We (the People of the United States)

by Joshua Bennett

“An essential addition to the American poetic canon.” —Booklist

From an award-winning poet praised for his “rhapsodic, rigorous” work (The New Yorker) comes an immersive meditation on kindship, collectivity, and environmental thought

We (The People of The United States) is a book-length poem made to the measure of the modern world. Composed of 55 sections, it features a breathtaking range of characters and The Beach Boys, Gwendolyn Brooks, the invention of the typewriter, Zora Neale Hurston, Sun Ra, life on Mars, Robert Frost, experimental physics, The Jackson 5. Throughout the collection, Bennett summons Virgil’s Georgics as a lens through which to not only tell the story of his family, but a much larger one about the “form of the American mind,” our relationship to the natural world, and the pursuit of a dignified, abundant life. Published the year of the nation’s 250th anniversary, it is a collection that is right on time. One that calls us, as Langston Hughes once did, toward a future America that is not yet here, “and yet must be.”

Genres: Poetry, American History

112 pages, Paperback

Published March 17, 2026

About the author

Joshua Bennett received his Ph.D. in English from Princeton University. He also holds an M.A. in Theatre and Performance Studies from the University of Warwick, where he was a Marshall Scholar. In 2010, he delivered the Commencement Address at the University of Pennsylvania, from which he graduated with the distinctions of Phi Beta Kappa and magna cum laude.

Winner of the 2015 National Poetry Series, Dr. Bennett has received fellowships from the Callaloo Creative Writing Workshop, Cave Canem, the Josephine de Karman Fellowship Trust, and the Ford Foundation. His writing has been published or is forthcoming in Boston Review, Callaloo, The Kenyon Review, Poetry and elsewhere. He has recited his original work at venues such as the Sundance Film Festival, the NAACP Image Awards, and President Obama’s Evening of Poetry and Music at The White House. He is currently a member of the Society of Fellows at Harvard University.

Reviews

[pedro · Rating 5 out of 5]

“… I saw myself / everywhere… //
interstellar adventurers in any form /
you could imagine… // …my boyhood /
eyes aglow as I dreamt //
of gliding through the incandescent /
blackness of the great beyond, /
smooth as a scimitar, even //
in hyperdrive, me & my intrepid /
crew, cruising at light speed /
toward the promise of another life.”
— from the poem, “Decatur, Alabama”

Happy National Poetry Month everyone! 🤗📚🎉

Today I spent my day off reading and rereading Joshua Bennett’s We (the People of the United States) and I can safely say that I can turn to any page in this book and be beyond satisfied by the cadence and meticulous thought process that Bennett goes through to making each word, each line ring true! 👏🏽✨

This endeavor is a book-length poem that succeeds from the start with the poem, “First Philosophy,” and the opening lines:

“What is your all-time favorite
phenomenon? Mine is when
the error is as lovely as the aim.”

A misspelling in a text sent by the poet’s wife leads him to think about worship:

“…transcendent beauty. I tried & did not
see Him, nor dare to ask where I might
search. But I cherished the lesson…”

Another line that hits… “our family name / a banner we carried in our war against / the outside world. How did I get here?”

“We grew up,” starts the next poem! Human potential means we know more as we continue to learn, to dream, to imagine “a world without // debt, or early death, or stress so heavy / the mind must be lifted elsewhere // to bear it and yet persist.”

By the time we get to the second part of the book, we’ve acquired a bit of knowledge about the poet’s family and look forward to how it extends to Black historical figures from the past, for the future is all the better when we recognize God in various ways — my favorite being:

“God of the boom-
bap emanating from your big sister’s room
that carries you an ocean away, and back,
just in time to decompress from the tragicomic
epiphanies that followed you home from school
the waking dream of that singular mortality,
childhood, where you are a witness to the world
without weapons.” ❣️

So much more to the book and I highly recommend the audiobook as well!! 🙌🏽💯

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky to see Dr. Bennett read at the Nantucket Book festival in June. His reading was one of my favorite parts of the festival. His poetry is lyrical. We (the people of the United States) includes poems about almost every state and he writes for and about Prince, the Jackson 5, and Nikki Giovanni. His words are beautiful. I read my copy while I listened to Dr. Bennett read the poetry in the audio version which was truly a great experience. I am looking forward to reading more of his poetry.

[Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven't read a book of poetry in a very long time, and I had forgotten how much I love it. I suggested this book to my library, and as a consequence, I got to be the first to check it out.

