Field Study

by Chet'la Sebree

Winner of the 2020 James Laughlin Award from the Academy of American Poets



Layered, complex, and infinitely compelling, Chet'la Sebree's Field Study is a daring exploration of the self and our interactions with others--a meditation on desire, race, loss and survival. --Natasha Trethewey, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Memorial Drive

Chet'la Sebree's Field Study is a genre-bending exploration of black womanhood and desire, written as a lyrical, surprisingly humorous, and startlingly vulnerable prose poem

I am society's eraser shards--bits used to fix other people's sh*t, then discarded. Somehow still a wet nurse, from actual babes to Alabama special elections.

Seeking to understand the fallout of her relationship with a white man, the poet Chet'la Sebree attempts a field study of herself. Scientifically, field studies are objective collections of raw data, devoid of emotion. But during the course of a stunning lyric poem, Sebree's control over her own field study unravels as she attempts to understand the depth of her feelings in response to the data of her life. The result is a singular and provocative piece of writing, one that is formally inventive, playfully candid, and soul-piercingly sharp.

Interspersing her reflections with Tweets, quips from TV characters, and excerpts from the Black thinkers--Audre Lorde, Maya Angelou, Tressie McMillan Cottom--that inspire her, Sebree analyzes herself through the lens of a society that seems uneasy, at best, with her very presence. She grapples with her attraction to, and rejection of, whiteness and white men; probes the malicious manifestation of colorism and misogynoir throughout American history and media; and struggles with, judges, and forgives herself when she has more questions than answers. "Even as I accrue these notes," Sebree writes, "I'm still not sure I've found the pulse."

A poem of love, heartbreak, womanhood, art, sex, Blackness, and America--sometimes all at once--Field Study throbs with feeling, searing and tender. With uncommon sensitivity and precise storytelling, Sebree makes meaning out of messiness and malaise, breathing life into a scientific study like no other.

Genres: Poetry, Memoir, Nonfiction, Race, Contemporary, Biography

161 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2021

Reviews

[Jon Nakapalau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Powerful meditation on being an African American woman in our society today. Chet'la Sebree lays her heart bare after a relationship with a white man fails. She decides to 'field study' herself; trying to trace the many frayed threads of love that seem to snag on her heart when she opens it. Deeply personal and brutally honest; I believe this is an important work that will resonate with many.

[Dantiel Moniz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review to come, but I’m just saying, this book is a master class in form and intentionality. A brilliant book, and I can’t wait to see what Sebree gives us next.

[farith · Rating 3 out of 5]

thanks to netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

"field study" by chet'la sebree is a poetry collection that covers some interesting topics, mostly based on romantic relationships and race.

i liked the themes handled and the visibility that was given to interracial relationships (or as chet'la described it: interracial desire.) "were white men my kink?" is one of the questions she faces at some point in the book, showing the difficulty of love outside of your race and the guilt put on your shoulders by society. also, other battles that BIPOC have faced just because of their [our] skin color are also brought to the conversation. to set an example, here's a passage that stayed with me:

"note: i ask a few black friends if they consider me light-skinned.
one: [laughs hysterically]
another: depends on who you're asking."

the book reads mostly like someone else's thoughts put into the paper rather than the traditional poetry we are used to. the collection was nice to read but at the same time, i felt like it was a little disorganized and incomplete. some passages were too short (like one sentence short) and i would've liked the author to dive deeper into them, to explore those topics more. in my opinion, a collection of essays would've been a better presentation to portray these thoughts. i'll still be looking forward to the next project by this author since i think she has a lot of potential.

[Zola de los Santos · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve not felt this way about poetry before

[Sof · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book! A razor-edged, deft and devastating invention; the fragmented form is so perfectly equipped to express the flickerings and wounds and near-brushes that Sebree so gorgeously, achingly articulates. I love the collaging of ruins, in a way, that Sebree glues together here, with such sharp velocity in the turns of phrase and the affect / structure that emerges from the cut-up. A field study, indeed; turning to a specific narrative model to express what so totally resists narrativizing and interrogating itself without losing ardor or steam. So, so good. Also: I think there's always this latent urge to compare any fragmented books such as this one to Nelson or Offill—but the thing is, Sebree leans into the ways in which influences converge and move together or conflict, but but but——there is a style here entirely Sebree's own, entirely self-constructed and tender towards its own history and still totally original, even scathing.

