UNCAGED...EXODUS TO GENESIS

Windham takes readers on a poetic journey that features moments of practical wisdom.

The author, a Black woman with deep roots in Birmingham, Alabama, offers a personal collection of Christian poetry that’s nontraditional from the very first page. The title is intended to emphasize a sense of spiritual flow and encourage readers to cast off constraints and embrace forward movement. To this end, Windham links 80 poems in interconnected, themed chapters titled “Faith,” “Black History,” “Kinfolks,” “Friendship,” “Relationships,” and “Déjà Vu.” Each section is filled with motivational and practical advice, advocations of respect, pride in the Black community, and accounts of a life of faith and gratitude. The author dedicates much of the work to celebrating the personal and political power of Black people, and she introduces the concept of “HistEbony”—an ongoing commitment to Black history and education that ignores the constraints of Black History Month. Windham’s poetry asserts that the future of this movement will be found in loving Black families and Christian faith that emphasizes fidelity, education, and empowerment of future generations. Drawing on her experience in public education and fashion design, the author employs a bold creative style in her varied poetic structures and spirited conversational tone. This approach results in an accessible work that may be especially relatable to young adults seeking connection to facets of Black culture that aren’t always taught in school. Some poems serve to remind readers of tragic moments in Black history, such as the 1963 Birmingham church bombing. For the most part, though, the work is sunny and upbeat in tone: “When I was a kid, we spoke a creative language known as BOP-TOP / It will definitely cause your tongue to flip, flap, and flop.” The author straightforwardly urges readers to place their trust in God and family while also seeking freedom from all that keeps them from the lives they deserve.

An earnest Christian-centered tribute to the Black experience.