Finna: Poems

by Nate Marshall (Author, Narrator)

Dynamic poems that celebrate the Black vernacular and engage with the world through the lens of Hip Hop as well as America's vast reserve of racial and gendered epithets—from an award-winning author and poet.

fin-na /ˈfinə/ contraction: (1) going to; intending to. rooted in African American Vernacular English. (2) eye dialect spelling of "fixing to." (3) Black possibility; Black futurity; Blackness as tomorrow.

A lyrical and sharp celebration, these poems consider the brevity and disposability of Black lives and other oppressed people in our current era of emboldened white supremacy. In three key parts, Finna explores the mythos and erasure of names in the American narrative; asks how gendered language can provoke violence; and finally, through the celebration and examination of the Black vernacular, expands the notions of possibility, giving us a new language of hope.

Genres: Poetry, Race, Nonfiction, Audiobook, African American, Social Justice, Adult

2 pages, Audiobook

First published August 11, 2020

About the author

Nate Marshall is from the South Side of Chicago. He is the editor of The BreakBeat Poets: New American Poetry in the Age of Hip-Hop. His first book, Wild Hundreds, won the Agnes Lynch Starrett Prize and is forthcoming from the University of Pittsburgh Press. His rap album Grown is due out Summer 2015 with his group Daily Lyrical Product. He is a Visiting Assistant Professor at Wabash College. He received his MFA in Poetry at The University of Michigan where he also served as a Zell Postgraduate Fellow. He received his BA at Vanderbilt University. A Cave Canem Fellow, his work has appeared in POETRY Magazine, Indiana Review, The New Republic, [PANK] Online, and in many other publications.

He was the star of the award winning full-length documentary Louder Than A Bomb and has been featured on the HBO Original Series Brave New Voices. He is also a Poetry Editor for Kinfolks Quarterly. Nate won the 2014 Hurston/Wright Founding Members Award and the 2013 Gwendolyn Brooks Open Mic Award. He was a finalist for the 2014 Ruth Lilly/Dorothy Sargent Rosenberg Poetry Fellowship. Nate was named a semi-finalist for the 2013 “Discovery”/Boston Review Poetry Contest. He was also a 2013 finalist for the Indiana Review Poetry Prize.

Nate has been a teaching artist with organizations such as Young Chicago Authors, InsideOut Literary Arts Project in Detroit, and Southern Word in Nashville. Nate is the founder of the Lost Count Scholarship Fund that promotes youth violence prevention in Chicago. He is a founding member of the poetry collective Dark Noise. Nate has performed poetry at venues and universities across the US, Canada, and South Africa. He is also a rapper.

Reviews

[Roxane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simply outstanding poetry. Readers are going to say these poems are raw but they aren’t. They are elegantly and precisely crafted, frank, and full of realness about blackness, masculinity, family, Chicago.

[Read By RodKelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection is impeccable. Nate M. has a poetic voice that is so assured and confident and loving...it is a celebration of blackness, which I NEVER get tired of, but I love the investigation of the unexplainable magic of black English, all of the built-in isms that non-black authors never get right no matter how hard they try, and that weave themselves into the fabric of conversation of every pedigree: colloquial, familial, professional, academic, & c.

[jada alexis · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5 - ah! this is collection so special & refreshing. i've never read any of nate marshall's work so this was very new to me and i'm ready to read his other work ASAP. his poems exist at an intersection between rap/hip-hop & written verse that left me wanting nothing else but an audiobook. i really wanted to hear a recorded reading of all of these poems. they're so rhythmic and musical and gorgeous; i needed to hear them. there is something to be said about the way marshall breaks apart the already anti-ceremonial, un-graceful, transactional language of english. this collection is what happens when you drop a glass on the ground and the shards get caught by the sunlight coming from the kitchen window. right now, i'm only interested in this kind of play/work/framing of english - i'm only interested in the shards. i love poems that reconcile with english's place on the list of weaponry. this collection is timely, it's current, and it's fresh but it's also deeply personal and historically bound. Finna is a living document that fits on to a timeline of english, blackness, the intersections between the two, appropriation. and what marshall does with breath - where words cannot convey, where metaphors cannot be used as hiding places, this is where the poems succeed the most. this collection is not raw - it is seasoned, cooked, fully marinated. Finna is no leaky wound - it is fully healed.

i'm thankful to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this collection, i can't wait to hold a physical copy in my hands!