It's exquisite. I loved it. I read the poems outloud, which added to the beauty and understanding. I found myself weeping many times.

To me it's a beautiful collection of work on family (We) and a love of our shared family and history (The People of the United States). Even though the poet and I have different backgrounds and descents, our stories are inexorably linked.

I think my favorite poems are "Essay on Trees," "Decatur, Alabama for Mae Jemison," and "Providence, Rhode Isaland (self-portrait in the future, where at least two dreams come true)." But I loved them ALL.

[Andy Oram · Rating 4 out of 5]

This lovely collection mixes reminiscences and direct expressions of feeling with a lot of pretty erudite references (some contemporary, some historical, some academic) beyond my comprehension, but it all works together. Most of the book is devoted to a series of poems set in different U.S. states, offering historical commentary.

Bennett's "Yonkers, New York," although organized rather conventionally as a list poem, has extraordinary language, and is quickly followed by mind-widening references to cosmic imagery in "For Mae Jemison" (look her up on Wikipedia).

Other poems are more like expository essays (for instance, "Hot Springs, South Dakota"), but fit in as a revelation of what's meaningful to him as a Black man. Bennett's poem dedicated to Ezra Pound ("Hailey, Idaho") is a masterpiece of conciseness, ambiguity, and historical perspective.

[Irene · Rating 4 out of 5]

While not a big reader of poetry, I must admit that I was drawn to the book by its cover and title. Once I opened the volume, I was taken in by Joshua Bennett's brilliance. Don't look for cute rhyming poems in this book. Instead, do look to learn about history, people, inventions, and life through Bennett's poems, many of which are dedicated to specific people, places, or items like the Kodak camera or Phillips-head screwdriver. Bennett employs various poem structures throughout the volume, and he also uses lines from a work by Virgil as a jumping off point for many of his poems. Joshua Bennett also offers some personal works which still have universality. I enjoyed this collection of poems and could see myself picking it up again at the library, or maybe even a bookstore, to reread.

[Tara Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

There’s some beautiful moments in here, but I left feeling a little confused. I wasn’t quite sure how everything came together and if it all matched the theme. Why were some poems dedications? What did it mean? I would have liked just a tiny explanation. Also had a lot of references which felt to be kind of generalizing of Americans, which confused me because I found maybe 5% of it to be relatable. Perhaps it is what America means to people, but I didn’t find it fitting of themes. Not bad, 3.5 stars.

[Luke Gorham · Rating 3 out of 5]

For those who read both of Bennett's 2026 publications — this and The People Can Fly — it won't be hard to recognize the clear connection between the two. If that other work felt like an adaptation in essay collection form of a course syllabus, this one feels like a adaptation in poetry form of that essay collection. This lands a bit better because the form precludes the structural issues that plagued The People Can Fly, but this is still a measure below his previous collection. Not a banner 2026 for Bennett, unfortunately, surprisingly.

[b · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every time I try to argue to myself that I'm not a poetry person, I only incidentally enjoy poetry, a book like this comes along and tries to prove me wrong. This book is a tribute, and a well-executed one at that, serving both as gorgeous poetry in it's own right and a connection both to Bennett's personal life and to history.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

[The_J · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eh, some interesting pieces, but certain not making 50% of the product. The title is a little disingenuous, as each poem is specifically designated in each state to an African- American so it isn't even possible to save it as "We the People of Color" to save it, because only one color issued an invitation.

One question jumped out to me - where is the black Cleopatra in the homage to Memphis, TN. It would seem to be a natural for this collection.

[Grace ❣️ · Rating 3.75 out of 5]

Bennett leaves historical figures, details, and movements like twinkling lights in the night sky, begging the reader to look deeper into their meaning and history. Each detail is a rich paper trail of American orgins that have continued to define our country through small-town America and big idea individuals across the nation. A wonderful collection.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a particular strong collection of poems, telling a story - a story of this nation and its peoples. A story not often told or collected in this way. A set of poems spinning a magic tale to help us see the world clearly. Beautiful.

[Vindex · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed the sweeping range os stories told and the beautiful way they are presented. It is a fitting celebration of our 250th bday.

[Roger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some pretty good poetry, others not so much.

When he's on, e.g., odes to Juneteenth, Ali and MOVE, he's spot on. When he's not, oh well...

[Angry.Sad.Motivated · Rating 4.25 out of 5]

A really good collection. I appreciated some of the pieces so much - like the poems for Claude McKay and Zora Neal Hurston.

[Hailey]

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