Black Girl, Call Home is the debut collection of poetry from poet Jasmine Mans. Each poem carries the narrative of Black girls who are lost, finding their way, and healing through the process. In these poems’ truthfulness, Jasmine Mans makes space for the collective and individual experiences of Black girls past, present, and future.
Jasmine explores the pain felt by Black mothers as she reflects on the sacrifices her own mother has made for her to live. She describes Black hair and the nostalgic experiences many Black girls can recall. She shines a light on queer black women’s struggles. She writes openly about rape.
She rewrites Sandra Bland’s story. She celebrates the power in the resilience of Serena Williams. Jasmine writes all of these truthful experiences to say that the beauty of who Black girls are is wrapped tightly in their unique experiences and the courage it takes to go on each day in a world that begs them to be different.
Jericho Brown, author of The Tradition, says that “you are carrying in your hands a Black woman’s heart,” as he describes Black Girl, Call Home. Unforgettably honest and disarming, Jasmine Man’s Black Girl, Call Home is an ode to Black girls who are on a journey of self-discovery and personal growth.
Themes:
Black Girl Magic; race; identity; social class; personal growth; healing; community; pain; beauty standards; self-love; feminism; LGBT; belonging; sexuality; queer identity
Memorable Quote:
“Tell me about the girl/my mother was/before she traded in/all of her “girl”/to be my “mother”.
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