Spirit and Flame: An Anthology of Contemporary African American Poetry

An anthology of African American poetry emphasizing contemporary hipness and a variety of strategies that underline the political as well as the aesthetics of poetry. The collection offers new and established voices from the US working in the oral tradition, sonnets, and lyrics which resound with jazz, hip hop, rap, and experiences from the Middle Passage to the Million Man March. Some of the poets selected represent the best of American poetry inside and outside the "black aesthetic," including Amiri Baraka, Rita Dove, Keith Gilyard, gale jackson, Ishmael Reed, Sonia Sanchez, Patricia Smith, Quincy Troupe, and Al Young. Lacks an index and bibliography. Paper edition (unseen), $24.95. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.