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A review by incredibella
Ain't Never Not Been Black by Javon Johnson
5.0
Ain't Never Not Been Black is a new favorite of mine, maybe even my favorite poetry collection of the year. I only wish it were longer! The poems within are necessary and hard-hitting, addressing issues including racism, masculinity, police brutality, gentrification, and more. Johnson's words are resonant, passionate, and raw, drawing upon his lived experiences to give insight into what it is like to be Black in America. As a non-Black POC, I can never fully comprehend what it's like (particularly for Black boys and men), but the honesty and power of Johnson's writing helped me gain a better understanding.
Though the collection is fairly short, the words within will stay on my mind for a long time afterward. The collection covers many emotions, from joy and love to devastation and pain. It discusses many heavy issues and moved me nearly to tears multiple times in the one sitting in which I finished it. Johnson's writing is accessible (I would easily recommend it even to friends who don't read as much poetry), while also being intricate and eloquent. A few (of many) standouts from this collection include America, Cuz He's Black, and Black and Happy,
I would absolutely recommend this poetry collection to others and look forward to reading more of Javon Johnson's work in the future. Many thanks to Button Poetry and NetGalley for providing this ARC!
trigger/content warnings: racial violence, racism, death, racial slurs, shooting, murder, police brutality, cancer
Though the collection is fairly short, the words within will stay on my mind for a long time afterward. The collection covers many emotions, from joy and love to devastation and pain. It discusses many heavy issues and moved me nearly to tears multiple times in the one sitting in which I finished it. Johnson's writing is accessible (I would easily recommend it even to friends who don't read as much poetry), while also being intricate and eloquent. A few (of many) standouts from this collection include America, Cuz He's Black, and Black and Happy,
I would absolutely recommend this poetry collection to others and look forward to reading more of Javon Johnson's work in the future. Many thanks to Button Poetry and NetGalley for providing this ARC!
trigger/content warnings: racial violence, racism, death, racial slurs, shooting, murder, police brutality, cancer