MY BLACK ME: A Beginning Book of Black Poetry

by Arnold -- Ed. Adoff ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 1, 1974

Accessible to readers too young for Adoff's previous anthologies of black poetry, this is richer, stronger and more various than the collection assembled by Hopkins, below (though a few sections overlap, Adoff's choices from Lucille Clifton, Nikki Giovanni, and unknown school children are generally fresher). The 50 uniformly brief selections range from Langston Hughes' ""Good Morning"" (""I was born here, he said"") to Victor Hernandez Cruz' ""I wasn't born here man/ But here I am"" (paired with Cruz's keen ""I saw Butch/ He went on a high cloud/ Told me he was Afro/ Told me he was proud"") and Bob O'Meally's wry ""It Ain't No book stores in the berry where I live."" There are notes of irony, lament and bemusement here along with the pride and celebration that dominate other such anthologies for children, though certainly the overall tone is affirmative. The closing words are Imamu Amiri Baraka's invitation: ""calling all black people, come in, black people,/ come on in."" Plenty for everyone.

Pub Date: April 1, 1974

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: 96

Publisher: Dutton

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 1974

Categories: NONFICTION