Shook. That’s the only way I can describe this. Her poems pierce the heart. The one about raising a black son made me stop and pause. I could feel the love, hope, and mostly pain of raising a son that the outside world sees as a threat. My son is 2, but it’s something I’ve already thought about. At what point is he no longer “cute”, but a potential threat to police and world at large? Nevermind, his parents are lawyers and professionals. Raw truths were served and I was here for every single moment.

The way she talks about trauma and rape and the daily brutalities black women face every single day I know every single black woman has gone through at some point in her life. The hair woes, colorism, etc.. Her poetry exploring the history mental health mistreatment black women faced in institutions and during slavery was eye opening. I can’t imagine experiencing “experiments” in my body without any pain medication or regard for my life because black women don’t feel pain. Good god.

And of course, there’s love. Falling in and out of love. Heartbreak. Bitterness. Moving on.

My soul needed this.

Black Girl Call Home is a powerful collection of writings and poems. This collection was so unique and unlike anything I have ever read before. I found myself bookmarking multiple poems and passages as I was moved by the words. I will definitely be reading this again and again! Highly recommend.

I pray that Black Girl, Call Home, rides the current wave of enthusiasm for Amanda Gorman where poetry is accessible and touches people in profound ways and reaches souls who don’t normally reach for poetry. Superb, absorbing, astonishing and revolutionary words for everyone. This book is a honor to read and deserves to be a best seller.

Loved this book! So many important topics covered: race, same sex relationships, and more. The voice of this author is beautiful. As with most poetry it’s a quick read but it is definitely a book worth rereading and revisiting. Beautiful

One of the aspects of poetry that I enjoy the most is getting a snapshot of the author’s experience. This book provided exactly that. Each poem was a flash into a moment of life and the heart of being a woman, race, family, home, and identity. It brings about a deep level of understanding in a few short and evocative words.

-`ˏ 5 stars ˎ´˗

Storyline: -`ˏ 10/10 ˎ´˗
A collection of compelling modern poetry that explores topics involving race, pop culture, sexuality, feminism, and mental health.
Characters : -`ˏ 9/10 ˎ´˗
There are no definitive answers. Anyone can identify with one or more poetry especially those in the black community.
Atmosphere : -`ˏ 8/10 ˎ´˗
I was hit with a warm wave of nostalgia reading “Momma Has a Hair Salon in the Kitchen” until the phrases “hold ya head still” and “Don’t make me pop you” appeared. *flashback* It was the early 2000s, hours passing by still trapped between my mother’s legs. Fear constantly flows through my spine with each instant of the comb hot. With only my hands protecting me, I pray quietly until I am released...Each of her poems made me feel a kind of emotion rather than it could be narrated.
Language : -`ˏ 10/10 ˎ´˗
Nothing more than praise for the poet Jasmine Mans. Her writing is extremely powerful and lyric.
Enjoyment : -`ˏ 10/10 ˎ´˗
Some of my favorites:
Speak to Me of My Mother, Who Was She
Laughing Sanctuaries
Whitney: Fairy Godmother
Fascinations
1,000 questions on gender roles for a lesbian
Dear Ex-Lover
The Girl Who Didn't Die & Sandra Bland: A Different Story

This book of poetry felt really powerful. Mans covers painful and timely topics from the last few years. It's clear the passion that goes into each piece; the poems felt very personal while also (at times) being very relatable.

Black Girl, Call Home a book of poems by Jasmine Mans is a personal journey through race, feminism, and sexuality. Jasmine Mans is a Black American poet whose debut book of poetry Chalk Outlines of Snow Angels was first published in 2012. In her latest collection of poems, Mans explores the relationship between her sexuality and race and how they were shaped by her relationship with her mother and the importance of home. You see that from the first poem in the collection “I Ain’t Gon’ Be Bald-Headed No More” where it touches about the importance of hair especially when it relates to Black females and how her mother was going to make her pretty by styling her hair, to the last poem “Brown Marks” which equates female stretch marks to a map home.

