Book picks similar to
Continuum: New and Selected Poems by Mari Evans


poetry
small-indie-press
united-states
writers-of-color

Tarumba: The Selected Poems


Jaime Sabines - 1979
    He is considered by Octavio Paz to be instrumental to the genesis of modern Latin American poetry and “one of the best poets” of the Spanish language. Toward the end of his life, he had published for over fifty years and brought in crowds of more than 3,000 to a readings in his native country. Coined the “Sniper of Literature” by Cuban poet Roberto Fernández Retamar, Sabines brought poetry to the streets. His vernacular, authentic poems are accessible: meant not for other poets, or the established or elite, but for himself and for the people.In this translation of his fourth book, Tarumba, we find ourselves stepping into Sabines’ streets, brothels, hospitals, and cantinas; the most bittersweet details are told in a way that reaffirms: “Life bursts from you, like scarlet fever, without warning.” Eloquently co-translated by Philip Levine and the late Ernesto Trejo, this bilingual edition is a classic for Spanish- and English-speaking readers alike. Secretive, wild, and searching, these poems are rife with such intensity you’ll feel “heaven is sucking you up through the roof.” Jaime Sabines was born on March 25, 1926 in Chiapas, Mexico. In 1945, he relocated to Mexico City where he studied Medicine for three years before turning his attention to Philosophy and Literature at the University of Mexico. He wrote eight books of poetry, including Horal (1950), Tarumba (1956), and Maltiempo (1972), for which he received the Xavier Villaurrutia Award. In 1959, Sabines was granted the Chiapas Prize and, in 1983, the National Literature Award. In addition to his literary career, Sabines served as a congressman for Chiapas. Jaime Sabines died in 1999; he remains one of Mexico’s most respected poets.  Philip Levine (translator) was born in Detroit, Michigan, in 1928. He is the author of sixteen books of poetry, most recently Breath (Alfred A. Knopf, 2004). His other poetry collections include The Mercy (1999); The Simple Truth (1994), which won the Pulitzer Prize; What Work Is (1991), which won the National Book Award; New Selected Poems (1991); Ashes: Poems New and Old (1979), which received the National Book Critics Circle Award and the first American Book Award for Poetry; 7 Years From Somewhere (1979), which won the National Book Critics Circle Award; and The Names of the Lost (1975), which won the Lenore Marshall Poetry Prize. He has received the Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize, the Harriet Monroe Memorial Prize from Poetry, the Frank O'Hara Prize, and two Guggenheim Foundation fellowships. Philip Levine lives in New York City and Fresno, California, and teaches at New York University.

Ghost in a Black Girl's Throat


Khalisa Rae - 2021
    This collection summons multiple hauntings--ghosts of matriarchs that came before, those that were slain, and those that continue to speak to us, but also those horrors women of color strive to put to rest. Ghost in a Black Girl's Throat examines the haunting feeling of facing past demons while grappling with sexism, racism, and bigotry. They are all present: ancestral ghosts, societal ghosts, and spiritual, internal hauntings. This book calls out for women to speak their truth in hopes of settling the ghosts or at least being at peace with them.

Ain't Never Not Been Black


Javon Johnson - 2020
    Engaging with themes of masculinity, racism, love, and joy, Johnson is at once critical and creative. His spoken word performance transfers effortlessly to the page, with poems that will encompass you. This is a book about blackness and survival, and how in American these are inseparable. In a world of individualism, who can you hold close? In a world of danger, what makes you feel safe? From a poem written in the form of a syllabus, to another about the time his grandmother literally saved his life, Johnson's creative expression is constantly enacting the feminist mantra, "the personal is political."

The Living Fire


Edward Hirsch - 2010
    Repeatedly confronting the darkness, his own sense of godlessness (“Forgive me, faith, for never having any”), he also struggles with the unlikely presence of the divine, the power of art to redeem human transience, and the complexity of relationships. Throughout the collection, his own life trajectory enriches the poems; he is the “skinny, long-beaked boy / who perched in the branches of the old branch library,” as well as the passionate middle-aged man who tells his lover, “I wish I could paint you— / . . . / I need a brush for your hard angles / and ferocious blues and reds. / . . . / I wish I could paint you / from the waist down.”Grieving for the losses occasioned by our mortality, Hirsch’s ultimate impulse as a poet is to praise—to wreathe himself, as he writes, in “the living fire” that burns with a ferocious intensity.

Piece of Poetry : Me&Me


Raviraj Mishra - 2020
    We were made to sing and recite poetry in groups. The rhyming words somehow would bring a sense of enjoyment, and they won’t leave our mind even with the passing days. Poetry holds magic. A magic to change the moment and bring out the joyous hidden self. We all in some point or another had come across a poetry that either taught us the unlearned or brought back a memory or just a smile.Piece of poetry is an effort to share some thoughts through prose. Each poetry was written with a story in mind, willing to be talked about. The thoughts that didn’t need sophisticated words, but they were craving for rhythm.The idea was to point out some of the feelings and emotions that were desperate to be shared. Some untold words, a certain perspective that was always doubted by self and others. Piece of poetry is an honest attempt to format these feelings into a song, hoping that it would stick with everyone who decided to read it.

She Was A Good Girl 'Til She Knew Me 2


Kellz Kimberly - 2017
    She has a man in her life, mom in rehab & her best friend by her side. Even with all of these positives, Promyse is still hit with a couple of unexpected negatives. Smoke went from feeling himself to being cocky & arrogant all in a blink of an eye. With his new found royal fame the only thing on his mind is getting money and ruling with an iron fist. Too busy being caught up in his own hype, he never sees his competition lurking in the shadows. A new dude by the name of Saigon is looking to reinvent Promyse and have her shining like the true Queen she is. Paulie & Khy thought they had a relationship many would deem as goals. But when issues arise and smart mouths start to fly one of them is pushed into the arms of another. Everyone’s least favorite girl is back & still out for revenge. Lola was labeled positive for the package but that’s not slowing her down. Still on the fast track to getting her man, she finds new ways to try and get her man to realize with her is where he needs to be. All hope isn’t lost for Promyse as she straddles the fence, but with a thug like Smoke & a boss like Saigon fighting for her heart how could she not be a little bad?

