Woke Up No Light
woke up no light is a Black girlās saunter turned to a womanās defiant strut. These are the hymns of a new generation of poetry. Young, alive, yearning. A mouth swung open and ready to devour. A quest for home in a world that knows only wasteland and wanting.
Moving in sections from āgirlhoodā to āneighborhoodā to āfalsehoodā to, finally, āwomanhood,ā these poems reckon with themes of reparations, restitution, and desire. The collection is sharp and raw, wise and rhythmic, a combination that lights up each page. From unearthing histories to searching for ways to dream of a future in a world constantly on the brink of disaster, this young poet sets forth personal and political revelation with piercing detail.
woke up no light confirms Leila Mottleyās arrival and demonstrates the enduring power of her voiceābrave and distinctive and thoroughly her own.