Continuum: New And Selected Poems, Revised Edition

Evans paints an intimate portrait of the Black experience in the more than 100 poems shared in this impressive volume.

The distinguished poet Mari Evans writes unabashedly for and about African Americans, yet in this collection, readers from all backgrounds can find profound insight into the human experience. Written without the flourish of fancy language, the poems are full of Evans’s brilliance, humor, and musical expression. Included are signature poems such as “I am a Black Woman” as well as new works that paint an intimate portrait of contemporary African American life. First released in 2007, this is a new, revised edition with several new poems added.

Evans’ poetic voice helped defined the 1960s Black Arts Movement. A moment in time that brought to fore the work of poets like Sonia Sanchez, Amiri Baraka and Evans with their young Black fiery voices that spoke to the need to make Blackness both beautiful and powerful. In the first of four sections in Continuum are many of the poems written during that period such as the poet’s signature poems ’Speak the Truth to the People,’ ’To Be Born Black,’ and ’I am a Black Woman’

I am a black woman
the music of my song
some sweet arpeggio of tears
is written in a minor key
and I
can be heard humming in the night