Close to Death: Poems

by Patricia Smith

Homicide, drug abuse, and AIDS-related deaths have forced black male life expectancy into a steady decline. In New York City, black males have long been considered expendable. Young men who feel they have run out of options, whose bravado indicates they are no longer afraid to die, wear baseball caps emblazoned with "C2D," for close to death. This chilling cry comes from those who expect to lose their lives violently without ever having a chance to live. Close to Death , a book of poems amplifying the voices and souls of black men at various stages of their lives, is a poetic requiem for those who struggle against the odds, for those who have resigned themselves to death, and for those already gone.

Genres: Poetry

128 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1998

Reviews

[Mills College Library]

811.54 S6563c 1993

[Karen]

This is the second of Smith's collections to be included in our Year 2 IB Literature curriculum. The poems, which explore the events and experiences that diminish Black men's lives, are organized in four sections: Close, Closer, Closest, Closed. Some of the works address the famous and infamous; the author shares her perspective on figures such as Richard Pryor, Emmett Till, and Rodney King. Smith's poetry also fans out beyond its subject to address the effects upon those who associate with Black men (friends or foes). Smith's style, which amplifies the sound-based techniques in poetry, creates a range of tones to pull the reader into a perilous environment. The collection is important reading for teachers, as it provides insight into a world that educators may never experience. "Close to Death" is also essential reading for students as it gives voice to a population that is too often misunderstood.

[Julene]

I had to read this book slowly, a couple of poems at a a time, because these poems are so powerful. Start with her latest book Blood Dazzler, that is the powerhouse about Katrina that was nominated for the National Book Award.

[Tasha]

She does it again.