Flip The Script Publishing

01/04/2026

In the midst of chaos, art keeps us rooted in sanity and grace.

Here’s a poem by Robert Hayden (August 4, 1913 – February 25, 1980), American poet, essayist, and educator. He served as Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress from 1976 to 1978.

Monet's Waterlilies

Today as the news from Selma and Saigon
poisons the air like fallout,
I come again to see
the serene, great picture that I love.

Here space and time exist in light
the eye like the eye of faith believes.
The seen, the known
dissolve in iridescence, become
illusive flesh of light
that was not, was, forever is.

O light beheld as through refracting tears.
Here is the aura of that world
each of us has lost.
Here is the shadow of its joy.

--Robert Hayden

WWB Note: Hayden was captivated by the huge triptych of Monet's Waterlilies canvases on display at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.

[from Robert Hayden: Collected Poems, Liveright (2013)]
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01/03/2026

I would have loved the opportunity to know Nikki Giovanni on a personal level—to sit with her, talk with her, and share space beyond the brief moments afforded at public events. But my encounters with her were limited to sitting in auditoriums listening to her speak (as powerful as those moments were) and then standing in line afterward with a book for her to sign, exchanging only a few rushed words.
 
Several years ago, after her reading at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, promoting A Good Cry, I presented her with a poem I had dedicated to her titled “There’s A Time 2 Laugh…There’s A Time 2 Cry.” I handed it to her with a few words about what she meant to me, took a quick photo, and then she was on to the next person in line. Yet another opportunity missed to connect with Nikki on a deeper level.
 
After her passing—and after coming to terms with the reality that the deeper connection I had hoped for would now never come to pass—I knew I wanted to honor her memory and the profound influence she had on me, not only as a writer but as a Black woman in America navigating the complexities of life and love. That knowing grew into the vision for this anthology: a gathering place for others, like me, whose art and words were shaped by her courage, her brilliance, and her boundless imagination.

Darling Nikki: An anthology of creative works including poetry, art, essays, photography/personal photos, stories..dedicated to the memory of Nikki Giovanni.

Visit link in bio to submit.

In the spirit of her legacy,
 
Monalisa D. Moody
Founder & Editor
Flip The Script Publishing

12/28/2025

Books vs Social Media

While social media excels at quick communication and networking, books build stronger analytical skills, vocabulary, and provide a more restful, immersive escape, leading to better sleep and cognitive health. Books offer deeper focus, reduced stress, improved memory, and enhanced empathy, contrasting with social media’s tendency for distraction, shallow skimming, and potential for anxiety, providing sustained mental engagement, complex narratives, and verified information without constant ads or dopamine-driven loops. To make time for reading, schedule short, consistent blocks (like 20 mins before bed or during lunch), carry a book everywhere to use “dead time,” reduce screen time to create space, and choose books you genuinely enjoy (graphic novels, audiobooks, or favorites) to build momentum, making it a habit rather than a chore. Join a book club!

12/26/2025

The Candy Lady Was the System
Across Black America, a front-room business became a neighborhood’s smallest, steadiest institution—priced in quarters and governed by respect.

For many Black Americans, “the Candy Lady” is a memory so universal it can feel folkloric—one of those childhood references that prompts a smile before you’ve even decided you’re smiling. Yet if you treat the Candy Lady as nostalgia, you miss what she reveals: a neighborhood institution built at the scale of the living room.

She sold candy, yes. She sold chips and pickles and juice and sometimes baked goods bought in bulk and resold as individual portions. She sold frozen cups—Kool-Aid or fruit drink poured into plastic sleeves and frozen solid—called different names in different places, but recognized everywhere as the price of surviving summer. And she sold something else, less sentimental and more consequential: predictability.

The Candy Lady was a micro-economy calibrated to scarcity and a safety system that didn’t call itself one. In neighborhoods shaped by segregation, underinvestment, food deserts, and over-policing, the Candy Lady’s enterprise often filled gaps the formal economy left behind. She made childhood more navigable: one less hungry hour, one less unsupervised stretch, one more adult who knew your name and knew how to enforce a rule without calling the state.

Read the full article at https://www.kolumnmagazine.com/2025/12/21/the-candy-lady-was-the-system/

12/21/2025

Just a few of the art pieces planned for showcase in the anthology “Darling Nikki”…link in bio to submit!

12/21/2025

12/21/2025

Gordon Roger Alexander Buchanan Parks (November 30, 1912 – March 7, 2006) was an American photographer, composer, author, poet, and filmmaker, who became prominent in U.S. documentary photojournalism in the 1940s through 1970s—particularly in issues of civil rights, poverty and African Americans—and in glamour photography. He is best remembered for his iconic photos of poor Americans during the 1940s (taken for a federal government project), for his photographic essays for Life magazine, and as the director of the films Shaft, Shaft’s Big Score, and the semiautobiographical The Learning Tree.

Photos courtesy of Gordon Parks Foundation.

12/18/2025

i didn't recognize myself at first 🥀✨❤️

08/20/2025

Let’s celebrate the life and unparalleled impact of Nikki Giovanni. Her words remain a guiding light.

Nikki Giovanni’s extraordinary final collection, to be published on September 2nd.

08/04/2025

We honor the legacy of Nikki Giovanni with the release of her extraordinary final collection. This landmark of American literature captures the essence of her fearless voice, her unyielding truth-telling, and her unparalleled ability to find beauty and meaning in life’s complexities.

Through poetry and prose, she reflects on the struggles and triumphs of our times, offering moments of protest, joy, and profound introspection. This collection is not just a testament to her remarkable creative life but also a gift to future generations, reminding us of resilience, hope, and the power of words.

Join us in celebrating the life and work of this literary giant. Her words will live on, forever inspiring.