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A review by nuhafariha
Ain't Never Not Been Black by Javon Johnson
4.0
Thank you to Button Poetry and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader's Copy!
Available October 13th
I've been a long time fan of Javon Johnson after hearing his poetry on Button Poetry's Youtube channel, so I was really looking forward to reading "Ain't Never Not Been Black". And whew, what a wonderful collection. Johnson does not shy away from addressing Black pain, especially in the conversation he has with his nephew in the car. What grounds this collection, though, is Black love - the deep love Johnson has experienced from the women in his family, the deep love he shows for his community day in and day out, the deep love that has the ability to protect and repair the tattered holes in American society.
Available October 13th
I've been a long time fan of Javon Johnson after hearing his poetry on Button Poetry's Youtube channel, so I was really looking forward to reading "Ain't Never Not Been Black". And whew, what a wonderful collection. Johnson does not shy away from addressing Black pain, especially in the conversation he has with his nephew in the car. What grounds this collection, though, is Black love - the deep love Johnson has experienced from the women in his family, the deep love he shows for his community day in and day out, the deep love that has the ability to protect and repair the tattered holes in American society.