(also A+++ on the cover art)

[liv ❁ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like most incredible poetry I read, I don’t know what to tell you except that you should absolutely read it. It’s brilliant, it’s real, and it is so so so intentionally crafted.

I highly recommend listening to the audiobook (only an hour and a half long!) because listening to Nate Marshall orate his poems enhances an already incredible collection of poems exponentially. I do not recommend listening to this on your Saturday walk, unless you want a bunch of children playing soccer to see you cry.

Among my favorites were ‘FINNA’, ‘On ___’, ‘telling stories’, ‘darla: i don’t know when - April 7, 2016’, and ‘only 1 for whitefolk using Black language’.

[Taryn | Mentally Booked · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everything about this book is perfection. Nate Marshall is so raw and honest in these poems as he tells his story and his perspective as a Black American. It's not very often we see Ebonics or the Black vernacular present in modern literature, let alone celebrated. Nate Marshall covers so much in this book: the cultural oppression placed on those you use the Black vernacular, the power it evokes within and in relation to the community, and how it both unites a people together and is used against them.

I'm not going to try to claim that all Black Americans would be able to immediately or fully identify with the narrative of these poems, but it doesn't negate the validity of them.

Nate Marshall is a powerful writer with an even more powerful voice and I'd be honored to read anything else he writes.

Thank you to @OneWorldBooks for the NetGalley copy of this and I can't have the physical copy to permanently revisit.

[Traci Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

So many really good really Blsck poems. A lot of fun and joy mixed brilliantly with the pain and heaviness.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

“my hope is like my language is like my people: it’s Black
& it’s brown & it’s alive
& it’s laughing & it’s growing & it’s alive
& it’s learning & it’s alive & it’s fighting & it’s alive
& it’s finna
take on this wide world
with a whole slang for possibility.”

have you ever read something and felt completely at home? have you read words on a page and saw all your kinfolk? all the collective moments, memories, and feelings that we as Black folks share? that’s what happened when i read finna. after the first few pages i just sat there and thought, “damn...no wonder this took 5 years to finish!”. it’s a masterpiece.

this collection is a dissertation on Black language. on the struggles that we all go through when we try to reconcile our tongues with the oppressive nature of this language. of the day to day rhythms and meanings of home when you are never quite at home, but it’s draped on your shoulders everywhere you go. nate marshall manages to bundle all the wonder and worry and triumph and trauma that we as Black people tend to carry around with us. each poem flows and pulls you into its embrace as we travel with marshall through different points in his life.

i am still in awe of the way he decided that our language and dialects and dictation mean something. that they are something bigger than the classification this country has given them; and let that language carry all these poems. nate marshall has birthed something new, no longer tied down to the idea that properness is what is needed to fully express oneself.

...and all i can say is...this finna be a forever favorite/classic.

[Jessi ❤️ H. Vojsk [if villain, why hot?] · Rating 5 out of 5]

& for a long time that was
how i let my life happen,

i let my mind tell me
a million nos that the world

had implanted in me
before i even formed questions.

i let my power be dulled
by my fear of fitting.

[Rachel | All the RAD Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to @randomhouse for this one! I don’t think I can find words for these poems, but I’ll try. ⁣
⁣
Stunning. ⁣
Raw. ⁣
Mighty. ⁣
Vivid. ⁣
Catalytic. ⁣
Rich. ⁣
Necessary. ⁣
⁣
A must-read. ⁣

[Lily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like many people, I definitely don't get enough poetry in my life, but I'm so happy I took the last few days to make my way through Nate Marshall's incredibly thought-provoking and impactful collection Finna.

At first glance, Marshall's poems seem deceptively straightforward, until you start reading between the lines and seeing the deeper messages he's pointing to. I read more than a few poems a couple of times because I loved the prose so much.

What a beautiful collection.

[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

fin-na /ˈfinə/ contraction: (1) going to; intending to. rooted in African American Vernacular English. (2) eye dialect spelling of "fixing to." (3) Black possibility; Black futurity; Blackness as tomorrow.

