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Counting Descent by Clint Smith (2016, Trade Paperback)
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Counting Descent, Paperback by Smith, Clint, ISBN 1938912659, ISBN-13 9781938912658, Brand New, Free shipping in the US A debut collection of poems draws on personal, political, and social histories to address black humanity and ideas of lineage and tradition.
- Buy It NowCounting Descent, Paperback by Smith, Clint, Brand New, Free shipping in the US
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About this product
Product Identifiers
PublisherWrite Bloody Publishing
ISBN-101938912659
ISBN-139781938912658
eBay Product ID (ePID)223880691
Product Key Features
Book TitleCounting Descent
Number of Pages84 Pages
LanguageEnglish
TopicAmerican / African American, General, American / General
Publication Year2016
GenrePoetry
AuthorClint Smith
FormatTrade Paperback
Dimensions
Item Height0.2 in
Item Weight4.7 Oz
Item Length9 in
Item Width6 in
Additional Product Features
Intended AudienceTrade
LCCN2021-385031
Dewey Edition23
Reviews"In Counting Descent, Clint Smith reflects "even the universe is telling us/ that we can never get too far// from the place that created us." Smith weaves histories, from collective to personal, to make indelible archetypes of those places that have created us all. These poems shimmer with revelatory intensity, approaching us from all sides to immerse us in the America that America so often forgets. The broad sweep of Smith's vision delivers a sudden awareness: In this poets hands, we sense, like Rilke, there is no place that does not see you." -- Gregory Pardlo, Author of DigestIn Counting Descent, Clint Smith soars and patiently walks between Harvard Square and New Orleans, between the gap in his father's teeth and Baldwin's conversation with the Protest Novel, between the movement of Drake's hands and joy of sliding down a slide with his mother. Nothing, not one word, verse or line feels forced. This is only important because though most of the book feels written in what artist call "the pocket," nothing here feels at all safe. Clinton Smith dares to be naked, dares to show the reader how and why he gets dressed, and in a way I'm still trying to understand, his work ask us to show, tell, imagine and remember too. Counting Descent is more than brilliant. More than lyrical. More than bluesy. More than courageous. It is terrifying in its ability to at once not hide and show readers why it wants to hide so badly. These poems mend, meld and imagine with weighted details, pauses, idiosyncrasies and word patterns I've never seen before. This book is supposed to be a great idea. It's not supposed to work. But it does. It so does. I wish I wrote this book. Since I can't, thank goodness Clinton Smith did. Counting Descent does not take my breath away; it, in so many ways, gives me more ways to breathe." -- Kiese Laymon, Author of Long Division, "So many of these poems just blow me away. Incredibly beautiful and powerful." -- Michelle Alexander, Author of The New Jim CrowIn Counting Descent, Clint Smith reflects "even the universe is telling us/ that we can never get too far// from the place that created us." Smith weaves histories, from collective to personal, to make indelible archetypes of those places that have created us all. These poems shimmer with revelatory intensity, approaching us from all sides to immerse us in the America that America so often forgets. The broad sweep of Smith's vision delivers a sudden awareness: In this poets hands, we sense, like Rilke, there is no place that does not see you. -- Gregory Pardlo, Author of Digest, Counting Descent is a tightly-woven collection of poems whose pages act like an invitation to New Orleans, to the spades' table, to mom's kitchen, to the kiss on a woman's wrist, to conversations with hydrants and cicadas. The invitation is intimate and generous and also a challenge; are you up to asking what is blackness? What is black joy? How is black life loved and lived? To whom do we--this human We-- look to for answers? This invitation is not to a narrow street, or a shallow lake, but to a vast exploration of life. And death. In a voice that has the echoes of Baldwin, but that also declares itself a singular voice, Smith extends: "Maybe there's a place where everyone is both in love with and running from their own skin. Maybe that place is here." And you're invited. -- Elizabeth Acevedo, Author of Beastgirl & Other Origin Myths, Counting Descent is a tightly-woven collection of poems whose pages act like an invitation to New Orleans, to the spades' table, to mom's kitchen, to the kiss on a woman's wrist, to conversations with hydrants and cicadas. The invitation is intimate and generous and also a challenge; are you up to asking what is blackness? What is black joy? How is black life loved and lived? To whom do we--this human We-- look to for answers? This invitation is not to a narrow street, or a shallow lake, but to a vast exploration of life. And death. In a voice that has the echoes of Baldwin, but that also declares itself singularly voice, Smith extends: "Maybe there's a place where everyone is both in love with and running from their own skin. Maybe that place is here." And you're invited. -- Elizabeth Acevedo, Author of Beastgirl & Other Origin Myths, "So many of these poems just blow me away. Incredibly beautiful and powerful." Michelle Alexander , Author of The New Jim Crow, "So many of these poems just blow me away. Incredibly beautiful and powerful." --Michelle