boy maybe: poems

by W.J. Lofton

51 achingly eloquent poems from a young Cave Canem W. J. Lofton's verses explore Black queer Southern identity, grief, love, and intimacy while enduring and witnessing unfreedom in America

W. J. Lofton writes vivid, accessible poems that channel the energy, urgency, ambitions, joys, and sorrows of a young Black queer artist. They are about love and flirtation, sweet tea and hot sauce, God and family, life and death, police brutality and extrajudicial killings. His verses honor some of the young lives extinguished by these killings—Breonna Taylor, Kendrick Johnson, Ahmaud Arbery. He also pays tribute to some of the towering figures of Black culture who have come before him—Richard Pryor, Assata Shakur. His style is endlessly propulsive, informed by some of the Harlem Renaissance greats—Langston Hughes, Gwendolyn Brooks—but also transforming that rich tradition for the present day.

Genres: Poetry, Queer, LGBT

88 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 25, 2025

Reviews

[Natalie Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Written in a language born from grief, Lofton powerfully captures the heavy burden of life after heartache, injustice, and loss. Each page bleeds with the raw pain of suffering, as if the words themselves carry the weight of broken lives. Through his emotional and honest cries, Lofton paints a world where sorrow isn’t just an event but a constant, lingering presence. Consider it a deep dive into despair, exploring its depths with an unflinching honesty that is both heartbreaking and beautiful.

[Jose Vazquez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was waiting for the day this book floated into my home since the pre-order. For the halls of queer poetry, this should stand proudly in the test of time. Lofton's careful words drip into a pot of hibiscus, sex, honey tea, bloodied tears, love, longing, and dashes of nostalgia (parts bitter, parts sweet). Two poems that have a hold on me are (1) petting the dog - lord, what a way to drive how men can treat our souls and (2) double u, double d - visceral gleams of summer evenings on the front yard. 5 stars, order it nowww.

[Joshua Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

“boy maybe: poems” is a timeless work of art. From the very first page, I was ensnared by the careful weight of every word, each line resonating with a quiet power that lingers long after reading. This is a book I’ll return to, again and again, a reference for years to come. It speaks to the shared human experience, capturing our collective truths, while also revealing the singular, unspoken insights that only W.J. Loften’s art—born from life itself—can offer.

[Brandon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Glad to have found an ARC of this, Lofton writes with such open queerness and tenderness when talking about the loss, love, and labored grief of being a black and gay american.

Definitely pick this up on publication!

Some favorites:

after each death
property
petting the dog
the flower will make its debut when everyone is dying
would you kill God too?
butcher shop

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

W.J. Lofton’s Boy Maybe is nothing short of a masterpiece. This collection offers an intimate exploration of self, seamlessly blending personal reflection with universal themes. Lofton’s writing resonates deeply, drawing readers into a world where vulnerability and strength coexist beautifully.

The work captures the complexity of the human experience, with each page offering something new—whether it's a thought-provoking insight, a heartfelt moment, or a poignant twist of perspective. Lofton’s ability to reflect on identity, love, and belonging makes Boy Maybe a truly remarkable body of work.

What excites me most is the potential of what’s to come. Lofton’s storytelling is boundless, and if this collection is any indication, we are in for more rich, layered narratives in the future. I can’t wait to see what comes next!

[jane bro]

this collection is full of gentleness and anger. it is unashamed in exploring the joy and tragedy of living in a queer body in a place that resists that existence. it is an indictment of the reader to look closer at the body without touching it—to just witness. there is beauty in witnessing something without turning away and there is responsibility. there is a spirit of tenderness running through this collection that i am honored to have felt. very proud of my homie and poet colleague for this gorgeous ensemble of a work. <3

[Dominic Anthony · Rating 5 out of 5]

boy maybe is a critical work of art andessential reading for anyone exploring what it means to decolonize the self. Brilliantly and painfully composed, it carries the reader through a visceral journey of queerness, Blackness, and boyhood (maybe) in America. These poems will break you open and begin to mend you within the same stanza. Lofton writes with raw honesty and deep tenderness, crafting a collection that holds space for both reckoning and care. This is a book that will reverberate through the zeitgeist of contemporary poetry.

[Karen Lee]

"boy maybe:" is a gift to the Black queer archive. W. J. Lofton’s work is a tender altar to intimacy, love, touch; sacred tribute to our unalived kin and a hymnal of broken silences. Lofton calls abuse by name in families and imperium, wielding repetition with the clarity of a blade. Lines rich and unforgettable pierce in their breaking. Humorous offerings allow readers the wherewithal to rise, having been slain so thoroughly, again and again.
 
Karen Lee

[lauren jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

we all have a story worth telling. yet we don’t all possess the craft and attention to execute the telling of our stories well. in boy maybe: poems, W. J. Lofton alchemizes memory, a heightened awareness of his lived experiences and pure craft to gives us the invitation to feel. again. an invitation to remember, to acknowledge, and risk our own hearts so that we may unravel our own possibilities for evolving.

[Luke Gorham · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sometimes I just have to accept I'm wrong. Danez Smith, Chen Chen, K. Iver, and Jericho Brown all rave-blurbed this one. I couldn't get there. Felt overblown and indulgent to me, self-consciously all-caps in its syntactical and dictional style, and tough to get into a rhythm with language this hyper-emphasized. So yeah, could just be me. (Or could be a goodwill backslap from compatriot poets. Who knows.)

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is not only radical but transformative . W.j Lofton finds a way in every book to push the boundaries of poetry . He so skillfully combines punctuation and wordplay in such dynamic and impactful ways that make every story unique in their own right . This is a book for non writers and writers ; it is something to cherish and study.

[Ashley Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

boy maybe is a wonder. This collection holds those of us who are Black and queer tight, and shares truths simultaneously sharp and sweet. I know I will return to boy maybe again and again. We are lucky to have a voice like W. J. Lofton’s in the world.

[Joshua McCoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent collection. The language is devastating, yet holds you dear. Sometimes heavy, but only because we don't often hold our humanity in this way. I was touched deeply by this work. I hope you will be, too.

[Elizabeth Woodson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a stunning work, one that immediately draws you in, from any and all lived experiences. It is an honor to be immersed in the world(s) WJ Lofton creates. You won’t want the book to end. Read it today!! Don’t wait.

[Elizabeth Stoltz · Rating 4 out of 5]

A powerful read. So glad to have gotten an ARC. Beautiful and heartbreak written well.

[Jasmine Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been completely captivated by W.J. Loften's use of the page and the word to translate and transform the world around me. I’m excited to finish and restart!

[Emily Wall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every carefully chosen word is so heavy in this book of poetry. Thought-provoking, enraging, and evocative!

[Kier Garner · Rating 5 out of 5]

To see and be seen. As a gay black boy myself, reading it felt like a guide. My life made beautiful, sometimes pain can be made beautiful. Sometimes even from the smallest of moments can become something bigger and lasting. The words? Beautiful. The writing, honest and bold. Things felt but never said. The poems flow so well, it’s as if you can hear a melody in your head while reading it. A book that will pass the test of time for sure!

[Mya Matteo]

"understanding / crawls into chests: life must only be half brutal."

gorgeous work per usual, W.J.

[Dobby Morse · Rating 5 out of 5]

explored Black queer life

[Mira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you for the ARC! I enjoyed these poems for their stylistic creativity and the pain and hope buried within so many of them.