What the Mirror Said: The Necessity of Black Women in Poetry - Paperback
$16.95
Out of Stock
This product is currently out of stock. Enter your email address below to be notified once the product is back in stock
Availability:Out of StockContributor:Ashley M. JonesSeries:Poets on PoetryPublish date:4/21/2026Pages:100
Language:EnglishPublisher:University of Michigan PressISBN-13:9780472040193ISBN-10:472040197UPC:9780472040193Book Category:Literary Collections, Literary CriticismBook Subcategory:Essays, Poetry, African American & BlackSize:7.90 x 5.30 x 0.40 inchesWeight:0.2998Product ID:SCDAP4C8S1
When did you feel the pull of poetry? For Ashley M. Jones, the moment she knew she would be a poet was at seven years old--reciting "Harriet Tubman" by Eloise Greenfield. That moment, that poem, showed her there was a place for her in the world of literature as her full Black self. As she continued to grow as a person and a poet, becoming the first person of color and the youngest person to serve as Poet Laureate of Alabama, Jones encountered so many incredible Black women poets who showed her the possibilities. Part critical essay, part personal essay collection, What the Mirror Said traces the influence of nine Black women poets in Jones's writing and life. She brings together historical biographical information, personal reflection, and close readings as she explores personal connections to poets from Phillis Wheatley to Patricia Smith. This book is expansive in its study, from classical metrical scansion to metaphorical explication. In offering new ways to interpret poems by important contemporary poets, What the Mirror Said makes the case for the need to study and celebrate Black women poets.
Language:EnglishPublisher:University of Michigan PressISBN-13:9780472040193ISBN-10:472040197UPC:9780472040193Book Category:Literary Collections, Literary CriticismBook Subcategory:Essays, Poetry, African American & BlackSize:7.90 x 5.30 x 0.40 inchesWeight:0.2998Product ID:SCDAP4C8S1
Ashley M. Jones is Associate Director of the University Honors Program at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and the Founding Director of the Magic City Poetry Festival. Her most recent book of poetry is Lullaby for the Grieving (2025).
Publisher: University of Michigan Press
Contributor(s)
Author
Free shipping on orders over $75. Standard shipping takes 3-7 business days. Returns accepted within 30 days of purchase.