readingsofaslinky's review against another edition
dark
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
5.0
Beautiful.
Favorites: The Device, True Stories about Koko Taylor, appletree, what I mean when I say I’m sharpening my oyster knife, Origin Story, montage in a car., The Discount Megamall (in memoriam), Hood Run: A Poem in Five Acts, Fullerton Avenue
Favorites: The Device, True Stories about Koko Taylor, appletree, what I mean when I say I’m sharpening my oyster knife, Origin Story, montage in a car., The Discount Megamall (in memoriam), Hood Run: A Poem in Five Acts, Fullerton Avenue
kimmik's review against another edition
5.0
English teachers should have a copy of this in their classroom for their students and use some of the poems in class! Actually, buy a few copies!
lelex's review against another edition
5.0
"On my way to the bathroom he asks me if I remember Rudy, our father's friend who maybe lived above the Jumping Bean, was nice and gave him Trix. In this moment I understand that in the head and heart of my brother, as in my own head and my own heart, to give the gift of food, and particularly forbidden sugary food, and particularly forbidden sugary cereal, is to have a home always. And I am not surprised at this. And he tells me that Rudy was stabbed to death tonight, in Simone's."
My favorites were what I mean when I say I'm sharpening my oyster knife, to the notebook kid, On Prince, and What I Talk About When I talk About Black Jesus.
My favorites were what I mean when I say I'm sharpening my oyster knife, to the notebook kid, On Prince, and What I Talk About When I talk About Black Jesus.
danahuff's review against another edition
4.0
This one was recommended by the #TeachLivingPoets crew on Twitter. So glad I read it. Standout poem for me were "Tuesday," "Requiem for Fifth Period and the Things That Went On Then," and "Affirmation," all of which were near the end of the collection.
marys_bookish_musings's review against another edition
5.0
Incredible and touching collection of modern poetry, mixed media and prose poetry. I especially loved the retellings and plan to use that structure in my writing.
kellylynnthomas's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed this collection of speculative Black poetry, with one exception: A few of the poems were printed in such a way that it was impossible to read them! Think black text on top of a slightly less black box. I'm not sure if it's easier to read in the print book (I read the ebook), but I absolutely could not make out the text on these few poems. So that was kind of a bummer. (Update to add: This was in the Hoopla version of the eBook. I later checked out the Overdrive/Libby version and had no issue reading these poems, as the box was just an outline. So, not sure what's up with that, but if you get an ebook from your library, try for the Overdrive/Libby version!)