the space between men [Paperback]

A poetic ethnography that creates and documents the vocabulary of the Southern Black queer experience, chosen as a National Poetry Series winner by Morgan Parker

Willis’ poetic voice is brimming with personality and curiosity, as musical as it is philosophical, and the space between men is a formidable debut.” —Morgan Parker, author of Magical Negro and There Are More Beautiful Things than Beyoncé

These piercing, surprising poems look to familial history, rituals of faith, and the natural world to explore how the intersecting cultures of Blackness and queerness relate to each other. As the collection evolves, the reader is challenged and empowered to seek expansiveness in spaces that have not previously been excavated, reckon with the complexities of interpersonal relationships, and explore memory as a catalyst for self-determination. Mia S. Willis weaves together intergenerational knowledge and personal discovery—not only to define themselves but to articulate a communal identity that transcends language.Praise for the space between men:

“the space between men is some space within everyday and literary language for queer communities of Black bois and femmes. It’s a space Willis helps build with their spilling-over toolkit of poetic forms, including newly canonical African American forms like the kwansaba, the bop, and the eintou. And it’s a space Willis studies with a researcher’s remove and a linguist’s ear for sound and situation.” —Lit Hub

“Here, Willis – a poet, historian and educator – explores culture, Black history and whlCI