BLACK GIRL YOU ARE ATLAS

Renée Watson narrates her semiautobiographical collection of free-verse and short-form poems, which introduce listeners to the lyricism of her writing. Her delivery features repeated rhythmic patterns, haunting repetitions, and startling imagery. Race, class, and gender are eloquently rendered in poems on possibility, resilience, celebration, and the power of womanhood. Topics reflected upon range from the simplicity of early perceptions to the complexity of issues like violence and brutality. Watson's voice is as deep and rich as her material; her poems embrace the innocence of her early life and later trials. Her lines of dialect sing with authenticity. Her intonations allow listeners to experience different connotations of the same word, and she varies her pacing to emphasize meaning. S.W. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award, 2025 Odyssey Honor © AudioFile 2025, Portland, Maine [Published: FEBRUARY 2025]