One of the songs on my album, Fragile, is named after and highlights the poem, “Sic Vita" by William Stanley Braithwaite (1878-1962). His original poem was published in 1922 in "The Book of American Negro Poetry” and is now in the public domain. A friend introduced me to this text in a songwriting group and I was inspired to put it to music.

Sic Vita means “So this is life.” A person's life consists of a wide range of experiences. Certainly the joyful times are moments to share with others. But it is inevitable that moments of grief and sorrow will come to all of us as well. The beauty and tragedy each human experience is worthy of attention.

As I read more about Mr. Braithwaite, I am amazed at his accomplishments as an African American poet in the early 20th century. (More about William Stanley Braithwaite en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Stanley_Braithwaite) Because his poem is in the public domain, I am allowed to use his words in my song without licensing. However, I want to give back.

With a desire to honor Mr. Braithwaite and all he accomplished, I have searched for an organization that is currently helping Black Americans pursue, write and publish poetry. If you purchase my song Sic Vita today, I will donate the purchase amount to Torch Literary Arts in of Austin, TX. If you decide you’d like to purchase the whole album, I will increase the donation amount to $2.

Check out www.torchliteraryarts.org/about for more about the organization and their mission to publish and promote creative writing by Black women.