From Our Soundbooth | August 24, 2020

Marcel “Fable” Price‘s “Playing, Just for You” was selected by this year’s judge, Alex Sujong Laughlin, as the 2020 Miller Audio Prize Winner in the poetry category. “Playing, Just for you” was scored/produced by Jay Jackson of The Last Gasp Collective, recorded by Ryan Payne (Mixed By Replxy), and was Mixed/Mastered by Crossworm.

Fable is a BIPOC North American writer, teaching artist, community advocate, storyteller, and executive director of non profit organization The Diatribe. Fable is the 2016 recipient of a Community Advocate Award, a 2017 40 Under 40 Honoree, and is the currently holding the title of Poet Laureate in Grand Rapids, MI. He is the author of “Adrift in a Sea of M&M’s” (2016) and is currently working to finish his second collection of poems titled New American Monarch: an extroverted caterpillars guide to becoming an introverted butterfly. Among other goals, Fable hopes to launch a youth center focused in preforming arts, writing, and community advocacy in the 49507. As the youngest, first person without a college degree, and only person of color to hold the title of Poet Laureate in Grand Rapids, MI his work has been heavily influenced by contorting personal experiences into a kaleidoscope used to examine glass ceilings for points of fragility.

He lives to be a beacon of vulnerability for those that can relate to his work.

His work has previously been used by PBS, The Flynn Foundation, Mental Health America, and Habitat for Humanity. His poems have appeared in Missouri Review, The Grand Rapids Grass Roots Anthology, The Spoon Knife Anthology, Button Poetry, and Write About Now.

We’re thrilled to be able to share Fable’s “Playing, Just for You” in its entirety below.

Artist Statement

This piece was designed to be sonic nostalgia that lives in the now. This collaboration audio poem adds layers of metaphor without language due to the breadcrumbs from the producer (Jay). The author (Fable The Poet) hopes that this message is a reminder to the well-meaning folks that their “advocacy” at times feels like the embrace of supremacy, and that it will serve as a call to action to remember “A brown trial is never a ‘hearing’ to white ears.” Also, understand that every “hot take” on a song like WAP, or Crucifixion of Michael Vick online is indeed a trial.

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