Unrest
By: Simone White
Contributors: Ugly Duckling Presse
Series: Dossier series; Dossier (Ugly Duckling Presse)
Publisher: Ugly Duckling Presse
Published: 2013
Place of publication: Brooklyn, New York
Language: eng
Number of pages: 32
Notes: "Printed in an edition of 500 by McNaughton & Gunn in Saline, MI, and bound by hand at the Ugly Duckling Presse workshop in Brooklyn, NY."--Colophon.

"Unrest began as a spontaneous response to and prayer of thanks for David Walker's 1829 Appeal (the full title is quoted in one section of the series), an uncompromising attack on slavery and performance of black "enlightenment." The serial poem's abecedarian form is activated by thinking about what it means to be deeply engaged in writing when writing is forbidden: the subject(s) of the poems contemplate epic alliances for the black who reads and writes (Shakespeare, Henry James, the poet's sister, and, of course, Ghostface Killah of Wu-Tang Clan), and enacts, reveling in contemporary displays of opulent black speech, experiences of both joy and sorrow."--Publisher's website.

Includes bibliographical references.
Table of contents: title: A. Something lifted off the anhedonic floor --; title: B. Who rode the bus discovered in its wet heat the rumpus room of inflationary cities --; title: C. Thrown into silent wonder and adoration --; title: D. I took off with the Alice Coltrane --; title: E. Two leaves out of leaves --; title: F. [a poem, untitled] --; title: G. Ice: or, interference --; title: H. "This tradition is concerned with the opening of a new enlightenment, one made possible by the ongoing improvisation of a given enlightenment" --; title: I. Now to retell the history of women's time --; title: J. In which I talk pavement --; title: K. Details, details --; title: L. Run of questions --; title: M. Let the river run --; title: N. In what is slight, this is a question --; title: O. Look into my eyes --; title: P. Honorifics lack specificity --; title: Q. [no poem] --; title: R. [no poem] --; title: S. "Is that birds in my hair? Jesus." --; title: W. Cutting word --; title: XY. [a poem, untitled] --; title: Z. Please send Miss Ida B. Wells to write it up. [title; no poem].