Poetry is my first love, but I usually disdain most modern poetry. I grew up reading Langston Hughes and Walt Whitman. And have always wondered what happens to a dream deferred. Modern poetry does nothing for me, but I can recognize when something is profound and well written. I have very little in common with Jasmine Mans other than both of us being born female and neither of us identifying as straight, but there were poems in this volume that spoke to me in ways that very few modern poems do. Her mother could have been my mother braiding my hair for the first day of school so that, in my mind, I could look pretty.

Her poems also touch on famous Black celebrities: Jay-Z, Kanye, Serena Williams, and Whitney Houston. There is also a tribute to Michelle Obama and how very important Barack Obama’s presidency was and not only because he was the first African-American president, but because his presidency shone a light on his family and it gave little black girls everywhere someone to look up to. Someone who looked like them was in the White House and maybe someday it could be them.

My favorite poems, probably because I can relate to them more, are “Dear Ex-Lover” and “Invite Me.” The first is a letter written to an ex detailing how she’ll get over her ex by marrying a man and having a daughter. And the line “If she ever falls in love with a woman; I’ll love bravery down her spine,” is still taking up space in my mind. It’s a beautiful poem about raising our daughters to be braver than we ever hoped to be when it comes down to holding on to love. “Invite Me” is about holding on to the person we love until we become one.

So, no this isn’t my favorite book of poetry that I own, but I will revisit some of these poems.

**A digital copy was provided free of charge from NetGalley in return of a review

Black Girl, Call Home is a powerful, authentic collection of poetry from Jasmine Mans. Mans is a spoken word poet whose writing reflects her emotions in a focused rhythm. She tackles racism, police brutality, sexuality, mental health, and LGBTQ issues. Her pop culture references are brutally entertaining. This is a collection of thought-provoking poetry that will stay with you long after you read it. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC, all opinions are my own.

This book full of poems was absolutely beautiful. Easily relatable with poems about black hair, what a Black Mother expects of her Black Daughter, and what seeing Black women in the media means, etc.

I'm so happy that I read this.

this collection was short yet powerful. i liked how jasmine mans balanced out longer pieces with shorter pieces. i will be thinking about these for awhile. this is a list of some of the ones that really struck me:

- mortality and magic
- babies at the border
- fascinations
- bodies lost in history
- crazy
- monologue: mother yells at (insert name of black girl here)
- refusal
- like i got gold mines
- serena
- michelle obama

What an incredibly powerful collection of poems. They explore a variety of topics with such precision that as a Black woman, I truly felt seen in almost every one. You almost want to read each poem twice to savour each word and then take several moments afterwards to reflect. I felt so many emotions while reading and I commend Jasmine Mans for her vulnerability. I will definitely need to purchase a physical copy to keep on my bookshelf.

This is an outstanding collection of poetry from spoken word artist Jasmine Mans. Centering Blackness, queerness, feminism, family, and healing, this phenomenal collection is full of wit, candor, power, and vulnerability. Mans' remarkable grasp of timing, anticipation, and nuance will encourage readers to return to these evocative poems more than once.

Black Girl, Call Home
by Jasmine Mans
Pub date March 9, 2009

I can’t presume to be able to find the words - right or even adequate- to convey the beauty of this collection.

To say that’s this is merely a collection of poetry - I can’t.
It’s so much more.
It’s poetry, prose, discourse - yet compartmentalizing the words bound between the covers feels like forsaking the breadth of its whole.

At times, the pieces offered invoke a lyrical rythme prompting me to read aloud, pick up speed, sing. Move.

Then there are pieces where Mans creates tension that pulls your lens in sharpe focus to injustice and heart wrenching longing. Calling you in to look, listen, and sit in the uncomfortable knowing.

And then just as swiftly, Mans brings forth quiet and stillness - subtle and tender - holding me close in an accountable embrace.

It’s vivid. Crisp. Visceral. Cathartic. Healing.

And the genogram/ connectogram at the end - brilliant.
The images encapsulate relational dynamics punctuated by systemic and structural inequities framed around the psychosocial- emotional conceptualisation of oneself as part of and impacted by the whole.
It’s bloody brilliant.

