Head Off and Split - Late

The imagery of this book is incredible, the narratives being shared, and the weight that comes with them. I had some knowledge of Hurricane Katrina, I lived through it as a little girl and as a teenager participated in workshops to understand systemic oppression and the abandonment of Black americans. When disaster hits, the president won’t save us, this was saying was made true in the reaction by the Bush administration, reading this book adds fuel to the slow burning anger in my belly and resentment of this government, this American-way-of-being, how I wish I could reject this aspect of our identity, individualism.

I felt like this book should be included in a class that focuses on historiography, it definitely is a perspective on an America many times is left out, even recent history. The style of these poems be narrative not only convey the emotion held heavy in poetry it also gave context which I am truly grateful for. Beginning with the resurrection of the errand girl to the final poem of Head off and Split, truly a work of art with so much intention, I did not appreciate in my first time reading. I would like to write like like this, with intention, something worthy of studying. Especially after her “Instruction, Final: To Brown Poets from Black Girl with Silver Leica” I decided to look up the definition of southing and I found myself pleased with its meaning, as it connects so well to the history of being forced across the sea, the African diaspora. Feeling as though I am looking south, or in the past, at this long trudges path, once coming to an end the personification of this fish and it’s meaning, or journey out of the water.