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When Rap Spoke Straight to God
A book-length poem navigating belief, black lives, the tragedies of Trump, and the boundaries of being a woman.
" When Rap Spoke Straight to God is utterly transporting. In language both elevated and slangy, saucy and tender, Dawson lovingly weaves the reader around her finger.” ―Jennifer Egan When Rap Spoke Straight to God isn’t sacred or profane, but a chorus joined in a single soliloquy, demanding to be heard. There’s Wu-Tang and Mary Magdelene with a foot fetish, Lil’ Kim and a self-loving Lilith. Slurs, catcalls, verses, erasures―Dawson asks readers, “Just how far is it to nigger?” Both grounded and transcendent, the book is reality and possibility. Dawson’s work has always been raw; but, When Rap Spoke Straight to God is as blunt as the answer to that earlier “Here.” Sometimes abrasive and often abraded, Dawson doesn’t flinch. A mix of traditional forms where sonnets mash up with sestinas morphing to heroic couplets, When Rap Spoke Straight to God insists that while you may recognize parts of the poem’s world, you can’t anticipate how it will evolve. With a literal exodus of light in the book’s final moments, When Rap Spoke Straight to God is a lament for and a celebration of blackness. It’s never depression; it’s defiance―a persistent resistance. In this book, like Wu-Tang says, the marginalized “ain’t nothing to f--- with.”
" When Rap Spoke Straight to God is utterly transporting. In language both elevated and slangy, saucy and tender, Dawson lovingly weaves the reader around her finger.” ―Jennifer Egan When Rap Spoke Straight to God isn’t sacred or profane, but a chorus joined in a single soliloquy, demanding to be heard. There’s Wu-Tang and Mary Magdelene with a foot fetish, Lil’ Kim and a self-loving Lilith. Slurs, catcalls, verses, erasures―Dawson asks readers, “Just how far is it to nigger?” Both grounded and transcendent, the book is reality and possibility. Dawson’s work has always been raw; but, When Rap Spoke Straight to God is as blunt as the answer to that earlier “Here.” Sometimes abrasive and often abraded, Dawson doesn’t flinch. A mix of traditional forms where sonnets mash up with sestinas morphing to heroic couplets, When Rap Spoke Straight to God insists that while you may recognize parts of the poem’s world, you can’t anticipate how it will evolve. With a literal exodus of light in the book’s final moments, When Rap Spoke Straight to God is a lament for and a celebration of blackness. It’s never depression; it’s defiance―a persistent resistance. In this book, like Wu-Tang says, the marginalized “ain’t nothing to f--- with.”
70 pages, Paperback
First published September 18, 2018
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1781 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
September 18, 2018
3.5 Stars
Although at times a little lost, overall I enjoyed this poem. I may not be the target audience, but I still gained something from reading this. It’s one of the things I love about poetry: everyone is able to take away something from it.
Dawson weaves culture, religion, and current and past events together to create a rhetoric that’s not much seen in literature. She looks at what it is to be black and to be a woman in today’s society.
Some of my favorite lines were:
"For some, it don’t mean a thing without the swing of a gavel and a trace of doubt can trump a circumstance."
"I put my makeup on and broke my face into a hundred pigments."
"Eve knew she didn’t need a man to be a mother. Didn’t need his rib/God’s hand to be made."
"They don’t want us hysterical or loud or bold but like the way they reek of us and won’t wash off our sour."
Although at times a little lost, overall I enjoyed this poem. I may not be the target audience, but I still gained something from reading this. It’s one of the things I love about poetry: everyone is able to take away something from it.
Dawson weaves culture, religion, and current and past events together to create a rhetoric that’s not much seen in literature. She looks at what it is to be black and to be a woman in today’s society.
Some of my favorite lines were:
"For some, it don’t mean a thing without the swing of a gavel and a trace of doubt can trump a circumstance."
"I put my makeup on and broke my face into a hundred pigments."
"Eve knew she didn’t need a man to be a mother. Didn’t need his rib/God’s hand to be made."
"They don’t want us hysterical or loud or bold but like the way they reek of us and won’t wash off our sour."
March 4, 2019
I wish I were better at writing poetry reviews because this is a must-read for anyone who loves poetry (or is interested in race or, for that matter, women). The rhythms are so powerful: at first, I got stuck trying to decipher every line but once I surrendered to the poem, just reading and taking it in, I was swept away. (Incidentally, I began understanding more once I stopped trying so hard). I had to read portions aloud, it was musical.
