Shandle Chapman grew up in ‘Brew City’ and is returning during National Poetry Month
WEST PALM BEACH, FLA. – Shandle Chapman may have published her first book of poetry in south Florida, but the first poem she wrote was in Milwaukee, where she grew up—and to which she’s returning on April 19 and 20 for two book-signing events.
That book, “Muddy Wings: A Poetic Collection of Thoughts,” was self-published last year. Ms. Chapman spent her formative years in Milwaukee, where much of her life’s experiences occurred that laid the foundation for the book. Muddy Wings, in other words, is about life and how to deal with it.
“After walking a long road of bad decisions, I rested and made peace with myself,” she wrote in the book’s forward. “I was tired of the circles and chasing desires located within arm’s reach. I decided to reflect.”
Her upcoming hometown events:
- Coffee Makes You Black, 2803 N. Teutonia Avenue. The book-signing event is from 8 to 11 a.m. on April 19. Breakfast will be available. Click here for the event flyer.
- Rise & Grind Café, 2737 N. Martin Luther King Drive. This is also a book-signing event, which will be held from 8 a.m. to 12 noon. And it will be a party: it is Ms. Chapman’s birthday! Click here for the event flyer.
And that first poem? It was written at age 14 about a young man who had been injured in a car accident—and on whom she’d had a quiet crush. He would later die. But she lived.
“I don’t know, I guess it’s like, that first poem about losing life ended up launching what has become for me, the start of life,” Ms. Chapman said. “He died, unfortunately, but I lived.”
To learn more about Ms. Chapman, visit her website here, where the book is
available for purchase, as it is also here and on Amazon. cocowire.net, a West Palm Beach, Fla.-based community news website, also wrote about her as part of National Poetry Month; read the article here.
And in case there’s wonder, her website will also explain what ‘muddy wings’ means.
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