As I flip through the pages of 'Behind Her Smile' I begin to breath the air that only a lover of poetry can inhale or can understand for that matter. Careful not to bend or soil the pages, I dive in mentally and creatively, purposely reciting lines to pieces that have acclaimed my heart. I shutter in praise at the poem titled 'Beautiful, Black Woman' and my spirit dances to the rhythm of the poem titled 'Mothers Love'. LaBord even touches on the realms of the erotic with pieces like 'Reservation for Two' which she performed on 'The Real Deal' BlogTalk Radio show during 'The Black Poetry Cafe' open 'mic night'. Throughout the pages of 'Behind Her Smile', you will find the author's true capability to capture an audience with her medley of poetic passions. The Reader can easily identify with the voice in each poem.
Sabrina LaBord was born in Augusta, Georgia; the third of four sisters. During her third month of life, due to LaBord being born with a beam-pelt complexion, (which deemed evidence of a marital affair), LaBord was left in the care of her maternal grandmother, Lillie Mae Moody. Her grandmother (Momma) became everything to her.
Sabrina acquired the ability at a young age to transform hampering and irritated thoughts of emotions to paper. Her grandmother's words were law- no what ifs, ands, buts, questions, nor explanations were allowed. To vent her frustrations, Sabrina would find a quiet corner and scream everything she dared not speak onto paper. These ink-stained impressions LaBord would tear up into numerous micro pieces and get rid of the evidence so Momma wouldn't find out about it. Little did LaBord know that she was building the foundation and setting the 'stage' for her writing gift. "Get angry. Get too angry 'cause that's a double dose and some of us need it most. Some anger is what we need to turn our words into deeds" stated LaBord. After losing her grandmother to cancer in the year 2000, Sabrina found herself writing again as a means to cope with the flood of emotions she experienced. LaBord shared her poems with a close friend who suggested she 'do something' with them. Some years later after her grandmother's death, LaBord gave re-birth to her creative pen once more and decided to put her poems into a compilation.
Today, Sabrina LaBord is a loving wife, mother, poet and a soldier in the United States Army. LaBord stated that "Smiling is contagious. Let's start an epidemic." This is truly what we need in our society more distinctive smiles, don't expect any two pieces to be the same in 'Behind Her Smile'! LaBord continues to write and aspires to pursue a career in Education after retiring from military service.
You can purchase 'Behind Her Smile' at LuLu.com and Amazon and for more information http://www.lulu.com/sabrinalabord.
