Shake Loose My Skin: New and Selected Poems (Bluestreak) [Paperback]

Sonia Sanchez (Author)

Book Description

Series: Bluestreak | Publication Date: April 7, 2000

An extraordinary retrospective covering over thiry years of work, SHAKE LOOSE MY SKIN is a stunning testament to the literary, sensual, and political powers of the award-winning Sonia Sanchez.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Mapping out an education that starts with a "Homecoming"?"I have been a/ way so long/ once after college/ I returned tourist/ style to watch all/ the niggers killing/ themselves"?and arrives at a "Love Poem" that asks, "where are the fathers/ strutting their furlined/ intellect bowing their/ faces in the crotch/ of academia," Sanchez avoids many of the poetic pitfalls that an explicit political agenda can entail. This gathering, including work from six previous collections, highlights Sanchez's range: prose poems investigate disenfranchised lives, from a lover strung out on dope to a hate-crime victim whose home has been spray-painted with the predictably horrifying epithets, while lyrics move down the page in sinewy lines that seem to pluck living speech from air. But it is love, or the lack therof, that is at the heart of the book. Sanchez's language is restless in seeking it out, shuttling back and forth from a gritty black vernacular in "Towhomitmayconcern" ("git yo/ self fattened up man/ you gon be doing battle with me/ ima gonna stake you out") to the jazzy nomenclature of "This Is not a Small Voice" ("This is the voice of La Tanya./ Kadesha. Shaniqua. This/ is the voice of Antoine./ Darryl. Shaquille.") Such polyvocal lyrics celebrate the breadth of black culture, and probe the silences of bigotry. Like June Jordan, Sanchez is at her best when enacting power struggles rather than merely rallying political support in easy battlecries, as some of these poems do. This collection should draw wide attention to the consistency of Sanchez's achievement, and to the success of her formal adaptations, like the recent "Blues Haikus": "am I yo philly/ outpost? man when you sail in/ to my house, you docked."
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Known as one of the leaders of the Black Arts movement, Sanchez, nominated for a National Book Critics Circle Award for Does Your House Have Lions? (LJ 4/1/97), has indeed been called a "lion in literature's forest" by Maya Angelou. In the tapestry of American literature, her work represents the underlying influence of African American history and emerges as a bold example of an experimental and revolutionary poetic form. By imitating the language of everyday speech, Sanchez solidifies the sound of the black American voice and places it more firmly in our literary canon. This retrospective of 30 years of work leaves one in awe of the stretches of language Sanchez has helped to legitimize throughout her career, language that carries the struggles of poverty, abandonment, racism, and drugs and offers a place of refuge and a path to hope. This book is highly recommended for YA and general collections.?Ann K. van Buren, New York Univ.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 168 pages
• Publisher: Beacon Press; 1 edition (April 7, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0807068535
• ISBN-13: 978-0807068533
• Product Dimensions: 5.4 x 0.4 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #244,873 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Sonia Sanchez--poet, activist, scholar--was the Laura Carnell Professor of English and Women's Studies at Temple University. She is the recipient of both the Robert Frost Medal for distinguished lifetime service to American poetry and the Langston Hughes Poetry Award. One of the most important writers of the Black Arts Movement, Sanchez is the author of sixteen books.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sonia Sanchez--A Poet for All Seasons!, October 31, 2002

By 

Books for Us "B4U" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shake Loose My Skin: New and Selected Poems (Bluestreak) (Paperback)

Not many people know it, but Sonia Sanchez actually taught one of the first Black Studies courses in the nation. She was also a key participant in the Black Arts Movement's during the 1960s with Amiri Baraka and several others. Her career, spanning nearly four decades, is absolutely amazing and the gift that she has given to succeeding generations is invaluable. Sonia's words are like food for the soul. They are Spirit-full and resonant with the myriad voices and influences of our Ancestors. She speaks directly to the spiritual and cultural needs of the people, lifting as she climbs, beckoning us to become whole; to root out from the Earth such evils like racism, sexism, elitism, classism, and homophobia. One cannot read Sonia's words without being moved or touched deeply to the core. She inspires us to free ourselves from our victim mentality and, more importantly, she teaches us how to 'wake.' Every poem incites one to act; to love just a little bit better or deeper; to help to maintain this Earth. Sonia raises the consciousness of all of her readers and listeners. As poet, Maya Angelou, might note, she has truly helped to make the world a much more peaceful place to live in. I love ALL of Sonia's books of poetry and recommend her to anyone who is interested in reading more about this beautiful, humble Spirit, this legendary icon and living legend. :) Catch a piece of Sonia's "fire," step into your own Divine destiny, and finally be made whole.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Step into an unforgettable world., February 22, 2002

By 

Cassaundra Gray (Augusta, GA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shake Loose My Skin: New and Selected Poems (Bluestreak) (Paperback)

If you love words. The way they feel in your mouth and glide off of your tongue. If the sweet nectar of vocabulary leaves you feeling intoxicated and mello, then prepare yourself for the experience of a lifetime. Step into the world of Sonya Sanchez as she teases you with the vernacular of a master poet, mother, woman, sister, professor, matriarch of the genre. Her work will leave you embracing your thoughts and lavishing in the afterglow of her words. A must read for every connoisseur of literature.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Unique Style from a Literary Soul, May 11, 2003

By 

The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers (RAWSISTAZ.com and BlackBookReviews.net) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shake Loose My Skin: New and Selected Poems (Bluestreak) (Paperback)

SHAKE LOOSE MY SKIN is a collection of Sonia Sanchez's poetry, past and present. Starting with 1978's I Have Been a Woman to a collection of her new recent pieces, Ms. Sanchez draws us into her unique world, one carrying a genuine wisdom and heartfelt soul. Several standouts in this collection include "Malcolm," "I Have Walked A Long Time," and "For Sweet Honey in the Rock." Each piece carries its own specific theme, style, and format and poetry fans and newcomers will not be disappointed with the offerings that lie within this book.

Shake Loose My Skin is a literary diamond from Ms. Sanchez. Her passion and style shine through her work and readers will enjoy this collection. Ms. Sanchez is one poet that truly stands out with a unique style that lies within her literary soul

Reviewed by Kanika (Nika) Wade