What do you think?
Hold What Makes You Whole
Rest like the sun
Schedule some time to stay out of sight when too many people praise warm energy ...
THE BOOK.
Poet Laureate Marcus Amaker 's (he/him) tenth book, Hold What Makes You Whole , is a pocket-sized full-color collection of new and selected works from an award-winning opera librettist, musician, and graphic designer. Hold What Makes You Whole is a 200-page compilation of jazz, Blackness, self care, fatherhood, Star Wars, social justice, music, and memory. Along with the audiobook and e-book, the Hold project also features short films, two full-length albums, and an interactive website. On the cover of the book is Amaker's great-great aunt Ruth Robinson, a poet and community leader who published her first book at the age of 65. Robinson passed in 2020 when she was 94 years old. "It's an honor to introduce you to her Spirit," Amaker said.
THE AUTHOR.
Marcus Amaker is a husband, a dad, a son, a music nerd, and a Star Wars obsessive. He served as the first Poet Laureate of Charleston, South Carolina, from 2016-22. In 2021, he became an Academy of American Poets fellow. His work has been recognized by The Washington Post , The Kennedy Center, American Poets Magazine , Chicago Opera Theater, The Portland Opera, Button Poetry, NPR, The Chicago Tribune , Edutopia, Town & Country , PBS NewsHour , South Carolina Public Radio, Charleston Magazine , Charleston City Paper, Post and Courier , and more.
He's also a prolific performer, the award-winning graphic designer, a musician, an opera librettist, the creator of a poetry festival, a teaching artist, and an advocate for youth poets. His poetry was used by the Washington National Opera for its Presidential Inauguration Day Concert in 2021. In addition to more than 40 independent electronic music albums, Marcus' poem "The Rain" is on two Grammy-nominated records. He lives in North Charleston, SC, with his wife, their daughter, and a cat named after Wu-Tang Clan.
Schedule some time to stay out of sight when too many people praise warm energy ...
THE BOOK.
Poet Laureate Marcus Amaker 's (he/him) tenth book, Hold What Makes You Whole , is a pocket-sized full-color collection of new and selected works from an award-winning opera librettist, musician, and graphic designer. Hold What Makes You Whole is a 200-page compilation of jazz, Blackness, self care, fatherhood, Star Wars, social justice, music, and memory. Along with the audiobook and e-book, the Hold project also features short films, two full-length albums, and an interactive website. On the cover of the book is Amaker's great-great aunt Ruth Robinson, a poet and community leader who published her first book at the age of 65. Robinson passed in 2020 when she was 94 years old. "It's an honor to introduce you to her Spirit," Amaker said.
THE AUTHOR.
Marcus Amaker is a husband, a dad, a son, a music nerd, and a Star Wars obsessive. He served as the first Poet Laureate of Charleston, South Carolina, from 2016-22. In 2021, he became an Academy of American Poets fellow. His work has been recognized by The Washington Post , The Kennedy Center, American Poets Magazine , Chicago Opera Theater, The Portland Opera, Button Poetry, NPR, The Chicago Tribune , Edutopia, Town & Country , PBS NewsHour , South Carolina Public Radio, Charleston Magazine , Charleston City Paper, Post and Courier , and more.
He's also a prolific performer, the award-winning graphic designer, a musician, an opera librettist, the creator of a poetry festival, a teaching artist, and an advocate for youth poets. His poetry was used by the Washington National Opera for its Presidential Inauguration Day Concert in 2021. In addition to more than 40 independent electronic music albums, Marcus' poem "The Rain" is on two Grammy-nominated records. He lives in North Charleston, SC, with his wife, their daughter, and a cat named after Wu-Tang Clan.
- GenresPoetry
202 pages, Paperback
Published April 4, 2023
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
August 3, 2023
Poems about experiences, politics, and life. Read it you will find something that touches your heart and provokes an "aha" moment.
March 1, 2024
"You are already the God that God intended." Wow, what a gorgeous, heartfelt collection of poetry. It reminded me of Ross Gay.
July 31, 2026
I’m usually intimidated by poetry, however this was easy to follow and read through. Some of my favorite poems were:
Gerridae(Self Portrait, Part 5)
Kinfolk
The Word Supreme Has Been Canceled
The United States of Anxiety
The America I Know Could Use A Good Cry
Quotes I Loved:
“It’s not the commotion that clogs your mind, it’s the choice you keep making to listen to it.” Pg 69
“Throw something away you thought you couldn’t live without. Turn its memory-triggered touch into trash.” Pg 108
“How did I learn to be okay with toxic thought?” PG 153
“Just like a man: Arrogant and privileged doing everything in his perched-up patriarchal power to try and steal a woman’s spotlight.” Pg 156
Gerridae(Self Portrait, Part 5)
Kinfolk
The Word Supreme Has Been Canceled
The United States of Anxiety
The America I Know Could Use A Good Cry
Quotes I Loved:
“It’s not the commotion that clogs your mind, it’s the choice you keep making to listen to it.” Pg 69
“Throw something away you thought you couldn’t live without. Turn its memory-triggered touch into trash.” Pg 108
“How did I learn to be okay with toxic thought?” PG 153
“Just like a man: Arrogant and privileged doing everything in his perched-up patriarchal power to try and steal a woman’s spotlight.” Pg 156
July 9, 2024
Beautiful….profound…..moving.
September 27, 2024
Truly magnificent poetry - one of those collections you force yourself to savor.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews