means of sports or entertainment. Their fame and riches we witnessed from afar on the t.v screen. This type of fame and riches Didn't seem as real or achievable. But the gangster was your next door neighbor with the brand new Benz, the girls, and jewelry. This was a negative message to the youth that this was the way to go. This was a more realistic goal to achieve.   

R/C: I heard a podcast of a formerly incarcerated person who said his admiration of the neighborhood drug dealer only set him up for a life of crime and imprisonment. Do you see that as a reasonable assumption? 

MW: My bad. Answered some of this in the previous question. But in short, I believe the combination of the system limiting our options at making a living and the close proximity of a rich and famous person in the form of a  "gangster" made the travel down the rode toward criminal behavior much easier.

R/C: Fellow writer and Re/Creation member Michael Colbert wrote the following short review of “The Gangster Effect.” What do you think he gets right about your poem, and what would you add as final parting words?

I really love the reading and vibrational effect of how it’s expressed, drawing the attention of the inner hood’s language as well as captivating the language of urban violence in American neighborhoods, speaking to the people as the people in their language, expressing a false conception of being a gangster because he’s been there, done that! The poem also has a political notation that’s easily understood if one is reading between the lines. The dynamics of Marvin’s poem “The Gangster Effect” may have one wondering back on how Malcolm X was able to capture the attention of the youth and bring a negative focus of hatred and false conceptions to the forefront of the young conscious minds, of misconceptioning terms that’s purely negative (gangster, b***h, n***a) and how we look at ourselves, wanting to portray those very negative expressions. 

MW: Mike's take on the politics within the poem is true. The streets and all the things that come with it has the "system's" name all over it. The "system" being all things that work in unison to keep Black folks in restraints mentally, spiritually and physically. From the abundance of guns and drugs in the community, to the limited legitimate Opportunities for success. From the different forms of negative entertainment, (movies, music, internet) to the unfair, unbalanced Judicial system. These are just some of the contributing factors to the development of the "gangster." Mike's point of the political factors is definitely true.

R/C: Okay, last question! You tend to end a lot of your work with the phrase “Peace! Power! Control!” Can you tell us a little about where this phrase comes from, and how it relates both to your body of work overall and this poem in particular?

MW: It's part of my mantra when I meditate. I use it at the end of a lot of my writings as a way to inspire and empower others. It moves me when I'm meditating. Giving me that Peace! Power! and Control! within while in silence. And I want to move others in the same manner. It's my purpose in life as a Spiritual Activist to spark a flame within others that will allow them to not only see themselves and life for who and what it truly is. But to also develop that Peace! Power! and Control! within.

Marvin Wade is a Spiritual Activist and family Man, born and raised In Brooklyn, NY. Marvin joined the Re/Creation Bed-Stuy writing workshop in 2019, after participating in a writing class being held in Queensboro correctional facility by Professor Joni Schwartz and joining the group upon his release after 25 years. While incarcerated, Marvin wrote multiple books’ worth of stories, novels, and personal essays on every bit of paper he could find, combining his gift as a storyteller with the art of writing. As part of the re/creation workshop Marvin has had numerous dispatches that he's written appear on the website. From titles such as, "The conditioned state of America " to "Time and Prison, are they mutually exclusive?" His poem “Where I’m From” is featured in Voices of Fortune 2020 literary magazine. Marvin also took part in the, "We choose to bloom" film as part of a joint venture between Fortune Society and MOMA. Look for many great things to come literary and Spiritually from Mr. Marvin Wade.