So much is covered: from the Virgin mother to rappers. There are angels and women. There's political commentary that's not just words--it's music.
I feel like I only just began to read this one; one reading is definitely not enough. Nor do I want it to be.
So much is covered: from the Virgin mother to rappers. There are angels and women. There's political commentary that's not just words--it's music.
I feel like I only just began to read this one; one reading is definitely not enough. Nor do I want it to be.
April 13, 2018
I am the first person to rate this book on Goodreads! 💯 🤘🏻
I loved it. Review to come.
I loved it. Review to come.
July 29, 2018
A full length book poem. To be clear, not a book of poems, but a book containing one continuous poem, although there is a table of contents. The format makes for disjointed reading, because it’s a poem, so there isn’t really one story, but what I would call mini stories within the confines of verse and stanzas riffing on blackness, femininity, and rap. There were some very good lines in here,
“Thy rod’s useless.The good word cannot make
morning beget another take
on mourning.”
“I put my makeup on and broke
my face into a hundred pigments.
Some of the hues red as the part
of the mouth nobody ever sees.”
It is most certainly a very creative endeavor and one that I believe is worthy of your time. Poetry people will absolutely love this more than others, but it’s not just for the poetry crowd. An interesting way to get at some ideas and thoughts one wants to share. Thanks to Netgalley and Tin House Books for an advanced DRC. Publication date is Sept. 18, 2018
“Thy rod’s useless.The good word cannot make
morning beget another take
on mourning.”
“I put my makeup on and broke
my face into a hundred pigments.
Some of the hues red as the part
of the mouth nobody ever sees.”
It is most certainly a very creative endeavor and one that I believe is worthy of your time. Poetry people will absolutely love this more than others, but it’s not just for the poetry crowd. An interesting way to get at some ideas and thoughts one wants to share. Thanks to Netgalley and Tin House Books for an advanced DRC. Publication date is Sept. 18, 2018
September 2, 2018
Thank you to Edelweiss+ for this Advanced eGalley of “When Rap Spoke Straight to God” by Erica Dawson.
Perhaps this simply went over my head. I’m not sure.
While I appreciate poetry, and have read many a book written in verse, this seemed like some other thing altogether. The feeling was much like reading a stream of consciousness work.
Which, admittedly, I’m not a fan.
There were lots of thoughts offered by Dawson, but the way they were presented—one right after the other, without any real sense of connectivity to the thought that came before—made for a confusing read.
Twice I considered starting over, just to see if maybe I could find a common thread, but by the midway point I wasn’t motivated enough, by what I did understand to bother.
In the end, I felt like a bystander: completely oblivious to what’s going on, undecided as to whether I should care, but intrigued by the possibility there was something I might’ve missed—wishing I’d paid closer attention to see exactly what it was.
Perhaps this simply went over my head. I’m not sure.
While I appreciate poetry, and have read many a book written in verse, this seemed like some other thing altogether. The feeling was much like reading a stream of consciousness work.
Which, admittedly, I’m not a fan.
There were lots of thoughts offered by Dawson, but the way they were presented—one right after the other, without any real sense of connectivity to the thought that came before—made for a confusing read.
Twice I considered starting over, just to see if maybe I could find a common thread, but by the midway point I wasn’t motivated enough, by what I did understand to bother.
In the end, I felt like a bystander: completely oblivious to what’s going on, undecided as to whether I should care, but intrigued by the possibility there was something I might’ve missed—wishing I’d paid closer attention to see exactly what it was.
June 12, 2019
As a rule, I prefer shorter poems to longer ones because I like to digest the ideas and the language, ruminating over them throughout the day. This poem is long, but broken into several segments, easier for me to digest the language.
The imagery is powerful, the cadences change from section to section, and the language is strong (in many senses of the word). The poem touches on sex, politics, religion, power, race, sex, music. All woven together by the narrator's voice (which may be the author's -- but may not).
"I press a flashlight hard against my womb,
spreading my legs to see if white comes out."
The imagery is powerful, the cadences change from section to section, and the language is strong (in many senses of the word). The poem touches on sex, politics, religion, power, race, sex, music. All woven together by the narrator's voice (which may be the author's -- but may not).
"I press a flashlight hard against my womb,
spreading my legs to see if white comes out."