Turned A Good Girl Savage


Tay Mo'Nae - 2019
    They never saw each other as more than brother and sister until Saniyah is hit with a bullet that’s meant for Kiawe. The two of them start exploring the thought of being together until a bomb explodes around them big enough to end their relationship before it begins. Tyson’s been trying to get Selena for years, but she kept running from him. Selena’s battling demons and thinks a bottle is the only thing that can heal her pain. When Selena’s drinking starts getting out of hand, she loses grip and realizes Tyson maybe the only person that can bring her back to reality, that is if she doesn’t go too far over the edge first. Not only are Kiawe and Tyson trying to get a handle on their personal lives but their street affairs as well. With an enemy in the shadows, the boys are constantly watching their back. When their enemy finally decides to make his move someone close to the boys pay, with their life. These four are about to take you on a rollercoaster ride full of drama, love, and tears. Find out if they can handle the pressure or will they crumble.

Return of a Street King: Loving My Savage


Mel G. - 2020
    Work has not been altered. Ashley "Ash" Thomas is a young boss, who's known for his ruthless ways and no-nonsense attitude. After running his family's business alongside his brothers for years, Ash no longer wants any part of that life. Nearly losing his life as a result of one of his brother's reckless actions was an eye opener for him and the main reason he is more than ready to step away from the game. Now, all Ash wants to do is run his tattoo business with his best friend, Marcel, and continue to stack his paper. Unfortunately, a lot of people aren't feeling the "new" Ash. His girlfriend Misty being the main one. Misty didn't bother to hide her distaste for Ash's newfound career. She didn't like the possibility of the lifestyle she'd grown accustomed to, changing. She was used to having money at her disposal and Ash wrapped around her finger, but she was slowly noticing that things had changed. Their relationship wasn't the same and she could feel them drifting apart. As much as she tried to stay in Ash' s good graces and keep his attention focused on her, it was no use. There seemed to be a new chick on the scene that had managed to catch Ash's eye without even trying. After finally putting an end to a dead relationship, Jordyn's main focus is on finishing school. Being hit with setback after setback, she's only trying to keep her head above water and survive. She had no time for distractions and money was her only motive. The last thing she needed was to fall for her handsome, quick-tempered boss. As much as Jordyn tries to convince herself that he isn't what she needs, she finds herself drawn to him and the attraction between the two is undeniable. Will she be able to stick to her guns and keep things between them strictly business or fall victim to this savage's charm?

Trusting Our Love With Cartel Kings


Antoinette Sherell - 2020
    Those were the words that twin sisters, Raven and Lovely Towns, swore by. When Lovely’s love is put to the test after finding out Raven was violated in the worst way imaginable, she makes a call that separates them and leaves her sister to fend for herself. Fortunately, Raven runs into the likes of Silesia and Asteria; two girls who change her life as she knows it by giving her the means to set her and her sister up to never need anyone again. Family before everything. That was the motto that had been embedded into the King brothers since birth by their father. Ace, Deuce, Tre, and Saint were taught to worry about the family business first and everything else second. However, Saint wants nothing to do with that lifestyle and makes a decision that leaves his family questioning his loyalty. Meanwhile, Deuce is burdened with the task of protecting his brothers at all costs. When a wild night out with his brothers lands Saint in Lovely’s care, he’s left with nothing but thoughts of the beauty who went out her way to protect him. The only thing stopping him from seeking her out is that he’s engaged and due to be married soon. While assisting her sister with the daunting task of helping a random stranger, Raven is inadvertently thrown into Deuces’ path, and he’s determined to make her give him a chance—all the while having no clue as to who she really is. In one night, a chain reaction is set off, causing everyone’s lives to cross. When these women, who are low on love from life beating them down, meet four brothers with no grasp on what love really is, will they trust them with their love, or will they trust their instincts and do what’s best... run?

Female Hustler Part 5: All I See Is The Money...


Joy Deja King - 2017
    Just when they believe they have it all figured out, the truth may destroy them both. Will one sister be willing to risk it all, or will they both be left with nothing? Find out in the next installment of the Female Hustler Series.

Godfather Of Atlanta


Cole Hart - 2018
    Certified and ruthless, Young Hollywood is worth a half a million before the age of sixteen, and is well on his way until tragedy strikes. Young Hollywood s home is invaded, and his son is held for ransom. Violated, blood thirsty and reckless, he vows for revenge as he combs the city for answers. Once inside the Georgia Penal System, Young Hollywood continues on his ruthless traits until he is placed on high max with hardened criminals. There, Young Hollywood meets up with a man he never knew before. After they untie, the real A-Town Veteran is released from prison after serving twenty straight years, but not before sucking up every piece of game and knowledge he could. This entertaining triumph goes from the streets, to the prison system and to the corporate world of record labels and rap entertainment. This highly anticipated, descriptive urban novel about crime, corruption and passion in Atlanta's own underworld will have you on your toes from the first page to the very last. This is one masterpiece you'll never want to end.

She Fell Dangerously In Love With A Kingpin


Nikqua - 2020
    

Flewed Out By A Chi-Town Boss: An Urban Romance


Princess Diamond - 2021
    

Intoxicated by a Young Thug


Tacarra - 2021
    

Stuck In love With A Dangerous Thug


Tasha Nashay - 2021