A wonderful collection of poems about the authors love for herself, her culture, her land, her lovers, and her family. Pieces left me thinking, feelinA wonderful collection of poems about the authors love for herself, her culture, her land, her lovers, and her family. Pieces left me thinking, feeling and remembering the love in my own life....more
I became a fan of Jasmine Mans after watching her perform Footnotes for Kanye on YouTube. This collection included that poem and some others that stirI became a fan of Jasmine Mans after watching her perform Footnotes for Kanye on YouTube. This collection included that poem and some others that stirred up my soul and demanded my attention. So much packed into these lines, love, identity, lost, betrayal and race. If your a fan of poetry and want to bless yourself, please read this.
My last book read of 2021, was a perfect pick me up for these trying times we find ourselves in....more
Awesome as always, Ms. Shire. Powerful poems about identity and womanhood. It is hard to review good poetry, I recommend you buy and experience it forAwesome as always, Ms. Shire. Powerful poems about identity and womanhood. It is hard to review good poetry, I recommend you buy and experience it for yourself. Warsan Shire manages to pull at your threads of identity to make you pause and search deeper within yourself....more
I'm kicking myself that I dragged my feet to read this wonderful exploration of race, mass incarceration, and hope. Amal gives you a glimpse into expeI'm kicking myself that I dragged my feet to read this wonderful exploration of race, mass incarceration, and hope. Amal gives you a glimpse into experiencing the rage inducing school to prison pipeline, where identity and art is usually lost to the pain.
Amal's story is unfortunately not a rare occurrence for so many in the black community. The radiation of tragedy that occurs when a young man is ripped from his family is well described. I loved the parallels that it drew between the middle passage and being processed within a jail. The story will stay with me for a long time, and reminded me of the very real and unjust legal system minorities are subjected to.
This is a wonderful quick read everyone can enjoy. Definitely give this a try.
"All because we were in the wrong place we were in the wrong skins we were in the wrong time we were in the wrong bodies we were in the wrong country we were in the wrong in the wrong the wrong wrong" ...more
This was a beautiful and tragic exploration of the immigrant experience, mental health issues, family dynamics and identity. The author is able to telThis was a beautiful and tragic exploration of the immigrant experience, mental health issues, family dynamics and identity. The author is able to tell multitudes of feelings with sparse words and dynamic imagery. You learn non-linearly about the authors mother, as he tries to write to her about who he is and who she is too. The book is written in a series of smaller stories that eventually flow together to create a memorable tapestry about what it means to be human.
If you enjoy poetry and imaginative prose this is definitely a book to read. Trigger warning for sexual abuse, animal abuse, gory war imagery and imagery of dying....more
Content Warning: Racism, Feminism, Sexually Explicit Language
From the introduction to the last page this collection of poems entertained, enlightened, and challenged me. The topics of the poems ranged from serious explorations on race, body image, hoeness, and queerness. I related to this book in a multitude of ways because of the honesty and humor. I have already reread poems and keep thinking about certain lines. The ability of this author to compelling be herself and own her full identity without compromise, challenged me to take a closer look at myself. It is easy to forget to practice self love and ignore the many ways society wants to limit who women are.
i'm not your black friend. not your hero. this book isn't for you. its a celebration of my Blackness, my Queerness, my Hoeness, none of which exists without the other
The tragic cost of being black, poor and male is deftly explored in the poem for Colored boys who considered gangbanging when being Black was too much. The title alone speaks volumes about the reality's and choices people face because of racism. There are far too many people who treat racism like a series of isolated incidents instead of a systematic problem. This book challenges readers to reexamine how they overlook and confront oppression in all of its forms. It also explores sexuality in a unflinching celebratory way, which I cheered on loudly. I would recommend this book to everyone who enjoys modern poetry.
but we don't talk about it. because its ugly. and we are taught to bury our ugly in lovers who have already seen us
Recommended for Readers who - readers who want to think more deeply about racism, sexuality and womenhood - enjoy well crafted poetry from own voice authors - want to consider changing the way they approach allyship...more
I really enjoyed these eclectic poems about coming of age and experiencing adversity and tragedy. The author does a great job of creating imagery and atmosphere throughout his poems. The dialogue used flowed naturally and allowed me to be more immersed with the topics described. I was engaged in this short collection the whole way through, even when I couldn't directly relate to the experiences described.
"Thats when the world becomes scarier, when you discover the darkness that lurks outside your "Happy Meal" life, when you learn danger needs little to combust and consume whatevers's in its way."
I was happy to gain more insight on the authors life.Throughout the poems themes and topics I appreciate the candidness involved. Although there were a few poems I didn't get I understand that poetry is meant for different audiences and reaches people differently. I would recommend this collection to readers who enjoy well thought out reflections on how black men survive tragedy and face our unwelcoming world.
Lawd, this world's too ugly for sober eyes.All those souls outside of paradise, anticipating the other side
Recommended for Readers who - enjoy poetry that explores important social topics - want to learn more about the experiences of black men - appreciate perspectives shared by own voice writers
Content Warning: Abuse, Violence, Sexual Descriptions, Rape Actual Rating 3.5
This was an awesome collection of poems ranging from types of oppression to intimate moments of physical and mental self reflection. I really enjoyed the wide range of topics that the author covered. There is so much to enjoy and ponder about throughout this collection of poems. The writing was great and engages you the whole way through. I specifically enjoyed the poems highlighting the courage and bravery black people have to continue persevering in a society where they face so much tragedy. This author is skilled in succinctly stirring emotion through her art.
The dreams of brown mothers murmur and hunt for the void of dark blue/ the forgotten/untrue/disbelieved pocket/ where their male kin and children are snatched captive/ to rehearse again/the breaking of bones and bloom to fit unnatural untimely graves/ earth unearthed too early/too soon.
The poems are categorized into sections which helped create a good flow for the reader. There are poems that describe the problematic ways the black church was established. It made me think hard about the cultural depth of the black church and how it includes the tragedy of slavery. While I enjoyed most of the collection there were some poems I didn't quite grasp. That may have been a personal observation, so I recommend giving this collection a chance to move you and offer radical revelations.
returning to the original premise of what is love it stems from one original promise. i risk believing in you past all consciousness.
Recommended for Readers who - enjoy poetry on hard hitting topics - are interested in the artistic expression of black history - want to think more deeply about gender oppression and sexual freedom...more
Tori (InToriLex)
>
Books:
poetry
(103)
Loading...