Alexander, author of The New Jim Crow "In Counting Descent, Clint Smith reflects "even the universe is telling us/ that we can never get too far// from the place that created us." Smith weaves histories, from collective to personal, to make indelible archetypes of those places that have created us all. These poems shimmer with revelatory intensity, approaching us from all sides to immerse us in the America that America so often forgets. The broad sweep of Smith's vision delivers a sudden awareness: In this poet's hands, we sense, like Rilke, there is no place that does not see you." --Gregory Pardlo, author of Digest Awards: Winner, 2017 Black Caucus of the American Library Association Literary Award Finalist, 2017 NAACP Image Awards One Book One New Orleans 2017 Book Selection, "So many of these poems just blow me away. Incredibly beautiful and powerful." -- Michelle Alexander, Author of The New Jim Crow In Counting Descent, Clint Smith reflects "even the universe is telling us/ that we can never get too far// from the place that created us." Smith weaves histories, from collective to personal, to make indelible archetypes of those places that have created us all. These poems shimmer with revelatory intensity, approaching us from all sides to immerse us in the America that America so often forgets. The broad sweep of Smith's vision delivers a sudden awareness: In this poet's hands, we sense, like Rilke, there is no place that does not see you. -- Gregory Pardlo, Author of Digest, "These poems shimmer with revelatory intensity, approaching us from all sides to immerse us in the America that America so often forgets."-- Gregory Pardlo, "Counting Descent is a tightly-woven collection of poems whose pages act like an invitation to New Orleans, to the spades' table, to mom's kitchen, to the kiss on a woman's wrist, to conversations with hydrants and cicadas..."-- Elizabeth Acevedo, " Counting Descent is a tightly-woven collection of poems whose pages act like an invitation to New Orleans, to the spades' table, to mom's kitchen, to the kiss on a woman's wrist, to conversations with hydrants and cicadas..."-- Elizabeth Acevedo, "These poems shimmer with revelatory intensity, approaching us from all sides to immerse us in the America that America so often forgets." Gregory Pardlo, "So many of these poems just blow me away. Incredibly beautiful and powerful." - Michelle Alexander, Author of The New Jim Crow, In Counting Descent, Clint Smith soars and patiently walks between Harvard Square and New Orleans, between the gap in his father's teeth and Baldwin's conversation with the Protest Novel, between the movement of Drake's hands and joy of sliding down a slide with his mother. Nothing, not one word, verse or line feels forced. This is only important because though most of the book feels written in what artist call "the pocket," nothing here feels at all safe. Clint Smith dares to be naked, dares to show the reader how and why he gets dressed, and in a way I'm still trying to understand, his work ask us to show, tell, imagine and remember too. Counting Descent is more than brilliant. More than lyrical. More than bluesy. More than courageous. It is terrifying in its ability to at once not hide and show readers why it wants to hide so badly. These poems mend, meld and imagine with weighted details, pauses, idiosyncrasies and word patterns I've never seen before. This book is supposed to be a great idea. It's not supposed to work. But it does. It so does. I wish I wrote this book. Since I can't, thank goodness Clint Smith did. Counting Descent does not take my breath away; it, in so many ways, gives me more ways to breathe. --Kiese Laymon, Author of Long Division, " Counting Descent is a tightly-woven collection of poems whose pages act like an invitation to New Orleans, to the spades' table, to mom's kitchen, to the kiss on a woman's wrist, to conversations with hydrants and cicadas..." - Elizabeth Acevedo, "So many of these poems just blow me away. Incredibly beautiful and powerful." -- Michelle Alexander, Author of The New Jim Crow, In Counting Descent, Clint Smith soars and patiently walks between Harvard Square and New Orleans, between the gap in his father's teeth and Baldwin's conversation with the Protest Novel, between the movement of Drake's hands and joy of sliding down a slide with his mother. Nothing, not one word, verse or line feels forced. This is only important because though most of the book feels written in what artist call "the pocket," nothing here feels at all safe. Clint Smith dares to be naked, dares to show the reader how and why he gets dressed, and in a way I'm still trying to understand, his work ask us to show, tell, imagine and remember too. Counting Descent is more than brilliant. More than lyrical. More than bluesy. More than courageous. It is terrifying in its ability to at once not hide and show readers why it wants to hide so badly. These poems mend, meld and imagine with weighted details, pauses, idiosyncrasies and word patterns I've never seen before. This book is supposed to be a great idea. It's not supposed to work. But it does. It so does. I wish I wrote this book. Since I can't, thank goodness Clint Smith did. Counting Descent does not take my breath away; it, in so many ways, gives me more ways to breathe. -- Kiese Laymon, Author of Long Division, "So many of these poems just blow me away. Incredibly beautiful and powerful." -- Michelle Alexander , Author of The New Jim Crow, "These poems shimmer with revelatory intensity, approaching us from all sides to immerse us in the America that America so often forgets." - Gregory Pardlo, " Counting Descent is a tightly-woven collection of poems whose pages act like an invitation to New Orleans, to the spades' table, to mom's kitchen, to the kiss on a woman's wrist, to conversations with hydrants and cicadas..." Elizabeth Acevedo
