Lunatic

by Crystal Williams

Crystal Williams’ new collection, Lunatic , courageously roots out the underbelly of the human condition with humor, irony, and unflinching directness. Williams confronts large-scale social and cultural events such as September 11, the death of Amadou Diallo, and the Chicago Race Riots in addition to exploring the often paralyzing terrain of loss, desire, and displacement. Among its most common themes is personal responsibility. The interpretation of personal narratives affects not only the self, Williams insists, but reverberates with epic consequences in the wider world. Pointing to James Baldwin’s The Fire Next Time , Williams questions the dark side of human experience with clarity, compassion, and even laughter. Ultimately, Lunatic explores how the public and private converge and how we can each reach, boldly, for reconciliation.

Genres: Poetry

69 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2002

Reviews

[Mal · Rating 2 out of 5]

(For class) These poems are about Williams life and how she was treated as a colored woman. Overall it was an okay read! My favorite poem from this book was “Poem for Rosa”.

[Stephanie]

So far, a provocative book that's helping me think and feel more intelligently (if one can feel intelligently) about race as an experience.