Reviews

Homie: Poems by Danez Smith

plandocalrisian's review

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4.0

How does one arrange letters and words in a way that elicits such strong emotion? Incredibly powerful, moving and thought provoking. This collection of poems explore black and queer joy, grief, relationships, struggle and community.

rmagika's review

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challenging emotional inspiring reflective fast-paced

4.0

rachdaviesetc's review

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5.0

I don't often read poetry but this was a great re-entry. Moving, political, heartwarming, and knew how to keep the rhythm of the entire collection moving forward, without becoming overwhelming

elleayegee's review

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emotional reflective medium-paced

5.0

Incredible. It focuses on friendship - the good, the bad, the imperfections. Truly moving at times. 

amalia_tealeaf's review against another edition

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I wanted to try poetry but it’s just not holding my attention 

girlbosslindsey's review against another edition

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just remembered i dont like poetry

nataliedc's review

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emotional reflective fast-paced

5.0

A ferociously poignant poetry collection by one of my newest favorite poets that tackles themes of queerness, Blackness, death, and friendship. Smith's verse is sharply unique; each poem manages to look so different from the rest, yet they all weave into one another, creating a fiery, cohesive story of love and loss. Once again with Smith, I cannot possibly choose a favorite from their collection, but I love their words all the same and I can't wait to read more from them <3

toreadistovoyage's review against another edition

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4.25

A powerful and candid poetry collection. Very well done. The audiobook was great.

tjwallace04's review against another edition

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challenging emotional funny hopeful reflective slow-paced

4.25

 "Homie" by Danez Smith is the first poetry collection that I have read in...ever? I have barely read any poetry since college, and, even then, I was reading excerpts from anthologies, rather than one poet's work cover-to-cover. "Homie" is a powerful and moving collection, so I have to thank Smith for what has turned out to be a generous welcome into this literary form. I will definitely be reading more poetry.

Smith writes searingly and straight from the heart, sharing their experiences as a genderqueer black person who is HIV+. So many of the poems deeply moved me; several of them saddened and shamed me. Our country can do so much better. Though Smith has been through so much, they have such an open spirit and find beautiful meaning in friendships and small joys.

Some of my favorite poems in the collection were:

My President (the opening poem)
Fall Poem ("is it possible to ban guns? even from this poem?")
dogs!
what was said at the bus stop
depression food ("yogurt month past best by so more yogurter I guess" - made me laugh out loud)
C.R.E.A.M. ("The b in debt is a silent black trapped")
My nig
acknowledgements

But basically, I found something beautiful, thought-provoking, and profound in each poem. I read this collection for the #transrightsreadathon, and it definitely opened my mind and electrified my heart, which I like to think are some of the reasons poetry exists. Thanks, Danez Smith!

“& how many times have you loved me without my asking? how often have i loved a thing because you loved it? including me”

“scooby doo was trying to tell us something when every time that monster mask got snatched off it was a greedy white dude.” 

charlieschu's review

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challenging dark emotional funny hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.75