September 20, 2019
Dawson's skillfully written book length poem is blunt and pointed without being obnoxious and tasteless. I bought it because, like all old white men, I need to read poetry by young black women, although I have to conclude that they still live in a different world than I. This is a complex work and will have to be read more than once to understand and get to the heart of what Dawson is saying.
April 17, 2018
Holy damn, this is a powerful book, a meditation on rap, blackness, womanhood, and straight-up awesomeness. Dawson's dexterity with form continually took me by surprise, as she embeds sestinas and other traditional forms within the book-length poem. When I got to the last line, I wanted to stand up and cheer. The book isn't out until September, but do yourself a favor and pre-order it now.
July 15, 2019
Very deep and meaningful, powerful words. The poet discusses race, womanhood, and politics with beautiful rhythm and strength.
November 13, 2022
I just have zero idea what this poem means. There were moments here and there where I could briefly follow the train of thought, but otherwise, I was completely lost.
September 28, 2018
it's fucking fantastic.
December 31, 2018
Boom. This book length poem hits from the beginning and takes its reader on a ride for ~50 pages. I've read a lot of poetry collections for school over the last 2 years and few have I enjoyed as much as this one.
“When God gave Ten Commandments—thou / shalt not do any work; must keep / it holy; honor father, mother; / never covet wife nor ox nor ass— / I heard do work, daughter, wife, his ass off.” – p. 2
“If Trump. / If even this— / at a bar, a man says, Love the hair, says it’s the best hair, baby. I’m Republican / but would totally go liberal for you” – p. 13
“When God gave Ten Commandments—thou / shalt not do any work; must keep / it holy; honor father, mother; / never covet wife nor ox nor ass— / I heard do work, daughter, wife, his ass off.” – p. 2
“If Trump. / If even this— / at a bar, a man says, Love the hair, says it’s the best hair, baby. I’m Republican / but would totally go liberal for you” – p. 13
May 22, 2019
I am not a poet and do know it, but I do like reading poetry. Most of the time I get what's going on with the poem. This time, about half the time, I did not. That's probably my fault for not being up on Wu-Tang Clan and other contemporary rap groups (my favorite rap single is "Ladies First" by Queen Latifah and Monie Love, which came out in 1989).
That said, there's plenty of references I did recognize in this book-length poem that switches from sonnets to sestinas to heroic couplets, and some lines that made me laugh out loud, such as when Dawson noted that her first name rhymes with "America." Sacred and profane exist side-by-side and comment on each other. We get both pagan maenads and Mary Magdalene as Dawson comments on the oppression of both women in general and women of color, and there are some sly sexy parts that anyone, not just Prince, could relate to.
And of course there's the political side, particularly this reference to a 2016 campaign issue: “Today I told Donald Trump / the story of a woman. How the skies / came out of her wherever. Spacious skies. / Dark Skies.”
So even though I didn't get it all, I certainly went through it all, dazzled by the language even as I wondered from time to time what (in the words of Marvin Gaye) was going on.
That said, there's plenty of references I did recognize in this book-length poem that switches from sonnets to sestinas to heroic couplets, and some lines that made me laugh out loud, such as when Dawson noted that her first name rhymes with "America." Sacred and profane exist side-by-side and comment on each other. We get both pagan maenads and Mary Magdalene as Dawson comments on the oppression of both women in general and women of color, and there are some sly sexy parts that anyone, not just Prince, could relate to.
And of course there's the political side, particularly this reference to a 2016 campaign issue: “Today I told Donald Trump / the story of a woman. How the skies / came out of her wherever. Spacious skies. / Dark Skies.”
So even though I didn't get it all, I certainly went through it all, dazzled by the language even as I wondered from time to time what (in the words of Marvin Gaye) was going on.
June 16, 2019
Read this poem three times. Read it silently, savor the words you do not know. Read it out loud, feel the rhythm and the honey drip off of your tongue. Read it again however you like, notice how the form is allowed to change and yet the story remains.
Erica Dawson uses her book-length poem as a treatise on blackness, feminity, the power of rap, and religion. She urges her readers to allow feminity to reclaim itself and for blackness to be acknowledged, not as the opposite of whiteness, but as its own.
At times, this was a hard read for me since I am not black nor woman, but I was forced to come to terms with the places where I have failed in my understanding of both identities. I encourage anyone and everyone to set aside themselves for a few moments and step into this poem. I am confident that, when you emerge from its pages, your perceptions about life will be altered, even if it is just slightly.
