Under a Soprano Sky

by Sonia Sanchez

Sanchez is undoubtedly one of the most under appreciated poets writing today. Her pristine lyricism combined with her strong voice and black female themes make her special.

Genres: Poetry

101 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 1987

About the author

Sonia Sanchez was born Wilsonia Benita Driver on September 9, 1934, in Birmingham, Alabama. After her mother died in childbirth a year later, Sanchez lived with her paternal grandmother and other relatives for several years. In 1943, she moved to Harlem with her sister to live with their father and his third wife.

She earned a B.A. in political science from Hunter College in 1955. She also did postgraduate work at New York University and studied poetry with Louise Bogan. Sanchez formed a writers' workshop in Greenwich Village, attended by such poets as Amiri Baraka (LeRoi Jones), Haki R. Madhubuti (Don L. Lee), and Larry Neal. Along with Madhubuti, Nikki Giovanni, and Etheridge Knight, she formed the "Broadside Quartet" of young poets, introduced and promoted by Dudley Randall.

Reviews

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

i did not feel as connected to these poems as some of her other collections. I did appreciate the political sense from the individual to the global, from the historical to the time of writing.

[Anarda Nashai]

I have a twelve year old copy of this book dog-eared and hightlighted from cover to cover. One of Sanchez's best collections to date. Hightly recommended!!!!

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I heard Sonia Sanchez read from this book of poems in college and it who such a marvelous experience! She is as colorful as her poetry and adds new layers to her poems as she reads them aloud.

[seth · Rating 5 out of 5]

She can’t miss. She feels/understands us so well. She cares so much. I love her short form writing. I love her long prose. I love her. I love her so much.