by Audre Lorde
First published 1997
Audre Lorde's powerful, unflinching voice rings out in this collection of her poems. From intimate portraits of love and loss to blistering indictments of racism and sexism, Lorde's words cut to the bone. Readers are immersed in the sights, sounds, and textures of her world—the rhythmic waves, burning sunsets, and jagged scars that mark her journey. Through Lorde's eyes, the personal becomes political. She confronts the daily indignities faced by Black women, lesbian mothers, and other marginalized people, turning their pain and rage into art. Yet Lorde's poetry also brims with hard-won joy, tenderness, and a defiant self-love that stands as a testament to the human spirit.
Genres: feminism, african-american, poetry, biography-memoir, lgbt
Vibes: emotional, intimate, lyrical, thought-provoking
Tropes: personal-is-political, social-commentary
512 pages · Paperback · W. W. Norton & Company
Content warnings: racism, sexism