These are my musings. Rudimentary. Insufficient.
My last remark - pls partake in this journey.

My thanks to Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for my advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Having just finished this book, I wanted to give my review while this amazing collection of poetry was still fresh on my mind.

While I am not a black woman, and definitely did not identify with some of these stories as I shouldn’t, I could feel the passion and connection that Mans gives off in her writing. I feel that, although I am again, not black, my black female friends and readers could pick this up and feel the words she writes. (Of course, this will not apply to all!).

As a woman, Mans wrote about the things that make it the most hard and the most beautiful for us to exist. Birth, motherhood, rape, slavery, political power, sisterhood, relationships and so much more. As the description says, this is a journey of a queer, black woman from Newark, and I feel like I know Jasmine personally after reading this.

There were several poems that I either couldn’t connect with because I had not lived in those shoes, or honestly, they just flew over my head. I’d definitely love to pick her brain on some of these, though!

Overall, I absolutely recommend this book. A must read for all women, young and old. Some of the poems made me tear up, made me smirk, or warmed my heart. I didn’t expect to love Black Girl, Call Home this much, but I sure did.

What a beautiful collection of Poetry from Jasmine Mans.
I'm a huge fan of poetry and lately I've been exposed to a lot of talented writers.
This book is like an amazing magical elixir.
The book touches on many subjects that are still important to this day. They included police brutality, mental health, being black in america, LGBTQ issues, rape culture, and many others. This book is one that you will definitely want to re-read over and over as each time you come back to revisit it, it will hit you differently.
Huge thanks to Netgalley for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Black Girl, Call Home by Jasmine Mans is a powerful collection of emotionally breathtaking poetry. The author’s ability to capture and convey emotion through her poems is amazing. The poems weave together themes of identity, race, feminism, and sexuality. I wanted to take my time and explore these poems slowly, but I found myself unable to put the book down. It certainly warrants a re-read and a further exploration. Some of my favorite poems included in this were “The Little Mermaid, “The Light,” “Dear First Lady,” and “South 14th Street: The Attic Window,” though all of them were emotionally gripping. I highly recommend this collection.

I received a copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley, which did not affect the content of my review. All opinions are my own.

This collection of poetry is stunning and powerful. There is a wide range of poems that speak to Black joy and pain, reflections of pop culture, and eloquently captures what it can be like to be a Black, queer woman in America.

Thank you netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Black Girl, Call Home is an absolutely stunning, fierce, and heart-wrenching collection of poetry by Jasmine Mans. Mans dives deeply into blackness, exploring topics such as police brutality, forced sterilization, and motherhood. Each is covered deftly and with nuance. This is a book that I would hand to any reader with an interest in poetry or the human condition.

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC of Black Girl, Call Home in exchange for an honest review.

From the moment I started reading this collection I could not stop. I haven't read as much poetry in my life as I would like and made it a point in 2021 to read more. I first heard about this collection from the Oprah magazine and immediately was drawn to it. I received the book in the afternoon and finished the book by 7pm! I barely pulled myself away even to make and eat dinner. This collection is so moving and powerful, tender, and raw. Many themes can be found within this pages: Relationships, the Geography of Family, Lesbian/Queer identity, Strength and Resilience, Death, Race, and Home. There is an urgency and tone to Mans' poetry that is memorable, I kept finding myself still thinking of an earlier poem as I started one later in the collection. The cadence and rhythm seems to build in intensity and you find yourself consuming every page until you reach the very end. Whether the poem is a single line, a haiku, or a longer - there is so much to connect with here. I'd like to see her poems used in high school literature classes because kids would understand and identify with her experiences and intensity. The poems are also approachable and timely, important to consider when finding reading material for students. This is a five star read for me!

This book will be part of Biggest Little Library Podcasts Spring New Releases Guide publishing 2/15/21 on our Patreon page https://www.patreon.com/biggestlittlelibrary for PUBLIC access, will drop on Goodreads 1 week before publication, will have a dedicated review on our website 1 week before publication, and will appear in a podcast episode or blog post on website biggestlittelibrary.net