Being a Strong Woman CAN GET U KILLED!!Being a Strong Woman CAN GET U KILLED!! by Laini Mataka Black Classic Press, January January: see month. 2001, $11.95, ISBN ISBN abbr. International Standard Book Number ISBN International Standard Book Number ISBN n abbr (= International Standard Book Number) → ISBN m 1-574-78002-6 In her third collection of poetry, D.C. poet, Laini Mataka, courageously cou·ra·geous adj. Having or characterized by courage; valiant. See Synonyms at brave. cou·ra  geous·ly adv. and without guilt, defies the belief that poetry and
politics don't mix. She offers a collection that deals with the
ills, born of racism and sexism sex·ism n. 1. Discrimination based on gender, especially discrimination against women. 2. Attitudes, conditions, or behaviors that promote stereotyping of social roles based on gender. , that have migrated from the cotton fields to the boardroom and into the bedroom. Unfortunately, the serious subject matter is often jeopardized by incessant wordiness word·y adj. word·i·er, word·i·est 1. Relating to or consisting of words; verbal. 2. Tending to use, using, or expressed in more words than are necessary to convey meaning. . Themes of white hostility and unfulfilled male/female relationships dominate the work with many poems lacking verbal freshness and universality. More effective pieces are near the end of the book, but some may close the book before they even get to the gems hidden inside. Their change in tone and verbal devices suggest that these poems were written at an entirely different time. Mataka's bare use of language in "A Nowtime Revelation" allows the imagination to run free when she says, "the fruit u are holding in yr hand / is all there is / not the seed it was / or the dust it will become." Unfortunately, lines like these are few. |
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