Poetry is probably one of my least read genres. That is not to say I do not enjoy it, I do. However, I’m a bit picky when it comes to poetry. So, when I heard about “Finna” ( a word my mother would often correct me for saying when I was younger, because you know…it’s not a “real” word) , my interest was piqued.
I was not prepared for this book. The poems arrived all at once but were thought provoking as well, their words finding me hours after I had finished reading. Although I gravitated towards some poems more than others, this collection of free verse poetry was poignant and truth telling. I even identified with some myself ( I couldn’t say “lie” growing up either). We travel through subjects. Childhood, adulthood, love, family, being Black. This book was honest, it was raw, it was real. I really connected with the words. In short, I enjoyed this book.

[Maryam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brilliant. My two favorite poems are only I for whitefolk using Black language and conceal.

[Sassy Sarah Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finna: Poems by Nate Marshall

4 stars

Can I be honest? I don't read Black male poets often. I'm trying to change that, so I am so happy that I picked up Finna. Finna is collection of poems in four sections: The Other Nate Marshall, What's My Favorite Word?, Native Informant, and Finna. This collection tackles identity, reality of racism and its impact on young Black boys who become men who have to still deal with racist situations, and language. Marshall plays with words and diction a lot and I really enjoyed that aspect of his collection. The poems in this collection are intense and packed with a lot of commentary on his experience. I loved the dissection of his name and its heritage as well as how it makes him uncomfortable to share the same name with a White Supremacist and other people who are so different from him. I am obviously not the target audience. I will never live the Black experience, but I want to hear from those who live it and listen to them. Poetry demands to be heard and there needs to be more listening ears to the genre today. So much of today's top poetry collections are empty and lacking in true voice. Poetry at its core is not always about romance or experiences, but about protesting and giving a voice to the voiceless. That is a sub-genre of poetry that seems forgotten or nearly obsolete in today's most famous collections. So this was a breath of fresh air in brining a voice to the poetic realm that I believe many are longing to hear more often. I enjoyed this collection and recommend it for those looking to read poetry with heart and a strong voice. Also, it is very obvious that Marshall writes music as well and you can almost hear the beat with some poems and the rhythm in the cadence of the flow of the words. I'm so happy I checked this collection out and I hope you will, too.

Whimsical Writing Scale: 4.25

Plotastic Scale: 4

Cover Thoughts: I adore and love this collection's cover. It's beautiful.

Thank you, Netgalley and One World, for providing me a copy of this collection in exchange for an honest review.

[Jessica Haider · Rating 4 out of 5]

As I just stated in another review, I don't read a ton of poetry but do try to pick up a handful of poetry books everywhere to keep my reading varied and diverse. Finna seemed like a perfect book to fit that niche. Finna is an honest collection of poems about growing up Black in Chicago. I found these really meaningful especially given the current climate in the USA with a summer full of race-related protests. Nate Marshall's poems are modern and accessible. They use vernacular to share his experience and thoughts on race in America and in particular Chicago.

If you are going to pick up one poetry collection this year, this would be a great choice for you.

Thank you to the publisher for the advanced copy of this book!

[Mallory Pearson · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was absolutely gorgeous.

thank you so much to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC! i think i highlighted more phrases than i thought possible. there were so many moments that stuck with me as special, and the collection of poems flowed beautifully throughout the book. i could feel the connection between author and history and setting, and i loved every moment of it. i'll be recommending this to everyone i know and likely rereading it asap.

[Oscreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible!!! So worth it! I love all these poems. The language!! Wow! Absolutely incredible

[R.J. Sorrento · Rating 5 out of 5]

An anthem for Blackness and Chicago with pain, love, everyday, ordinary, and hope for the future.

Thank you Tashay @booksontheel for recommending this book.

Thank you to my friend Addy for sending it to me after I lost my dog.

FINNA is a must read collection of poetry.

[Never Without a Book · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! 😳

[Tamyka · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an amazing book of poetry! I was unfamiliar with Nate Marshall before reading this book but I sure know who he is now. I read the audiobook which narrates and I highly suggest getting that version (and I think there is an unlisted bonus track/poem on there that may not be in the book) because the cadence, tone, rhythm are EVERYTHING and makes the punch of the poetry that much more potent. I highly recommend this book. As usual, I got it as a library book, but I will be dropping coins to add this to my permanent collection.

