Oral Tradition: Selected Poems: Old and New
by Jewelle Gomez

Popular, respected, and widely published author Jewelle Gomez combines exciting new work with classic stories in this memorable collection of short fiction.

As in The Gilda Stories, her acclaimed Black lesbian vampire novel, Don’t Explain is marked by the writer’s trademark rich, highly sensual language. Here, too, we find a layering of themes: the complexities of relationships exploring racial, class, and generational boundaries; the abuse of children; the hunger for love and connection.

Well-versed in the traditions of African-American writing, Gomez moves from lesbian life in Boston in the 1960s (the title story) to a futuristic fantasy, “Houston”, a previously unpublished Gilda story. The centerpiece novella, “Lynx and Strand”, explores some of the darkest dreams and fears of American culture as we hurtle toward the millennium.

The breadth of Jewelle Gomez’s literary reach is amply illustrated, as she continues to entice and entertain her readers in Don’t Explain with her sweetly erotic excursions and encompassing vision.