BIO

F. Geoffrey Johnson, was born in St. Louis, Missouri in 1950. His first book of poetry, SMELLS I SEE, 142 pp., self-published in 2004, covers a wide spectrum of topics including family, faith, friends and food. His second book, a collection of poetry and prose is, RESTORATION, 148 pp., self-published 2005.

Johnson was first published by NewWorld Magazine in 1975. Unhappy with the process of publishing, Johnson did not publish again until 2003. In 2003 he reunited with a long time friend, educator and writer, D. Morrowloving of St. Louis, Missouri. Asked if he would permit some of his writings to appear in her literary groups magazine, Sisters-Nineties, he acquiesced. Trusting Morrowloving's integrity he continued to publish in Sisters-Nineties Literary Groups tri-annual magazine until its final publication in 2007.

“I began writing to release pent up social and political frustrations. The writings incorporate messages with universal appeal and application. A poet should be the conscience of society. I often feel as if God writes the poetry and I'm just the pen or keyboard as it may be.”

Johnson finished Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia in 1974. After graduation he moved to Washington D.C. where he began writing. After three years in the nation's capital, Johnson moved to Los Angeles, CA. Eight years later he moved back to Atlanta, GA.

Johnson continued to write but did not share his writings for nearly thirty years. Very few people knew he wrote. One friend whom he trusted, a former college roommate, knew of his writing and through the years continued to encourage him to write. Not until he visited Ghana, West Africa in the fall of 2002 did Johnson begin to open up and again share his work.

“I was in Ghana and was coming home each evening, keeping a journal and writing poetry. I wrote a poem, The Key, which told of a person gaining the knowledge of their life's mission. It became clear through writing and then reading The Key my mission was not merely to write but to share with others my writing.”

Poetry and prose flowed from that trip and during 2003 Johnson wrote extensively. He writes poetry and prose of personal experiences, family, spirituality, relationships, health, environmental and human issues.

Johnson's style often encapsulates stories with rich metaphors in an insightful, thought provoking and sometimes humorous manner. Johnson has traveled to over twenty countries and six continents and draws on these trips and experiences for
many of his poetic images. Drawing on a vast reservoir of experience as an entrepreneur and traveler Johnson is able to bring vision to a wide array of problems confronted throughout life and let the reader view them through his eyes.

Johnson’s poetry has been published in NewWorld Magazine, Publisher, Inner City Cultural Center, Los Angeles, CA; Sisters-Nineties Literary Magazine, St. Louis, MO, several editions, 2003-2007; No More Silent Cries, 2006, Anthology; CRUX: A conversation in words and images/South Africa to South USA, Anthology, 2007, Publisher, Fulton County, GA; The Caribbean Writer, 2008, International Literary Anthology, Publisher, University of the Virgin Islands; forthcoming January 2009 edition of Black Magnolias Literary Journal, C. Liegh McInnis, Publisher.