Don’t Call Us Dead by Danez Smith is a book of poetry that is raw, honest, and heavy. He writes about experiences that are taboos in America. Being black. Being gay. Being HIV positive. Being a man that won’t conform. He also speaks of the violence that has plagued black American communities by the hand of the blameless white counterparts.

I personally love how raw and crude his poetry is. Danez is clear that if his words don’t comfort you it’s not for you. He doesn’t sugar coat his experience. On the same page, his words convey pain the show joy and laughter. His poetry sings truth that I have never, can never experience. Yet his feelings pull you through a world that must be known. An experience that is loud from silence, true from the lie, and weighted in its validity to exist without shame.

Watching Danez read his poetry brings a whole new experience to his words on plain paper. I enjoyed the contrast between how I read the poetry in my head versus his performance art. His spoken word art brings new meaning to rhythmless reading in my mind. Spoken word is a powerful art to convey meaning, emotion, and to spread truth to others in the form of goosebumps. These are five Spoken Word Poets from different backgrounds and experiences!

Art has always been the only way for some to work through what their truth is. Poetry, painting, sculpting, dancing, drawing…They show us parts of us hidden even to ourselves.

My name is Ashley Harding. I am 27 years young and was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia. I am working toward my Bachelor of Science in Environmental Geoscience from Georgia State University. I am a person who craves an adventurous life and has a voracious appetite for knowledge. I am also a lover of the arts and sciences. The studies of Anthropology, Geology, and Biology fascinate me. In my free time, I enjoy painting, sculpting, and hiking.

I feel art and human expression brings beauty to life. I trained in jazz, ballet, and modern dance for 14 years. I started sculpting 6 years ago, and I have been painting since I could dip my hand in paint. I am also a lover of the musical arts, albeit I have not proved to be musically talented. I love almost all genres of music, from metal to rap. Some of my favorite bands are Tool, A Perfect Circle, A Tribe Called Quest, Russ, Sleep, and Opeth.

Random outdoor adventures are some of my favorite times. I love hiking, camping, swimming, and just being in nature. I want to use my degree to study ways to combat climate change and protect our environment for future generations. The earth and all her majesty have always filled me with passion. I find beauty in all parts of nature, whether its growth or decay.

I look forward to reading all your posts and get to know the class through this forum.

P.S.- I am very much an animal lover. We don’t deserve dogs, they are so precious. I have on old pupper and a cat that is filled with a silent rage. I will now proceed to post adorable pictures of them.