Southern Migrant Mixtape

by Vernon Keeve III

Southern Migrant Mixtape relays the experiences and observations of a black, queer man from Virginia who thought he was leaving racism and sexual intolerance behind in the regions where he initially experienced them. Plunge heart first into this emotive journey of growth, transformation of pain into armor, and the lessons that can be learned when one is true to themselves.

Genres: Poetry, Nonfiction

130 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2018

Reviews

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is not easy. It is uninterested in your comfort. In fact, dis-ease is a core theme, along with the trauma of being othered in various ways. It never occurred to me that nature could be associated with danger, that trees are a constant reminder of the horrors of racism, that camping is predominantly part of white culture for historical reasons. Similarly, while I have thought about the corrosive pollution (and loneliness) of city living, removed from nature, I never tied it so neatly with racism the way Vernon deftly does in this impressive autobiographical exploration. And if that was all this book explored, it would still be worth your time, but that is merely the opening salvo of an emotional tour de force. The generational trauma of parental abuses, the intense pain of peers ostracizing with sexual and racial slurs, the fetishization of queer black bodies, it's all here, laid bare for anyone to experience from a first-hand perspective. The bravery of being so open is truly daunting. The book culminates in a series of intensely painful vignettes of the author's reaction to recent racially-charged tragedies. There is also a love/hate note to Oakland (with appropriate excoriations of gentrification and capitalism), and a simple yet provocative recipe (for disaster). The title of the book is fitting. This is a collection of seemingly disconnected tales, and yet they coalesce into a moving emotional arc thanks to the constant thread of repeated themes demonstrated with lines like "black women have never stopped singing for black men [or themselves]." I found my face wet at several points during this half-day read. I required several pauses to get through it. Even though it will leave you with an uncomfortable feeling in the pit of your heart, please do yourself the favor of reading this amazing work.

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vernon Keeve III has written his poetic memoir with a steady rudder and a bright light. Two sections are particularly powerful for me: “the fear of the black mother,” and the whole first cut of Side B, called “Fear.”I appreciate the honest self-appraisal with which the poet comes to confront the challenges of intolerance and conflict in his personal life and in those he has witnessed, while keeping the spirit of who he is, the gentle soul he is.

[Dusty · Rating 5 out of 5]

These poems kept me thinking. They kept me going while I was reading them. Since I finished reading, I’ve been trying to write my own poems about being trans, queer, and really sad. To my surprise, poetry has been surprisingly cathartic.
The author was my 8th grade English teacher. I only got a copy of Southern Migrant Mixtape during the pandemic, so it’s been a while since I’ve had their class.
Thank you for making me like writing again.
I miss you Keeve!

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The poem “Black women have never stopped singing” - so powerful. I liked the mix of long and short form prose/poetry. I had never thought about nature, hiking, camping through the eyes of someone else like the author describes it - eye opening for sure, along with the descriptions of city living. I felt sad through most of the reading.

[Avi Dreader · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book in one of the little libraries in Fredericksburg and was blown away. The way the author captured this town and spoke about their journey was inspiring. I hope more people in Fredericksburg get a hold of this one.

[Bonisa]

Read for CLMP Firecracker Awards - so no public rating or comments!