Hold What Makes You Whole

<p><em>Rest like the sun does:</em></p><p><br></p><p><em>Schedule some time</em></p><p><em>to stay out of sight</em></p><p><em>when too many people</em></p><p><em>praise warm energy ...</em></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><hr><p><br></p><p><strong>THE BOOK.</strong></p><p><br></p><p>Poet Laureate <strong>Marcus Amaker</strong>'s (he/him) tenth book <em>Hold What Makes You Whole</em> is a pocket-sized full-color collection of new and selected works from an award-winning opera librettist musician and graphic designer.</p><p> </p><p><em>Hold What Makes You Whole</em> is a 200-page compilation of jazz Blackness self care fatherhood Star Wars social justice music and memory. Along with the audiobook and e-book the <em>Hold</em> project also features short films two full-length albums and an interactive website.</p><p> </p><p>On the cover of the book is Amaker's great-great aunt Ruth Robinson a poet and community leader who published her first book at the age of 65. Robinson passed in 2020 when she was 94 years old.</p><p> </p><p> It's an honor to introduce you to her Spirit Amaker said.</p><p> </p><hr><p><br></p><p><strong>THE AUTHOR.</strong></p><p><br></p><p>Marcus Amaker is a husband a dad a son a music nerd and a <em>Star Wars</em> obsessive. He served as the first Poet Laureate of Charleston South Carolina from 2016-22. In 2021 he became an Academy of American Poets fellow.</p><p> </p><p>His work has been recognized by <em>The Washington Post</em> The Kennedy Center<em> American Poets Magazine</em> Chicago Opera Theater The Portland Opera Button Poetry NPR <em>The Chicago Tribune</em> Edutopia <em>Town & Country</em><em> PBS NewsHour</em> South Carolina Public Radio <em>Charleston Magazine</em> <em>Charleston City Paper Post and Courier</em> and more.</p><p><br></p><p>He's also a prolific performer the award-winning graphic designer a musician an opera librettist the creator of a poetry festival a teaching artist and an advocate for youth poets. His poetry was used by the Washington National Opera for its Presidential Inauguration Day Concert in 2021.</p><p> </p><p>In addition to more than 40 independent electronic music albums Marcus' poem The Rain is on two Grammy-nominated records. </p><p> </p><p>He lives in North Charleston SC with his wife their daughter and a cat named after Wu-Tang Clan.</p><p><br></p>