mahogany

takes its name from the dark wood prized for its durability, workability, and elegant look, and from the Diana Ross movie, whose theme song asks if what lies ahead is what you really want. This book is the third in a trilogy, and like the first two books it is steeped in pop music. Each poem here takes its title from a line of a Diana Ross and The Supremes song, as well as songs from Diana Ross' solo career. Short lines flow down the page like postmodern psalms, connecting dailyness to timelessness, merging the historical and the beloved through reverence for family, music, and the life we actually live. is a lament for the passing of time and unimaginable loss, and at the same time it models the daily search for joy, and the deep shine that can arise from the darkest times.[sample poem] sometimes i feel like the pink pantherall naked and pinklost in the morass ofdo the best you can todayand nigga heal thy selfour end of winterspirits breaklike old tibetan snowi rememberyou was conflictedand i found myself alonehere on my ancient hurtthe disquieting humof living historydear god, pleaseput my head above my heartwe can only be togetherif the stories are toldplain facesame instrumentjust a couple of coke bottlesfull of gasolinelike god and rainis a waste of timemy mother used to clean housesas a childsome days i can barelyget out of bedin my mindshe's like diana rossscrubbing the white lady's stairsin lady sings the bluesexcept prettierand with green eyesi've just been livingoff of cough dropsand water and angerjust sitting in the whole foodsparking lot eating pineapplei am literallythe definition of "hot mess"pain changes everythingsomebody comeand pick upmy limp bodyoff the groundi am dyinga slow ohio deathwe miss you starmanit's our first sunrise of the burn* "dark side of the world"erica lewis