Everett Hoagland

Everett Hoagland’s 50 years worth of new and selected poems in this collection won the 2023 American Book Award. The poems are all well- crafted, often sardonic and darkly funny. He adeptly slips into patois where appropriate. An entertaining and thought-provoking volume.

"The passion of Everett Hoagland's social and historical consciousness match the skill of his lyrical command and the brilliance of his imagination." -- Clarence Major

Fifty Years of poetry from Everett Hoagland. Where does one start? I tried to read in order presented in the book, but that didn't seem right. So I went to randomly picking a chapter. I landed on Jazz Theology and I was pulled right into what he was trying to convey over those fifty years. I read the chapter three times in a row, just to get a sense of poet.

Next I went to the chapter titled Communion. And in my opinion is the best in the book.

In summary. pick up this delightful book of poems show more and be in awe of one of the greats. show less

Everett Hoagland delivers a comprehensive and impressive entry into Ancient and Current Black American History.
He revives the "never again" words we again fear to hear.

Poems I want to read now include:

PICTURE THIS - it brings to life every police life ended for no reason

ON FREE WILL - Eston lies buried in Madison, Wisconsin.

FREDERICK DOUGLASS - inspires re-reading of THE NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE OF FREDERICK DOUGLASS

LAST SCOTTSBORO

ON JOHNNY CAKE HILL

UNDOING THE DO - If only...

TO YOU - for all show more our Lost Friends

THE RETURN - It's all there.

NAGASAKI - again

THE POET READ ALOUD THE COMPASS ROSE - At last,
the fatal destruction of the Aztec desecration of the Hearts of Women

IN THE KEY OF B

And, the Cover!

((Related to his comments on the Ken Burns JAZZ series, it would be welcome to at last honor those musicians
that Burns chose to leave out: All of the Creative Improvised Music creators from Muhal Richard Abrams, Anthony Braxton,
and Henry Threadgill to Roscoe Mitchell and The Art Ensemble of Chicago.
See [A POWER STRONGER THAN ITSELF] by George Lewis.)) show less

I may have become to accustomed to novel in verse type books. I tried to get through this book but the disconnected poems were a struggle for me and I never got through the book.