First published 2001
Elizabeth Alexander moves through different American landscapes and time periods in this poetry collection. She adopts the voice of Muhammad Ali in one vision, speaking as the heavyweight champion. A mother battles through postpartum depression, trying to clear the mental haze that clouds her daily life. Alexander captures the tensions of the Civil Rights era and its aftermath, showing how those conflicts continue to shape American experience. The poems follow dream logic, jumping between cities and decades. Alexander writes about race and gender through personal and political lenses. She examines motherhood alongside broader social struggles. The collection operates like improvisational jazz, with unexpected turns and rhythmic variations. Alexander resists easy categorization while exploring themes of identity and resistance. The poems blend personal experience with historical moments, creating connections across time and space.
Genres: american-fiction, american, african-american, poetry, 21st-century
Vibes: atmospheric, intimate, lyrical, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, personal-political
Setting: America
Period: Civil Rights Era, Postpartum
96 pages · Paperback · Graywolf Press