Poet Opal Palmer Adisa interviews writer/poet Wanda Coleman, author of Mad Dog, Black Lady, African Sleeping Sickness and Hand Dance, among other books. Coleman discusses when she found her poetic voice, talks about the function of poetry, her personal encounters with anti-Black discrimination, and about the reluctance of white liberals to discuss issues that affect the Black community. She also talks about the plight of the African American community in South Central Los Angeles. The poems Coleman reads are A civilized plague, David Polion, Notes of a cultural terrorist and Jazz wazz.