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dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
For me, reading collections of poetry is a lot like removing the performance from musical albums or the performance from Shakespeare's plays. It can still be a meaningful experience but the fully intended message isn't realized because the author's literal voice is missing. At least, that is the experience I had with Counting Descent. Some of these poems are gut punches but many others are closer to fine. I tried to listen to Smith's performances of these poems while I read and that was helpful but I think an audio of each poem could have been even more powerful.
Here is one of my favorite poems from this collection:
How to Make an Empty Cardboard Box Disappear in 10 Steps
1) Find the scissors
2) Cut the sides of the cube
3) Attend the rally of Trayvon Martin
4) Attend the rally of Renisha McBride
5) Attend the rally of Jordan Davis
6) Attend the rally of Michael Brown
7) Attend the rally of Eric Garner
8) Attend the rally of Freddie Gray
9) Find another empty box
10) Attend the rally of _________
Here is one of my favorite poems from this collection:
How to Make an Empty Cardboard Box Disappear in 10 Steps
1) Find the scissors
2) Cut the sides of the cube
3) Attend the rally of Trayvon Martin
4) Attend the rally of Renisha McBride
5) Attend the rally of Jordan Davis
6) Attend the rally of Michael Brown
7) Attend the rally of Eric Garner
8) Attend the rally of Freddie Gray
9) Find another empty box
10) Attend the rally of _________
This man writes poems that are plain and layered and beautiful and poignant. I listened to the audiobook because I never tire of his voice, but I need this in print to come back to.
Terrific poems about black lives and race in America (with a few love poems for good measure). Would be a good companion to reading [b:The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness|6792458|The New Jim Crow Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness|Michelle Alexander|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1328751532s/6792458.jpg|6996712] or [b:Between the World and Me|25489625|Between the World and Me|Ta-Nehisi Coates|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1451435027s/25489625.jpg|44848425].
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Clint Smith is brilliant! Counting Descent is an perfect illustration of why. He does an incredible job of interweaving the multiple emotions, experiences, joy & shallow of being Black and especially a Black male in America. Great read & there are so many thought-provoking topics and discussions that can be peeled from the text. True poetry awaken the mind & soul. It allows you to see things from a different angle. Counting Descent does that. Recommend!
I picked up this book after reading Clint Smith's narrative non-fiction book How the Word is Passed. Over the years I have read Smith's verse online, and found each piece to be incredibly resonant and powerful. Consequently I was thrilled to finally be able to read Smith's book length series of poetry, and you should too!
My favorite in this compilation of poems is Meteor Shower which touches up on the dual themes of history and place and the role they play in making us who we are. The last line especially "we bring a part of where we are from to every place we go."
My favorite in this compilation of poems is Meteor Shower which touches up on the dual themes of history and place and the role they play in making us who we are. The last line especially "we bring a part of where we are from to every place we go."