SOURCE: Fabre, Michel. “On Yusef Komunyakaa.” Southern Quarterly 34, no. 2 (winter 1996): 5-8.

In the following essay, originally broadcast in fall of 1994, Fabre provides a brief overview of central themes and recurring motifs in Komunyakaa's poetry. Fabre praises Komunyakaa for his depth and originality of poetic voice, the broad scope of his poetry, and his ornate, sophisticated style.

The following is the text of Michel Fabre's introduction of southern poet Yusef Komunyakaa to a French television audience in the fall of 1994 during a conference on southern literature celebrating the establishment of the Faulkner Foundation at the Université de Haute Bretagne in Rennes. Professor Fabre graciously consented to translate his remarks and to allow us to introduce Mr. Komunyakaa and his work to Southern Quarterly readers.—Ed.

I feel greatly honored to have been asked to introduce Yusef Komunyakaa. Preparing this talk was also for me a splendid introduction to his...