I read the first poem in this collection, put it down, pre-ordered it from my local bookstore, and went right back into it. Nate Marshall’s poetry is wonderful to read, he covers so many topics and emotions and questions in his work, celebrates language, family, joy, friendship, Chicago, and evokes heritage, racism, oppression, and white supremacy. 

Definition of finna, created by the author: fin·na /ˈfinə/ contraction: (1) going to; intending to [rooted in African American Vernacular English] (2) eye dialect spelling of “fixing to” (3) Black possibility; Black futurity; Blackness as tomorrow

Finna celebrates Black vernacular, the verses lyrical and rhythmic, smart and intriguing. Nate Marshall conjures up images of his life, lessons learned, moments experienced, that tie in with general experiences, and the experiences and lives of those who came before us. There are moments that are hard to read, a punch in the gut, but also moments that are beautiful, a celebration of Black life, of Black joy. There are also moments where the poet asks important questions about masculinity and misogyny, and about violence (including the violence of words), and erasure. 

I recommend this wonderful collection of poems to everyone. Language is a spectacular living and evolving tool that is part of us all, and all words have meaning, all phrases important. No parts of our languages should be censored, erased, or made to be less important than others. Nate Marshall”s celebration of poetry, of living, of Black vernacular is just wonderful. A must read. I can’t wait to get a physical copy in my hands!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.