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Danez Smith

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description Danez Smith Overview

Danez Smith is an American poet and spoken word performer from St. Paul, Minnesota. Their poetry collection 'Don't Call Us Dead' (2017) was a finalist for the National Book Award for Poetry and addressed themes of Black identity, mortality, HIV/AIDS, and state violence against Black communities. Smith's work draws on their experience in competitive slam poetry while incorporating formal experimentation and direct political address.

Their subsequent collection 'Homie' (2020) further explored themes of friendship, grief, and Black queer community.

help Danez Smith FAQ

What is the sequence summer, somewhere in Don't Call Us Dead about?

The sequence imagines an afterlife where Black boys killed by violence can exist beyond the conditions that ended their lives. It anchors the 2017 collection's treatment of anti-Black violence, grief, desire and survival.

Which awards recognized Don't Call Us Dead?

Don't Call Us Dead was a finalist for the 2017 National Book Award for Poetry. It later won the Forward Prize for Best Collection, making Danez Smith the youngest recipient of that award at the time.

How is Homie connected to Don't Call Us Dead?

Homie followed Don't Call Us Dead and shifts much of its attention toward friendship, chosen family and communal survival. Graywolf Press published the collection in 2020, and it became a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award.

Why do Danez Smith's poems sound especially powerful when performed aloud?

Smith emerged through performance poetry and competed in the Individual World Poetry Slam before becoming widely known in print. Their work uses repetition, direct address and abrupt changes in rhythm that retain the energy of a live reading.