This collection is so incredibly expansive, not only in the range of the time period Smith is writing but also in her topics, ranging from her experience being a black woman, police brutality, the destruction of Hurricane Katrina, and growing up with Motown as an ever-present current in her life. These poems are fire, are urgent, are playful, and will stick with you long after reading.
The Intentions of Thunder by Patricia Smith, (List Price: $30, Scribner, 9781668055724, September 2025)
Reviewed by Morgan, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, NC