Erica Dawson uses her book-length poem as a treatise on blackness, feminity, the power of rap, and religion. She urges her readers to allow feminity to reclaim itself and for blackness to be acknowledged, not as the opposite of whiteness, but as its own.
At times, this was a hard read for me since I am not black nor woman, but I was forced to come to terms with the places where I have failed in my understanding of both identities. I encourage anyone and everyone to set aside themselves for a few moments and step into this poem. I am confident that, when you emerge from its pages, your perceptions about life will be altered, even if it is just slightly.
July 10, 2019
I may not have fully understood this poem because English is not my native language, or maybe because it's not a book that's written to be understood.
This is a 70 page long poem that touches on many sensitive topics, the main ones being race and sex. I found the critical parts of the poem to be really strong and to stand out against the background of rhymes, but there were too many literary and historical references that I did not get at all (maybe I just don't know enough Christian and Greek mythology).
The breaks between themes weren't there at all, there was no logic to guide the poem and it all felt like an internal monologue that just had to find its way out. The writing and metric were amazing but I'm just not a big fan of the nonsense writing.
Overall, this feels more like a release for the author's thoughts than a work for the reader's mind.
This is a 70 page long poem that touches on many sensitive topics, the main ones being race and sex. I found the critical parts of the poem to be really strong and to stand out against the background of rhymes, but there were too many literary and historical references that I did not get at all (maybe I just don't know enough Christian and Greek mythology).
The breaks between themes weren't there at all, there was no logic to guide the poem and it all felt like an internal monologue that just had to find its way out. The writing and metric were amazing but I'm just not a big fan of the nonsense writing.
Overall, this feels more like a release for the author's thoughts than a work for the reader's mind.
June 7, 2019
I bought/read this because I saw it on Jennifer Egan's summer reading suggestions. I'm not a big poetry person -- when I'm reading poetry I like to dig in and explore each line, preferably with someone to guide me, or a whole lot of time to look up anything that isn't entirely clear. I was hoping to find an audio file of Dawson reading this, so I could experience that after reading through it myself. I'll definitely go back to this and spend more time picking over the individual lines. For now, though, this is definitely worth the read, the evocative language, the personal bits that become universal themes, the universal themes that become pointed political commentary, and everything else.
June 15, 2018
4 1/2 stars. Free-form(alist), blank verse intermittently comprising various traditional modes of poetry. An uncorking of womanhood and blackness (I press a flashlight hard against my womb, spreading my legs to see if white comes out.) contextualized by the specificity of this precise moment in American history, while also dichotemizing these concerns by revisiting them in concert with biblical allusions and thematics: modernity vs. antiquity, antiquity as modernity, fuck donald trump, fuck donald trump. Today I told Donald Trump the story of a woman. How the skies came out of her wherever. Spacious skies. Dark skies. Grown woman skies.
This is necessary poetry.
This is necessary poetry.
December 27, 2018
Okay, so this wasn't a bad or horrible read but it was a difficult one. Primarily because, being from a different culture and aesthetic I didn't feel much of a connect to the content of the poem. Sure, I slogged through it and tried to understand it more than once. But I'm sure it was because the poetry although relevant to a certain section in America is difficult to relate to for a person sitting in India. Also, let me admit that my knowledge of all the myths and religions mentioned is very limited and I had a very vague idea of what Erica was trying to convey. I did love some bits and parts of the poetry and to be honest, I did pick this up thinking it would be a quick read.
April 9, 2022
Poetry is hard for me, it takes me a few times reading it to really see the beauty that is there in the in-between. But with this book, a long poem written by Erica Dawson, the intrigue and beauty was present right from the beginning, if I'm honest it was found when I stumbled across the title while building a library display for poetry month.
This was so much wrapped up in 48 pages from the opening lines to the very last word. There is so much emotion not just in the words but I the spaces in-between. There is so much to ponder and question and agree with.
This has probably become one of my favorite pieces, and I highly recommend giving this one a try.
This was so much wrapped up in 48 pages from the opening lines to the very last word. There is so much emotion not just in the words but I the spaces in-between. There is so much to ponder and question and agree with.
This has probably become one of my favorite pieces, and I highly recommend giving this one a try.
