Under a Soprano Sky [Paperback]

Sonia Sanchez (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1987 | ISBN-10: 0865430535 | ISBN-13: 978-0865430532

Sanchez is undoubtedly one of the most under appreciated poets writing today. Her pristine lyricism combined with her strong voice and black female themes make her special.

Product Details

• Paperback: 101 pages
• Publisher: Africa World Pr (August 1987)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0865430535
• ISBN-13: 978-0865430532
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,570,211 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

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sanchez soars in "Under a Soprano Sky", March 27, 2000

By 

epiphany7 (NYC Metro) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Under a Soprano Sky (Paperback)

"Under a Soprano Sky" is indeed food for thought. In this collection, Sanchez speaks on a variety of subjects, ranging from political to personal. She captures her reader with a brilliant display of verbal acrobatics, and uses her linguistic prowess to minister to her audience on (arguably) the most powerful of human emotions - love, anger and fear. There is quite a variety of poetry in this collection, ranging from poems that read like prose, to haiku. The wide variety of subjects and styles contained in "Under a Soprano Sky" showcase Ms. Sanchez's skills quite well. . Of all the Sanchez works that I have read to date, this is by far the most colorful, compelling and comprehensive of them all. So, whether you are have been a fan of Sanchez's for years and are familiar with a number of her works, or you are looking for your first Sanchez reader, "Under a Soprano Sky" is an excellent choice.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sanchez soars in "Under a Soprano Sky", March 27, 2000

By 

epiphany7 (NYC Metro) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Under a Soprano Sky (Hardcover)

"Under a Soprano Sky" is indeed food for thought. In this collection, Sanchez speaks on a variety of subjects, ranging from political to personal. She captures her reader with a brilliant display of verbal acrobatics, and uses her linguistic prowess to minister to her audience on (arguably) the most powerful of human emotions - love, anger and fear. There is quite a variety of poetry in this collection, ranging from poems that read like prose, to haiku. The wide variety of subjects and styles contained in "Under a Soprano Sky" showcase Ms. Sanchez's skills quite well. Of all the Sanchez works that I have read to date, this is by far the most colorful, compelling and comprehensive of them all. So, whether you are have been a fan of Sanchez's for years and are familiar with a number of her works, or you are looking for your first Sanchez reader, "Under a Soprano Sky" is an excellent choice.

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful poetry from a Great!, March 11, 2006

By 

C. A. Van Leigh-Synclaire (Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Under a Soprano Sky (Hardcover)

Reading Sonia Sanchez, is like running free with your home-girls on a Saturday evening, dressed to the nines, a purse full of money and no particular place to go; except the desire to just get out of the damn house and paint the town red! I first encountered Sanchez about five or more years ago after seeing the movie Lovejones staring Nia Long and Larenz Tate. There's a scene in the movie where Nia recites one of Sanchez's pieces "Poem #3."

I gather up

each sound

you left behind

and stretch them

on our bed

each nite

I breathe you

and become high.

I remember the fact that it was poetry caused me to run and look Sonia up to gather more information about her work. I read a couple of her pieces and of course at that time I didn't feel that there was anything special about her work so I bypassed her until about a year ago I ran across the same piece and this time I was caught. I can never fully explain what or why I was captured, but from that day forward I became a semi-supporter of her work. I've spent much time creating my own poetic pieces and dipping into the poetic mist every now and then to pay homage to these greats, but not too much, until I happened across this new collection of pieces by Sanchez entitled Under a Soprano Sky.

"haiku (for the police on osage ave)" tickled my fancy right off the bat. For some particular reason I didn't bother to start at the beginning of the book, preferring instead to just thumb through it and read wherever my eyes fell. This piece touches something inside of me as far as imagery/imagination is concerned and word usage.

they came eating their

own mouths orgiastic teeth

smiling crucifixions

I won't bother getting in depth with this jank other than to say that the imagery birthed within my head after reading a line like "own mouths orgiastic teeth / smiling crucifixions" is priceless. There is a simplicity that Sanchez has that never ceases to amaze me. I find myself having the urge to jump up and down at certain turns of phrases or lines that appear scattered throughout her work. To take something as simple as police cruising up and down a street in the neighborhood, seemingly, looking for a reason to stop someone or anything else; though the action itself is simple and of no importance to us, the way she paints it here in just 17 syllables gives a new life and perception to the situation.

"3x3 Carl: a Black man Speaks" is next in my choice of pieces that engaged my attention. Along with her ability for simplistic genius is her charming way of stating the truth; whether it be concerning lost love or domestic abuse, there isn't any hedging or for that matter shunning from these subjects, instead Sanchez tackles them with gusto giving us pieces like this. She has the ability to pull me in and persuade me to agree with everything written down to the last word. There wasn't just one line in this piece that made me think; it was the entire piece itself, a perfectly summarized fact of what a black man is.

i come from white shadows that hide my indigence

i come from walking streets that are detoured

i come from pushing wagons that do not turn

i come from indifference

i come from uncut cloth that patterns me

i come from vague violets gift-wrapped by slum parked thoughts

i come from hate.

i come from men who assume no responsibility

i come from their wives who claw in the darkness

i come from white spit foaming with militant bubbles

i come from hell.

I can't continue without stating that I feel as though Under a Soprano Sky is presented as quintessential food not only for thought but for the soul; fuel to speed thoughts that give birth to ideas and/or actions.

Sanchez's ability to project simplicity, imagery and fresh word usage literally left me hungry for more.

"Africa Poem No.4," gave insight into the activist/political side of Sanchez that has been prevalent since the late 60's; sending here down a path of promoting the teaching and remembrance of black heritage as well as the troubles happening everyday in the African nation. Once again I'm pulled in by the smooth way she presents her distaste of the U.S. and other nations supporting senseless killings and other atrocities when she says:

Let us send guns to explode indulgencies.

No frontal checks.

Or other subjects like abortion:

i see cities heavy

with abortions.

I tap it and tase

our flow. Sweet. Wasted

tapestry.

The beautiful, cut-to-the-chase manner Sanchez employs in this book and throughout all of her work is a refreshing step away from the more traditional forms of poetry. Her ability to vary correct word usage with forays into black slang is like adding seasoning to an otherwise bland pot of gumbo. The book in general has no specific theme, in that it covers the spectrum from love and hate to joy and pain, as well as personal and political. I recommend this book highly to any person, spontaneous in personality and mindset; any person willing to think `outside of the box.' Under a Soprano Sky is a breathless work of art that fuses down-to-earth truth with airy thoughts and ideas. Reading Sanchez brings to mind a familiar quote I'm often using at the end of my pieces: `Poet a Nasciture, non fit' a poet is born not made.