What Noise Against the Cane

In her debut collection, What Noise Against the Cane, Desiree C. Bailey explores the experiences of a young Black woman in the 21st century, navigating the legacy of slavery, brutality, and struggle for freedom. The poems weave political resistance, Caribbean folklore, immigration, and the realities of Black life in America, seeking a sense of belonging and liberation. Bailey's lyrical and polyvocal approach offers a powerful argument for the transformative powers of steady defiance, earning her a finalist spot for the 2021 National Book Award for Poetry.

Format: Hardback
Length: 96 pages
Publication date: 04 May 2021
Publisher: Yale University Press

The 115th volume of the Yale Series of Younger Poets, What Noise Against the Cane, is a lyric quest for belonging and freedom, weaving political resistance, Caribbean folklore, immigration, and the realities of Black life in America. Desiree C. Bailey begins by reworking the epic in an oceanic narrative of bondage and liberation in the midst of the Haitian Revolution. The poems move into the contemporary Black diaspora, probing the mythologies of home, belief, nation, and womanhood. Series judge Carl Phillips observes that Bailey's "poems argue for hope and faith equally. . . . These are powerful poems, indeed, and they make a persuasive argument for the transformative powers of steady defiance."

This Yale Series of Younger Poets volume, a finalist for the 2021 National Book Award for Poetry, offers a lyrical and polyvocal exploration of the experiences of young Black women in the twenty-first century, grappling with a history of slavery, brutality, and the pursuit of bodily and psychological freedom. In the Foreword, Carl Phillips highlights Bailey's ability to capture the essence of contemporary life for Black diaspora women, noting that her debut "sings true." Yusef Komunyakaa praises Bailey's voice, describing it as carrying the transfiguring power of a Caribbean sun, revealing what a maroon might overhear—a call awaiting response.

What Noise Against the Cane is a tapestry of poetic voices, weaving together political resistance, Caribbean folklore, immigration, and the realities of Black life in America. Bailey's debut collection delves into the epic narrative of bondage and liberation during the Haitian Revolution, reimagining it in an oceanic context. The poems then transition into the contemporary Black diaspora, probing the mythologies of home, belief, nation, and womanhood. Through her powerful and persuasive poetry, Bailey argues for both hope and faith, offering a compelling testament to the transformative powers of steadfast defiance.

This volume of the Yale Series of Younger Poets stands as a testament to the resilience and creativity of Black women, showcasing their ability to navigate the complexities of contemporary life while seeking solace, belonging, and freedom. Bailey's poetic voice is a beacon of hope, offering a glimpse into the experiences of a marginalized community and inspiring readers to embrace the power of resistance and perseverance.

Weight: 338g
Dimension: 164 x 242 x 17 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780300256543