DEFY! anthology of poems, prose, & art of resistance

by Tamryn Spruill (Editor)

DEFY! anthology of poems, prose, & art of resistance is a rich and diverse collection that confronts head-on -- and quite ferociously -- seemingly impenetrable societal ills, such as racism, sexism, misogyny, mass incarceration, childhood sexual abuse, bigotry, hate crimes, government corruption, xenophobia, slavery, violence, and historical events that serve as warnings humanity seems uninterested in heeding.

The contributors are writers and artists from various corners of the globe who easily represent a sampling of what the United States is supposed to be. The best works were selected for publication from hundreds of submissions. That the best works happened to be from such a diverse group was both a pleasant surprise, and no surprise all. We, at Robocup Press, are thankful for their important contributions and unique voices.

The anthology features:

POEMS by Tara Betts, Judith Camman, Michelle Chen, Logan February, Jonathan Greenhause, Matthew Harrison, C.Z. Heyward, Tricia Knoll, Elizabeth Kropf, Tom O’Brien, C. Samuel Rees, and Sandra Storey;

IMAGES by Paul Kim, Lauren Preller, Christopher Woods, and xo<3ts; and

PROSE by Celeste Bowman, J. Bradley, and Sankar Chatterjee.

The anthology was edited by Tamryn Spruill with cover art by Joel Tesch.

Paperback

First published August 1, 2017

About the author

Author of COURT QUEENS: A History of the WNBA (forthcoming from Abrams Press, Fall 2026). Winner of the 2020 Southern California Journalism Award for Best Sports Commentary, Print/Online. Artist. Poet. Musician.

Reviews

[Tamryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

For a collection that tackles such broad themes related to the dark side of humanity's doings, DEFY! anthology of poems, prose, & art of resistance is a surprisingly intimate reading experience. The 5" x 8" size of the book is part of it. But, really, it is the words and images on the page, fueled by the fiery passions of the writers and artists. Whether discussing the scourge of Nazi Germany, the travesty of the Trump White House, the lingering effects of slavery, or children of abuse finally fighting back, each poem, essay and image in this collection is an unfailing kick-ass act of defiance: the engine to which we owe all of our freedoms.

It has been a true honor to assemble this collection for Robocup Press, and I hope it will mean as much to you as it does to me.

[Roseanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed the poetry. Appreciated the Prose. And Admired the Art.