[Wendell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really playful and powerful collection of poems about Black vernacular. Meaning was deconstructed and reconstructed in such creative and moving ways

[Jade · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read the first poem in this collection, put it down, pre-ordered it from my local bookstore, and went right back into it. Nate Marshall’s poetry is wonderful to read, he covers so many topics and emotions and questions in his work, celebrates language, family, joy, friendship, Chicago, and evokes heritage, racism, oppression, and white supremacy.

Definition of finna, created by the author: fin·na /ˈfinə/ contraction: (1) going to; intending to [rooted in African American Vernacular English] (2) eye dialect spelling of “fixing to” (3) Black possibility; Black futurity; Blackness as tomorrow

Finna celebrates Black vernacular, the verses lyrical and rhythmic, smart and intriguing. Nate Marshall conjures up images of his life, lessons learned, moments experienced, that tie in with general experiences, and the experiences and lives of those who came before us. There are moments that are hard to read, a punch in the gut, but also moments that are beautiful, a celebration of Black life, of Black joy. There are also moments where the poet asks important questions about masculinity and misogyny, and about violence (including the violence of words), and erasure.

I recommend this wonderful collection of poems to everyone. Language is a spectacular living and evolving tool that is part of us all, and all words have meaning, all phrases important. No parts of our languages should be censored, erased, or made to be less important than others. Nate Marshall”s celebration of poetry, of living, of Black vernacular is just wonderful. A must read. I can’t wait to get a physical copy in my hands!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Tashay · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought my first audiobook so I could hear Nate read the words as he intended while I read along, it was the best decision I could’ve made.

After reading FINNA, Nate and I are cousins. Those are the rules.

FINNA is an homage to everything Black. Everything our ancestors fought for, the things they left us, and the covering they still provide. FINNA is a celebration of the joy we find in our language, our dance, our music, our card games. FINNA is mild sauce. FINNA is a dream. FINNA is all that is yet to come.

This collection of poems is masterful, serious, playful, confrontational, resilient, hopeful, an experience.

finna. hecky naw. Joe. On ____. fiddy’leven. oo wop de bam. &nem.

To know ebonics is to love it.

Chicago over Everything. South Side over that.

In short, Nate, “i like your poems because they seem so real.” 😉

[Miles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly taken aback by how skillfully Marshall was able to pull off what is both a laser-focused and incredibly ambitions undertaking. There are only a handful of poems that did not move me, and a few that are so powerful I'd be surprised if you didn't close the book, purely off instinct.

Yet another piece of evidence that, often, the difference between acceptable and exceptional Black writing is an awareness of audience. For not one moment did I think Nate Marshall was addressing a white reader, let alone that reader's gaze—didn't think he was finna fix his pen to do so, either.

[Hannah (hngisreading) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reread update: first read of 2023 was listening to this phenomenal audiobook. It’s SO GODDAMN GOOD!

***

Gorgeously written exploration of/ode to language & names & family & Chicago & legacy & history. Expertly crafted and a study of how layered language can be.

It aches & it soars & it exposes & it heals.

Favorite lines:

“All my names a poem. All my names a song. All my names do is sing. All mine.”

&

“Consider how love is a great idea we keep having every day. We imagine being together & that is the first step.”

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

*ARC was provided by Random House Publishing Group - Random House through Netgalley.

You can feel the emotion is every word Marshall writes, especially when talking about being a Black man and discussing AAVE. It's a celebration long-deserved for people we'd rather appropriate from than actually recognize.

[Joshua McCoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could not put this down. This is what brilliance looks like. I’ll be back to flesh this out.

j

[Mad · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, so, so, so good. This was the first poetry book I have ever read, so I didn’t really know what to expect but good Lord was I impressed. I was immediately sucked in and I read this book in less than a day. The poems are witty and they make you think. Sometimes I was on the verge of tears. I absolutely loved it. This book felt so personal, compared to anything I’d ever before. I feel like we got to really see Nate Marshall. Absolutely everyone should read this book. They’re pretty and they make you really think and not too many books can say that.

[✧Hessa✧ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Powerful & honest , I never read like this before and there are some cultural references that I didn’t understand but still I enjoyed reading this and will recommend everyone to check it out.

[Amorak Huey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is excellent. Smart, funny, tender, beautiful, heartbreaking, intimate and expansive.

[A · Rating 2 out of 5]

i feel like a jerk after reading all the other reviews, but this was just not my cup of tea, or rather poetry collections aren't