[Marc · Rating 5 out of 5]

My mom was a chemist, so I’ve learned to
say shit just for the reaction, learned the
Importance of the quantitative:

I’ve been with ten men—six Black, four
white.

But remember I’m not good at math, that not
All of these are facts.


Found this little gem in one of my neighborhood's Little Free Libraries. It's a fascinating hybrid kind of narrative---maybe call it prosetry? Almost like Pascal's Penses, Sebree uses brief fragments, thoughts, sentences, quotes, questions, and observations to explore her own identity, desire, and relationships following the breakup with a white man. Race and history intervene, as well as a mix with a collection of "high" and "low" culture (bell hooks and Claudia Rankine mix with quotes from the TV series "Scandal"). Observatory but questioning; guilty but pained; funny, but bitingly critical and real; unreliable but believable–a truth or truths if not necessarily the truth. There is a real honesty here that feels raw and brave.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

**Thank you to NetGalley and Farrar, Straus and Giroux for gifting me a free copy of the e-book for an honest review.**

"To forget a wound and scratch it issues a special kind of pain—the pain of the wound and the pain of having to acknowledge it's no longer forgotten. The second sometimes hurts more than the first."

Chet'la Sebree's Field Study is a beautiful, meditative exploration of herself in the aftermath of a relationship with a white man as she seeks to catalog and understand her emotions and her existence as a Black woman in a white society. Intermingling her lyrical poeticisms with quotes from Black thinkers, TV shows, and even tweets, this work has such a unique feel that creates a complex, layered dialogue between Sebree and the culture at large, putting her feelings, desires, and experiences into context.

For those who are maybe afraid to dip your toes into poetry, this piece would be a great starting point because it's so inviting and easy to read, while still giving you stunning prose and unique imagery that I found incredibly compelling such as:

"I believe in rhyme and reason, in a season's final scene. I want to believe that I can be whole with a hole in me."

"But really, we were both trying to mosaic—drawing blood on each other's sharp edges."

"I want his fingertips to smooth over me slowly—fingerprint and follicle in holy union."

There was so much beautiful language, I made ample use of my Kindle's highlighting feature. As a poet, I found it very inspiring and as a person who has experienced a fair amount of heartbreak and trauma over past relationships, her exploration of her past loves was very relatable and made me turn over and inspect my own feelings with a new perspective (all the best poetry should do this!).

My only critique would be that some of the sections were very short (sometimes just 1 line) discussing something that seemed very interesting, so I would have appreciated more expansion on them. But, overall, this is a wonderful poetic work of self exploration that is poignant and thought-provoking throughout, and is incredibly impactful for being such a quick read.

I would recommend this to anyone even mildly interested in poetry, or anyone who enjoys stream of conciousness-type works. This is a wonderful book that can't be missed!

[Serena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sebree has created a poetry collection in which mental health is entwined with Black female identity, the racial tensions that women feel from all sides, and the responsibility they have to project a sense that they are indeed whole. “No matter how far I go, there is never enough makeup for the bullet hole.” Field Study by Chet’la Sebree, which publishes in June, worries and rationalizes and assesses herself like a scientist. Her observations are keen and deeply probing, and she doesn’t let up on herself. This is a frank look at one woman’s struggle with desire and identity, but it has universal applications to others in all communities — less judgment and more love. Definitely not your typical, confessional poetry collection — it’s much more.

[Nan Jana]

not sure how to rate poetry, but especially books like this which details so much of someone’s inner thoughts it feels like a diary. will let this sit before I rate it. writing was simple and profound. I think some parts of this will stay with me for a while.

[Dibz · Rating 3 out of 5]

A prose poem; notes; a collection of quotes about the authors reflection on a relationship ending with a white man she loved and her romantic interest in white men in general. The author calls it a ‘field study’

‘ Field research is a collection of observational information. Approaches vary across disciplines// This field is my brains backlog of books and a lot of bedrooms// This field has maps made of men, or finger pads, of scrotal sacs…’

There is a lot about the history of the experiences of black women in America in ‘Field Study’. It’s an interesting book with an unusual structure. I do wish that there was more of it though - if some of the thoughts were expanded upon in essay form it would have maybe been a little bit better.

