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Book

This is not a small voice : poems by Black poets

Call Number

  • J 811 THIS (CEN, EAS, OSH, POW)

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Publication Information

Lincoln, MA : Nosy Crow, 2025.

Physical Description

127 pages : color illustrations ; 28 cm

Summary

A beautiful, bold collection of more than 100 dazzling poems by Black poets for the whole family to treasure. Discover classic favorites and new stars. This gorgeously illustrated children's anthology is the perfect introduction to poets such as Lucille Clifton, Langston Hughes, Benjamin Zephaniah, Gwendolyn Brooks, Maya Angelou, Amanda Gorman, Caleb Femi, and Joseph Coelho, and also features brand-new work by poets Nikki Grimes, Carole Boston Weatherford, and others. Lovingly compiled by award-winning picture book writer and editor Traci N. Todd, this collection touches on a wide range of themes-hope and struggle, joy and pride, home and food, music and family. Each poem is paired with vibrant, inviting illustrations by Jade Orlando. This beautiful gift book is a remarkable and moving tribute to the rich literary history and bright future of Black writing.

Notes

Includes indexes.

Contents

  • Introduction / The dream keeper / Come all you little persons / Lift every voice and sing (extract) / Dark testament (extract) / This body II / Morning liturgy (extract) / Narcissa / Robert, who is often a stranger to himself / Don't cry caterpillar / Mumble the magic words / Miss Mary Mack introduces her wings / Bird's nest (after Max Sansing) / Granny Granny please comb my hair / Before going to the barbershop / The black flamingo (extract) / I like to stay up / Anancy / Ah was readin' a book / Why some people be mad at me sometimes / Checking out me history / Waves / Windrush child / Mama-wata / Mawu of the waters / She, on the way to Monk's Hill / The song of the highway (extract) / The runaway kite / Latch key kid / Shea butter manifesto / But what can you teach my daughter / From your auntie, to my best friend's kid / Breakfast table / ... I write / I am the creativity / I love the look of words / Things / To the notebook kid / Delroy the skateboard roller / For poets / Allow me to introduce myself / The emancipation of George-Hector (a colored turtle) / American gothic (to Satch) / Science... / Good trouble / This is not a small voice / Silent talking / Haiku 369 / Photograph / Toward the sky / Thirteen / A small needful fact / Haiku 694 / Fury & faith (extract) / A tribute / You are on your way to greatness / Say how you feel / Common things / October (extract) / I think I'll call it morning / Haiku / Morning / Carnival days (extract) / Where the rainbow ends / A rainy day / The cotton cat / Haiku 457 / Winter poem / Snow prints / From space / Apollo / Where's my moon? / Granddaddy / Timmy and Tawanda / Being Black in my neighborhood / Play song / Salt! Vinegar! Mustard! Pepper! / Iris song / Who can be born Black / Climbing together / History lesson / Grits : 1967 / Greens / Mammie's coo-coo and callaloo / Jamaica market / Knoxville, Tennessee / In praise of okra / Saturday morning pancakes / Ode to a Dominican breakfast / On quiet feet / In Daddy's arms / Happy birthday moon / The ghosts of women once girls (extract) / I am the one / Spirit enchantment / Fantasy / Night songs / Lullaby / The quilt / Night / Poem

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