Locating Strongwoman

Locating Strongwoman is a portrait of unperformed femininity. Eschewing the stereotypical portrayal of the "Strong Woman" and the even more loaded "Strong Black Woman", these poems invite the reader to interrogate the protagonists and find in their stories a quiet strength.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 64 pages
Publication date: 01 October 2020
Publisher: Jacaranda Books Art Music Ltd

Locating Strongwoman: A Portrait of Unperformed Femininity

Eschewing the stereotypical portrayals of the "Strong Woman" and the even more loaded "Strong Black Woman," these poems invite the reader to engage with the protagonists and discover a quiet strength within their stories.

This is a book that brims with desire, love, and the absence thereof, with striking lines such as, "As if he wasn't a bed of nails, your love/laid on," and "The factory of my body works overtime. It teeters between violence and the razor-blade threat thereof." Straddling the inside and outside worlds on the head of a bobbing sewing needle, "Locating Strongwoman" is visceral and raw, vulnerable and strong. It will leave you thinking and feeling long after you turn its last page.

Peter Kahn, author of "Little Kings" and co-editor of "The Golden Shovel Anthology: New Poems Honoring Gwendolyn Brooks," praises "Locating Strongwoman" as a powerful and essential work. Through this collection, Tolu Agbelusi hosts a black women's sleepover, where we drink wine and share stories about the many complexities of navigating our hearts, how we are our mother's daughters, and how our mothers are complex women.

The chilling truth behind this collection is that to be a woman is to be silent... or silenced. Both in form and content, "Locating Strongwoman" is a trace of our mothers' silences and the inevitable release of our own voices. Tolu paints in a language that is familiar and comforting. And how wonderful it is to find oneself, over and over, in poetry! As the woman who cannot be pinned into a box and doesn't want to be. To be seen.

Vangile Gantsho, author of "Red Cotton" and "Undressing in Front of the Window," and co-founder of Impepho Press, also praises "Locating Strongwoman" as a remarkable and empowering work. This collection celebrates the strength and resilience of black women, and encourages readers to embrace their uniqueness and voice.

In conclusion, "Locating Strongwoman" is a must-read for anyone who seeks to explore the complexities of femininity, identity, and the power of storytelling. Through its vivid and evocative language, this collection offers a profound reflection on the experiences of black women and challenges the societal norms that seek to silence them.

Weight: 82g
Dimension: 137 x 214 x 9 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781913090135