From Ordinary Notes, which was published last month by Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

At Amiri Baraka’s funeral service, livestreamed from Newark Symphony Hall, a beautiful number and range of people came forward to speak: poets such as jessica Care moore and Sonia Sanchez, musicians such as Saul Williams, activists, and of course the future mayor of Newark, Ras Baraka. I was struck by the musical performances and their testament to Baraka’s profound influence on the world, on Newark, and on Newark in the world. I remember the sound of people speaking (how they sounded as well as what they…