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Fist & Fire: Poems that Inspire Action and Ignite Passion
Leslé Honoré, Chicago-based poet, has released her first collection of poems and essays. Her work has been widely shared by thousands of followers on social media. The collection is written in two major parts: Fist- poignant pieces written in real-time, responding to issues of social injustice, police brutality, and the realities of poverty vs. privilege; and Fire- a love story: the sparks, the flames and the embers that linger when the love is gone.
- GenresPoetry
264 pages, Paperback
First published October 29, 2017
About the author
Leslé Honoré
2 books4 followersLeslé Honoré is a Blaxican Poet. Mother of three phenomenal mini-humans; Sage, Solomon and Scarlett. A freedom fighter and Spirit Writer. Born and raised in Gardena California by her father Louis Honoré Sr., a native of New Orleans and her mother Rosalba Honoré, who was born in Sinaloa Culiacan Mexico, and immigrated to the US when was 15. Leslé began writing in grammar school and has never stopped. She attended Xavier University in New Orleans studying English Literature where she was editor of Xavier's literary journal, New Voices. Leslé has lived in Chicago for almost 18 years, considers herself a Chicagoan based on her love of House Music, being able to drive Lower Wacker and not get lost, and knowing that Harold's Chicken is better than Uncle Remus. She has worked in the non profit field for almost twenty years, advocating for under-served youth.
Poetry has always been how Leslé has expressed herself. Focusing mainly on social injustice, she hopes that through her work she can help give voices to people who are often silenced, unheard and feel invisible.
Leslé believes HBCUs, Tacos and Gumbo without kale can save the world.
You can follow her on Facebook @Leslé Honoré, On Instagram @leslehonore and On Twitter @Lesle_honore
Poetry has always been how Leslé has expressed herself. Focusing mainly on social injustice, she hopes that through her work she can help give voices to people who are often silenced, unheard and feel invisible.
Leslé believes HBCUs, Tacos and Gumbo without kale can save the world.
You can follow her on Facebook @Leslé Honoré, On Instagram @leslehonore and On Twitter @Lesle_honore
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
June 29, 2019
Never has a book of poetry, nor any book at all, affected me like Fist & Fire. Wow. I am floored, I am awed, I am shaken. I had chills come over me so often reading this book. I felt more reading this book than probably any book I've ever read.
Fist & Fire is an amazing collection of poems about racial inequality and injustice in America, police brutality against people of colour, and systemic and wide-spread racism. The second part of the book also contains poems exploring lost love and the pain and grief that comes with it. The part that affected me most deeply though, was the first.
Perhaps it affected me even more than it otherwise would have, reading this just a week after the murder by police of yet another unarmed black person, a 17 year old youth, Antwon Rose, Jr. This is a common occurrence in America, police murdering unarmed black and brown people -- and almost always getting away with it. The anger and outrage Ms. Honore' writes with is more than justified, it is an anger and outrage that ever single American, black or white, should feel!
I think most people of colour will find this book highly relatable and I think every white person in America should read it. I urge you, I IMPLORE you!, to read this book. To consider for a moment what it is like to be black or brown in America, to fear for the life of your child, to know that you are considered less of a human being merely because you have a bit more melanin in your skin. White people cannot truly and fully understand what it is like to be Black or Brown in America; but we can listen, and we can try to understand as much as possible. If we do not listen, we cannot possibly change things for the better. And change is what we so desperately need.
I cannot praise Fist & Fire highly enough, nor the talent of Lesle' Honore'. She is a voice for our time, her writing so passionate and fierce and raw and real. Her descriptions will floor you, her way with words amaze you. I cannot wait to read more of her art --for that is what this is, art --when she publishes another book.
From the poem "backpacks" (page 6) which I read online and had to immediately purchase the book:
"When you say to me
all lives matter
I simply ask
will your son die with the world on his back
mine will"
Fist & Fire is an amazing collection of poems about racial inequality and injustice in America, police brutality against people of colour, and systemic and wide-spread racism. The second part of the book also contains poems exploring lost love and the pain and grief that comes with it. The part that affected me most deeply though, was the first.
Perhaps it affected me even more than it otherwise would have, reading this just a week after the murder by police of yet another unarmed black person, a 17 year old youth, Antwon Rose, Jr. This is a common occurrence in America, police murdering unarmed black and brown people -- and almost always getting away with it. The anger and outrage Ms. Honore' writes with is more than justified, it is an anger and outrage that ever single American, black or white, should feel!
I think most people of colour will find this book highly relatable and I think every white person in America should read it. I urge you, I IMPLORE you!, to read this book. To consider for a moment what it is like to be black or brown in America, to fear for the life of your child, to know that you are considered less of a human being merely because you have a bit more melanin in your skin. White people cannot truly and fully understand what it is like to be Black or Brown in America; but we can listen, and we can try to understand as much as possible. If we do not listen, we cannot possibly change things for the better. And change is what we so desperately need.
I cannot praise Fist & Fire highly enough, nor the talent of Lesle' Honore'. She is a voice for our time, her writing so passionate and fierce and raw and real. Her descriptions will floor you, her way with words amaze you. I cannot wait to read more of her art --for that is what this is, art --when she publishes another book.
From the poem "backpacks" (page 6) which I read online and had to immediately purchase the book:
"When you say to me
all lives matter
I simply ask
will your son die with the world on his back
mine will"
February 16, 2020
LOVED IT
February 13, 2022
Honore’s poems are stunning, filled with anger, love, determination and beauty. She is fierce and strong. A must read.
March 30, 2022
Intensely impactful poetry filled with black power, black girl magic, white privilege, and white supremacy… strength, weakness, fear, hope, sexuality, sensuality, and so much more.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews