Renia White

In Casual Conversation, Renia White shares what it means to be a Black woman in America. Divided in three parts, this poetry collection, the first published by the author, explores feelings and ideas, images and sounds.
I am not particularly a poetry reader, but I enjoyed discovering Renia White’s poetry. These poems are what the title of the collection is, casual conversations. She speaks of everything and nothing at the same time. That guy she crossed in the street, that perfume she smelt, that thing she saw on television. Rhymes and breaks cross, and answer each other, guiding the reader into a melodic walk of words.
… (meer)

Stunning. The rhythm, the language, the line breaks, the things she says. It's hard for me to find words. Think of that feeling when you first read one of your very favorite writers. Maybe you looked up a lot, wishing you could see someone to share your amazing discovery, stroking the book cover as you mused on a line and the cover art. Or maybe you weren't seeing anything, eyes unfocused or closed, senses totally wrapt in the language filling your head. This is that book. This is that experience. Smart, angry, tender, with the energy of the BreakBeat Poets, the lyricism and invention of Toni Morrison, the vision of Gloria Naylor.

"how could we know that fear/ is nothing but power going in the wrong direction?" (37)

There aren't enough stars. Thank you to LT & BOA Editions for letting me read this. Renia White, the gods thank you for writing it.… (meer)