Essential Poems by Pat Parker

by Pat Parker, SaraEllen Strongman (editor)

Renowned African-American, lesbian-feminist poet and performer Pat Parker wrote five collections of poetry during her lifetime, Jonestown & Other Madness, Movement in Black, Womanslaughter, Pit Stop, and Child of Myself. Parker’ s poems appeared in numerous journals, newspapers, and anthologies, and are collected in The Complete Works of Pat Parker. Known for her electric performances of her poems, including on the album Where Would I Be Without You from Olivia Records and Lesbian Concentrate, Parker enchanted audiences with her fire for justice and her belief in change. Parker’ s most loved poems are now collected in this accessible volume. Essential Poems by Pat Parker introduces new audiences to Parker’ s fire, passion, tenderness, and vision for the world.

Genres: Poetry

176 pages, Paperback

Published October 14, 2025

About the author

Pat Parker was an American poet and activist. Both her poetry and her activism drew from her experiences as an African-American lesbian feminist. Her poetry spoke about her tough childhood growing up in poverty, dealing with sexual assault, and the murder of a sister.