Letters to America: Contemporary American Poetry on Race / Edition 1

by Al Young, Al Zolynas, Alfred Encarnacion, Amy Uyematsu, Audre Lorde

Overview

Letters to America penetrates to the core of the volatile topic of race with poems addressing civil rights, humor, interracial love, segregation, immigration, stereotypes, and violence, among other subjects.

Letters to America features the work of poets who have had the courage to write about race with honesty and passion. Speakign from the experience of Black, Native American, Asian, Arabic, Indian, Hispanic, and white culture, their diverse voices unite in a dialogue of poems which acknowledge and celebrate our differences while exploring America’s shameful history of racial intolerance. The poets in this anthology include Gwendolyn Brooks, Charles Bukowski, Joy Harjo, Langstong Hughes, Sharon Olds, James Wright, Etheridge Knight, Gary Soto, Garrett Kaoru Hongo, Audre Lorde, David Ignatwo, and others.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780814325421
Publisher:	Wayne State University Press
Publication date:	12/01/1995
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	232
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.56(d)

About the Author

Jim Daniels is a professor of English at Carnegie Mellon University. He is the author of M-80, Punching Out, and Places/Everyone.

Editorial Reviews

This is a wonderful book. . . for looking at ourselves as a country beginning a new century. This is the real deal: the kitchen table conversation. These poems need to be read. I can't think of a book more timely.

Cornell University - Kenneth McClane

Imagine that all the poets in this book are speaking to each other in a single room-an auditorium or classroom-having the discussion about race our country finds it so hard to have. Jim Daniels takes chances with his own poetry, and he takes chances with this anthology, fine chances, so page through, stay awhile, listen to all these vibrant American voices.

University of California, Los Angeles - Mike Rose