Dewey Decimal811
SynopsisClint Smith's debut poetry collection, Counting Descent, is a coming of age story that seeks to complicate our conception of lineage and tradition. Smith explores the cognitive dissonance that results from belonging to a community that unapologetically celebrates black humanity while living in a world that often renders blackness a caricature of fear. His poems move fluidly across personal and political histories, all the while reflecting on the social construction of our lived experiences. Smith brings the reader on a powerful journey forcing us to reflect on all that we learn growing up, and all that we seek to unlearn moving forward. Accolades Winner, 2017 Black Caucus of the American Library Association Literary Award Finalist, 2017 NAACP Image Awards 2017 'One Book One New Orleans' Book Selection, Within the pages of Counting Descent a captivating coming-of-age narrative unfolds - that challenges, complicates, and ultimately enriches our understanding of lineage, tradition, and the multifaceted nature of identity. In the intricate tapestry of Counting Descent, Clint Smith expertly navigates the nuances of belonging and dissonance. Through his poetic lens, he guides us through the labyrinthine experience of being part of a community that fiercely and unapologetically celebrates the richness of black humanity. Yet, this celebration exists in juxtaposition with the world outside, a world that often distorts blackness into a distorted and unwarranted caricature of fear. Smith's poems move fluidly across personal and political histories, all the while reflecting on the social construction of our lived experiences. Smith brings the reader on a powerful journey forcing us to reflect on all that we learn growing up, and all that we seek to unlearn moving forward., Black Harvard Doctorate in Poetics launches poetry that explores modern blackness. Clint Smith's debut poetry collection, Counting Descent , is a coming of age story that seeks to complicate our conception of lineage and tradition. Smith explores the cognitive dissonance that results from belonging to a community that unapologetically celebrates black humanity while living in a world that often renders blackness a caricature of fear. His poems move fluidly across personal and political histories, all the while reflecting on the social construction of our lived experiences. Smith brings the reader on a powerful journey forcing us to reflect on all that we learn growing up, and all that we seek to unlearn moving forward. - Winner, 2017 Black Caucus of the American Library Association Literary Award - Finalist, 2017 NAACP Image Awards - 2017 'One Book One New Orleans' Book Selection, From the author of How the Word is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America * Winner, 2017 Black Caucus of the American Library Association Literary Award* Finalist, 2017 NAACP Image Awards* "One Book One New Orleans" 2017 Book Selection* Published in The New Yorker, The New York Times Magazine, Poetry Magazine, The Paris Review, New Republic, Boston Review, The Guardian, The Rumpus, and The Academy of American Poets "So many of these poems just blow me away. Incredibly beautiful and powerful." -- Michelle Alexander, Author of The New Jim Crow "Counting Descent is a tightly-woven collection of poems whose pages act like an invitation. The invitation is intimate and generous and also a challenge; are you up to asking what is blackness? What is black joy? How is black life loved and lived? To whom do we look to for answers? This invitation is not to a narrow street, or a shallow lake, but to a vast exploration of life. And you're invited. -- Elizabeth Acevedo, Author of Beastgirl & Other Origin Myths "These poems shimmer with revelatory intensity, approaching us from all sides to immerse us in the America that America so often forgets." -- Gregory Pardlo" Counting Descent is more than brilliant. More than lyrical. More than bluesy. More than courageous. It is terrifying in its ability to at once not hide and show readers why it wants to hide so badly. These poems mend, meld and imagine with weighted details, pauses, idiosyncrasies and word patterns I've never seen before." -- Kiese Laymon, Author of Long Division Clint Smith's debut poetry collection, Counting Descent , is a coming of age story that seeks to complicate our conception of lineage and tradition. "Do you know what it means for your existence to be defined by someone else's intentions?" Smith explores the cognitive dissonance that results from belonging to a community that unapologetically celebrates black humanity while living in a world that often renders blackness a caricature of fear. His poems move fluidly across personal and political histories, all the while reflecting on the social construction of our lived experiences. Smith brings the reader on a powerful journey forcing us to reflect on all that we learn growing up, and all that we seek to unlearn moving forward.
LC Classification NumberPS3619.M5C6 2016
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- Dec 25, 2019
quality poetry collection in excellent condition
This Clint Smith poetry collection is a worthy readVerified purchase: YesCondition: New
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