Cruel/Cruel

A response to the unimaginable cruelties that became our new quotidian in 2020, that moves musically and discursively through innovative permutations of lyric form.CRUEL/CRUEL is the manifestation of a Black, queer voice grappling with the intricacies of (un)belonging and identity. These poems use genres of queerness and race to reckon with the pervasive power of oppressive institutions, shaped by art and a soundtrack of Black musical traditions of resistance: from jazz to soul to experimental to hip hop. A hybrid visual and literary object, CRUEL/CRUEL feels relentlessly present, and yet emphasizes the archival and documentary as intrinsic to our personal and collective survivals.

Author: Dior J. Stephens
Publisher: Nightboat Books
Published: 03/14/2023
Pages: 104
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.40lbs
Size: 8.90h x 6.00w x 0.40d
ISBN13: 9781643621586
ISBN10: 1643621580
BISAC Categories:
- Poetry | American | African American & Black
- Poetry | LGBTQ+
- Poetry | Subjects & Themes | Love & Erotica

About the Author
Dior J. Stephens is a proud Midwestern pisces poet. He is the author of SCREAMS & lavender, 001, and CANNON!, all with Ghost City Press. Dior holds an MFA in Creative Writing from California College of the Arts and is currently a doctoral candidate in the Philosophy program at the University of Cincinnati. Dior hopes to be a dolphin in his next life. Dior's preferred pronouns are he/they. He tweets at @dolphinneptune and Instagrams at @dolphinphotos.