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angelreadsthings's review
4.0
This is one of the greatest collections of poetry I've ever read, because it is more than just a collection of well-written pieces. It is a journey through Black culture in America going all the way from the folk songs of the early slaves to the raw political no-shit-taking poems of writers in the seventies. It shows the assimilation, the rebellion, the adjustment, and the upheaval needed to survive as a poet in a land that would rather you shut up then speak out and write down. It highlights the diversity of Black culture and privileges no one way of living the Black poet life.
It feeds the spirit. Nourishes the mind. Energizes the body. Challenges all. And it calls to question, strikingly, why more of these poets aren't recognized in mainstream academia. Why I had to stumble upon this book in my mom's collection rather than see it at school or in the library. Why these works were never suggested to me when I clung to poetry as a teenager.
This anthology is real and relevant and right on. I'd recommend it to anyone who's ready for a ride.
It feeds the spirit. Nourishes the mind. Energizes the body. Challenges all. And it calls to question, strikingly, why more of these poets aren't recognized in mainstream academia. Why I had to stumble upon this book in my mom's collection rather than see it at school or in the library. Why these works were never suggested to me when I clung to poetry as a teenager.
This anthology is real and relevant and right on. I'd recommend it to anyone who's ready for a ride.
meaghanelizabook's review against another edition
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
3.0
catlandia91's review
4.0
I quite enjoyed this collection, there was a satisfying array of work, including folk songs and spirituals. Not everything was my cup of tea, and some of these works are definitely a product of their time, but I think they help illustrate political and cultural climate, which is quite interesting.
veeteegee's review against another edition
I enjoyed the structure of the book and how it deliberately pulled pieces from the same periods to craft the story of Black poetry. I also appreciated the wide range of work and poets featured, some familiar and many not. Spanning multiple perspectives over decades of time made for an introspective read and reframed my understanding of poetry from the perspective of Black women and men.