Black Girl, Call Home by Jasmine Mans

Some trigger warnings are rape, SA, and murder of a trans woman.

"Each poem explores what it means to be a daughter of Newark, and America--and the painful, joyous path to adulthood as a young, queer Black woman."

Read it in one sitting and then re-read it again on a different day, that time deliberately taking it slow and letting everything set in. I loved the poems and how it told a story, giving detailed information of what has happened in the past while also focusing on the present. It can be triggering for some if you don't know that it is coming in this collection of poems, so definitely read all trigger warnings if possible. Beyond proud of her for telling her story and being so incredibly brave for sharing it with everyone. It's so important for her to tell and discuss these topics, you know there are individuals out there that will find solace and comfort in her words, knowing that they are not alone. Healing and understanding will definitely come this collection.

I feel like this should be on a school syllabus. To be able to deep dive into the meaning and the hidden themes in the individual stanzas, it would be amazing to be able to break it down to fully encapsulate and appreciate how beautiful, deep, and meaningful this book is. A lot of the poems were conversational, emotional, but that she spoke to the reader as a peer. The flow chart at the end connecting the poems and the train they follow is extremely helpful and a fun way to showcase her writing process.

Comments

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