[Phoenix · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was really good but the straight sex was a bit too graphic for me, there were a lot of great takeaways though. If you’ve ever been, or are currently in a toxic relationship with someone else or yourself, I’d definitely recommend.

[Kalina Nissen · Rating 5 out of 5]

After finishing Bluets, I was seeking a similar experience and Field Study delivered. I guess I’m just in a philosophical breakup poetry kind of mood right now. I will definitely reread this in the future, probably to annotate. It was a beautiful exploration of self, race, and relationships.

[Dana Kanafina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a touching, complex work, and I feel like I'm only beginning to understand it, but I, too, will be turning 23 very soon.

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Field Study put everything else of pause. It’s Stream of consciousness, yet studied narration. It was reference on reference. It was a light looking inside. It was a question and answer. Memory. Accusation. Analysis. Love.

She dedicates: “for people seeking whole with the holes they see.”

Engaging with Chet’la Sebree’s work has reminded me the dark truths brought forward can glow. That you have to steady yourself to let people look at the real you. But maybe then, you are closer to free.

From her work, I’ve gained new study. Things researched, things remembered, and for that, the gratitude radiates across the internet. I want you to read this. I want you to hold your breath like I did. I want you to look up in the mirror every few lines and re-examine yourself. I want you to reconsider the word study.

[Raena Shirali · Rating 5 out of 5]

What does it mean to be attracted to whiteness when whiteness itself is the force against which you've been forced to articulate an identity? What *is* desire? How does the lineage of interracial relationships in the US--and their contingent court battles--inform how we love one another? And who are we when we experience erotic desire, or love? Chet'la Sebree tackles these questions and many more in lines written "as prose" but with highly controlled meter and rhyme. I flew through this book. I felt seen by this book. I loved every second of it.

[Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

"is this a poem, a prose, a prayer?"

i also had this question while reading-- i would call this a collection of field notes before anything else (though my next description would be an epic poem). this collection pushes you to make the connections between the bits and pieces of love, race, family, forgiveness (and it's lack there of), memory, and more. i was really struck by the large amount of epigraphs which created a dialogue between Sebree and the many speakers of the quotes.

[lilly · Rating 4 out of 5]

so unique and interesting and incredibly vulnerable. all about desire and black womanhood. i need to read it again.

[Melody · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gotdamn, I'm inspired

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I inhaled this. a must read. you’ll feel safer in your skin. allowed to take up space

[Adrienne Blaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is another book in the form of what I see as prose poem meets essay. What that looks like is a collection of short sections of 1-3 sentences, sometimes poetic, enigmatic, empirical or academic. For me, the success of this form is in how well these fragments come together to form a single point.

I have read Bluets by Maggie Nelson, The Book of Delights by Ross Gay, The Crying Book by Heather Christle and frankly, I was not as smitten with this Tumblrification of poetry as some other reviewers have been.

Field Guide by Chet’la Sebree is by far my favorite of this genre and that’s because her aggregation is sharp and incisive. Where others float away on their own meandering ponderings, Sebree never loses her own thread. That doesn’t mean some sections aren’t opaque or that she doesn’t play the poets’ game of obfuscation and revelation, but there’s a heft to this short book that isn’t undercut by its form. I’ll be seeking out more work from Sebree and recommend you do the same!

[chantel nouseforaname · Rating 5 out of 5]

Capturing love and all its stickiness and messiness, all of its reality, pain and confusion, especially as a Black woman out there dating and loving in this world, can be a hard thing to do. Racism. Sexism. Colorism. The Community. Family. Self doubt. It's not easy. Chet'la Sebree steps out there and shares just how hard it is. She points fingers at everyone, including herself. Her words are beautiful, sometimes ugly, but always incisive. She includes Black thought from the world around her, words from her peers and other transformative thinkers: Kiese, Tracy M. Cottom, Audre Lorde, and more.

I want to give this book to all the sisters and tell them to wipe their eyes and scream. There's so much power in speaking.

[Brenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Is this a poem, a prose, a prayer?"
Fragmented. That is the best way to describe this reading. For some people in the reviews, they thought this made it disorganized.. but that is the entire point. And why I loved it so. Sebree effectively uses her academic framework of conducting a field study on herself, and we the reader are presented with the findings. Small data sets, as she mentioned on one page, is exactly how the page is laid out.

I really, really enjoyed this. I read this after reading Dyscalculia: A Love Story of Epic Miscalculation by Camonghne Felix. I thought these both paired so well together, both Sebree and Felix weave academic frameworks to examine intersectional identity.

[Samoyes · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have highlighted so many parts of this book. This is a woman’s study of interracial relationships, Black womanhood, and love. As a white non-American woman, this book felt like therapy, and many parts resonated with me. I can only imagine the good this would do for other non-white readers.

Where I did struggle was just how disjointed it was at times. These very short vignettes sometimes lost me, but the author has a way of returning to them and picking it back up. Other times, there was no need for further elaboration. The snippet was more than enough, because it is more about feeling than explication.

[Shaundeezy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is quite literally the best book I have ever read. I always thought my favorite book was Beloved by Toni Morrison due to all the beautiful metaphors and symbolism, but I think this book takes the cake. Sebree writes so truthfully that I identified so easily with her. I connected so much to her words, that I even realized things about myself that I didn't know was there. This book of is effortless and breath taking. I could read it 100 times over. Please read this book. For anyone, of any color, gender, sexual-orientation, sexuality: this book can teach you so much about yourself and teach you about dating people outside your race. I absolutely loved it.

[Kate Belle | Klao Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Field Study is a collection of the author’s poems and thoughts alongside meaningful quotes related to the topic of her relationships and Blackness. This collection reviews life after a relationship where the author aims to take a ‘field study’ of her relation to others both in society as a whole in America and to those she cares about. It is difficult to rate books such as these as they recount a personal experience where I believe truth is found. Even so, I thought it a poetic study of life. If you want to learn more about Blackness and see a small glimpse through one’s story, you might like this book.

[Ellen Roberts Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

Field Study by Chet’la Sebree is the 2020 winner of the James Laughlin Award of the Academy of American Poets. It is a tour de force, 144 pages of small pieces without sections, that add up to an exploration of being a black woman with a history of many relationships.
She begins with the statement, “I’m not good at small talk,” so you can expect that this will be serious business.

This is a very carefully crafted work, and a pleasure to read, as long as you have a way to mark your stopping place so you don’t try to consume it all in one sitting.

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't really like this book but found it, like others, compelling enough to keep reading. Fortunately, one can read it quickly.

I didn't believe the closing lines. I finished, or even midway through the book, finding myself hoping she could abandon the selfish base and superficial aspects of modern existence and use her talents for a greater good. Maybe she will if indeed this book was as cathartic as a single line is supposed to have us believe.

Like I said, I'm not holding my breath though. I wasn't convinced But the narrator isn't asking me to be, so we're cool.

[Alyson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved everything about this book. The form, the quotes, and all the "holes in the whole." Brilliant, this book. Such gorgeous detail of sorrows and love.
Viva Hedgebrook!

Favorite sentences:

"I used to trace the vertebrae of your shortened spine-injury to your back deeper than you'd ever let me.

There are no words for the wick worn thin between us.

Hiraeth the closest."

Second set:
"Oceans could separate us, but no matter where we stand in them we're touching.

Can the same be said of the night sky?"

[abeereads · Rating 4 out of 5]

The most raw, most vulnerable, most honest self-observation and confession of love/heartbreak i have ever read. I don't think I can do justice describing how good this book actually is. It is layered and complex–written as poetry that is based on the author's personal story– about womanhood, racism, survival, desire, love, and how to take a very hard (uncomfortable) look into yourself and evetually reconcile, hence the title Field Study.

"Because even when we aren't talking about race we are. It's inextricable from how I exist in this world."

[Terri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Field Study is a complex, compelling poetry collection by Chet'la Sebree. In this collection the poet explores romance, race, femininity, and where all of these merge together in life's big gray area. The collection's form is short thoughts and quotes mixed together to tell a narrative that had many facets, but always brings it back the the poet's sense of self. It is by far a recommended read for anyone who loves to dive into a good book of poetry.

*book provided by NetGalley