Danez Smith is a poet who bridges the poetics of the stage and the page. Their work, often centered around intersections of race, class, sexuality, faith, and social justice, uses rhythm, fierce raw power, and imagery to reimagine the world. Smith's writing is gripping, dismantling constructs of oppression, and striking at the human heart. Appearing widely in literary journals and anthologies, their work signifies a powerful voice in contemporary poetry.
A FINALIST FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FOR POETRY 2017 `[Smith's] poems are enriched to the point of volatility, but they pay out, often, in sudden joy' The New Yorker Award-winning poet Danez Smith is a ground-breaking force, celebrated for deft lyrics, urgent subjects, and performative power.
"Homie is Danez Smith's magnificent anthem about the saving grace of friendship. Rooted in the loss of one of Smith's close friends, this book comes out of the search for joy and intimacy within a nation where both can seem scarce and getting scarcer. In poems of rare power and generosity, Smith acknowledges that in a country overrun by violence, xenophobia, and disparity, and in a body defined by race, queerness, and diagnosis, it can be hard to survive, even harder to remember reasons for living. But then the phone lights up, or a shout comes up to the window, and family--blood and chosen--arrives with just the right food and some redemption. Part friendship diary, part bright elegy, part war cry, Homie is the exuberant new book written for Danez and for Danez's friends and for you and for yours."--
A powerful new collection reckoning with America, protest and poetry itself
Set against the backdrop of 2020, this collection reflects on the tumultuous events surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic and the protests in Minneapolis following George Floyd's murder. Danez Smith confronts their role as a poet, exploring themes of responsibility, resilience, and community. The poems demand new forms and language, showcasing a vibrant history and the impact of systemic violence. With a blend of honesty, hope, and imagination, Smith envisions a future amid chaos, making this collection a powerful manifesto of artistic expression.