Though we all have a seat at this bounteous table of linguistic riches, Smith makes certain we realize the importance of acknowledging the past and understand that it may not be our table. This book was titled homie because i don’t want non-black people to say my nig out loud.įrom the outset we’re aware of the power of language, the codes we employ, the subtleties of who can say what. Yet before we start reading these striking and mighty poems, Smith lets us know the stakes-and their boundaries-with this “note on the title”: Smith is skilled in connecting complicated emotions to create a finely woven tapestry that is above all else true and emotionally honest. Of the great pleasures of Danez Smith’s third collection, Homie (Graywolf Press, January 2020), are the many moments of wistful intimacies in quotidian experiences that are intertwined with their dynamic oratorical style.
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