Poetry is a wonderful art form that evokes feeling and expression through lyricism. However, it’s not all love and nature. Because of its emotive quality, poetry has been used to make political statements and sway ethos. Let’s explore five Black poets whose poetry considers important sociopolitical matters we face today.
American Sonnets For My Past and Future Assasin by Terrance Hayes
Terrance Hayes is a poet from South Carolina and the winner of many Pushcart Prizes. His work discusses the complexities of race and masculinity. He is the author of American Sonnets For My Past and Future Assasin, a collection he started writing in the wake of Trump’s election. Hayes unpacks the deep-rooted racist ideologies in America and their manifestations like police brutality. It is interesting how the restrictive nature of the sonnet form mirrors the oppressive state of the nation that Smith addresses.
The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
Elizabeth Acevedo is an Afro-Latina poet who is currently the nation’s Young People’s Poet Laureate. Before she wrote her novel in verse, The Poet X, she was a slam poet who would capture any audience on stage. She writes about intergenerational trauma and the Afro-Latina experience, among many other things. As a teacher, her students noticed that POC stories were missing in books, and she was determined to change that. I remember hearing her poems Rat Ode and Hair for the first time and becoming enamored with her artistic voice. Her most recent work is called Family Lore.
Above Ground by Clint Smith
Clint Smith is a poet and author from New Orleans. His latest poetry collection, Above Ground, touches on many issues taking place in our current political environment. Smith discusses climate change, desensitization of war, school shootings, and the effects of slavery. More than anything, Above Ground is a story about fatherhood and bringing up children in a turbulent time. He is also the author of Counting Descent and How the Word is Passed.
“I worry that we are welcoming you into the flames of a world that is burning.”
-Clint Smith
Call Us What We Carry by Amanda Gorman
Amanda Gorman was America’s first Youth Poet Laureate. At the ripe age of 22, she shared her poem, The Hill We Climb, at the 46th presidential inauguration. In it, Gorman fights for democracy and fair treatment of all citizens. Since then she has authored a children’s book, Change Sings, and a collection of poems, Call Us What We Carry. She writes about political tensions and the effects of the pandemic.
“There is power in being robbed and still choosing to dance”.
-Amanda Gorman
The Black Unicorn by Audre Lorde
Audre Lorde was a poet and activist who changed the literary landscape as we know it. In her verse and personal life, she challenged homophobic, sexist, and racist beliefs. One famous collection, The Black Unicorn, is filled with moments of dark injustice but also instances of celebratory black womanhood. Lorde also positioned self-care as a political act. Lorde dared to refuse this in a world that values productivity and output. She thought of rest as resistance. Discovering this idea changed my life for the better.
This list is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to influential black poets. Black poetry has a rich and long-standing history.
Want to learn more about Black stories? Browse our Black Voices section for more good reads.
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