September 29, 2018
I’ll admit the cover and title of this book had me doubting the quality of the contents before I even opened it, but I’m glad I got past my visual bias and took a chance on it.
The poem had a fast, musical tempo as I progressed through it and I really enjoyed the blending of history, literature, religion, gender, culture, color, music, and I could go on. All of this came together well and came together powerfully.
This book had a gravity to it. Even in the lighter moments.
The poem had a fast, musical tempo as I progressed through it and I really enjoyed the blending of history, literature, religion, gender, culture, color, music, and I could go on. All of this came together well and came together powerfully.
This book had a gravity to it. Even in the lighter moments.
January 27, 2019
3.5 stars. Overall, I enjoyed this poem. It had some really beautiful lines and sections. However, there were moments where Dawson seemed to lose the thread of the poem and some parts were just a little hard to comprehend what she was saying. However, a powerful poem with some awesome imagery and biblical parallels (which I'm always a sucker for). Also, listen to the songs she mentions in the poem for a much better reading experience.
June 29, 2019
I should start by being absolutely clear in stating that poetry is not a genre I read much.
When Rap Spoke Straight To God is a single poem in book form. There are moments of brilliance but I think the overall message is lost in the words. I could be wrong being I only read it once. Maybe when I’m feeling brave I will read it again, but as of now I’ll accept that this poem does not resonate with my spirit.
When Rap Spoke Straight To God is a single poem in book form. There are moments of brilliance but I think the overall message is lost in the words. I could be wrong being I only read it once. Maybe when I’m feeling brave I will read it again, but as of now I’ll accept that this poem does not resonate with my spirit.
October 4, 2019
Like all prayers, When Rap Spoke to God is part confession, part documentation, and part accusation. Dawson's payer uses readings from Ephesians to Lauryn Hill, from Genesis to Kool G. Using a an organic rhyme structure the poem builds smoothly, using certain words, like "body," or "trump," as a center that is played upon, allowing the poem to circle back on itself while moving forwards at the same time. Wryly smart and scathing at the same time.
November 15, 2021
Read for class.
3.5
I wish I understood this more. I'm not sure if it would've felt more cohesive to me had I read it in one shot, but I didn't and I found myself getting lost quite a bit. However, on the sentence level, this was beautiful. Lines like "And I saw dusk that plagiarized my one/and only prayer--" kept me reading, mesmerized despite the confusion. Maybe I'll give it another read one day.
3.5
I wish I understood this more. I'm not sure if it would've felt more cohesive to me had I read it in one shot, but I didn't and I found myself getting lost quite a bit. However, on the sentence level, this was beautiful. Lines like "And I saw dusk that plagiarized my one/and only prayer--" kept me reading, mesmerized despite the confusion. Maybe I'll give it another read one day.
September 30, 2019
Full of shifting perspectives, and beautiful and a few brutal images. Nice incorporation of rap themes while giving the poetic register full flight. The Biblical messages were on point, too. We might be living in the end times, but according to the Bible we always were. And poetry and rap, now more than ever can help us make sense of this and make speech to God.
November 28, 2019
It's like this (page 39):
When I was young at church camp, we would get out
the Ouija board and try to levitate,
smashing a flashlight in one cheek to make
a ghost story turn horror. I would make-
believe spirituality.
I like the idea of this book. I can read the words, but I don't get it. Maybe I need a guide for poetry, or maybe it would work better if I listened to it read aloud.
When I was young at church camp, we would get out
the Ouija board and try to levitate,
smashing a flashlight in one cheek to make
a ghost story turn horror. I would make-
believe spirituality.
I like the idea of this book. I can read the words, but I don't get it. Maybe I need a guide for poetry, or maybe it would work better if I listened to it read aloud.
January 7, 2019
Because this is a book-length poem, I recommend reading this in one sitting. Biblical and rap references galore, this book is a commentary about black life in Trump's America. Will definitely read more than once.
February 4, 2019
I don't really read enough poetry, but as my wife has started publishing with some success I'm trying to read more following her recommendations. Formally, I enjoyed the shifts in rhythm, rhyme scheme and voices through the book, but unfortunately I felt that a lot of the allusions were lost on me.
May 8, 2019
It’s easy to be captivated by the book’s important themes and engaging voice, but it’s worth slowing down or rereading to catch the brilliant formal control in the long poem—the rhymes and other smaller forms folded into the longer meditation.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews