Heart First into this Ruin

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This collection features Wanda Coleman's original and inventive sonnets, long celebrated as some of her finest work. Comprising one hundred poems, they express loving passions, social outrage, and hard-earned wisdom. Critics have described her work as "fantastically entertaining and deeply engaging," highlighting its creative rage, social critique, and subversive wit. Coleman, a resilient Black woman, wrote with a blend of anger, humor, and intelligence, famously stating, "to know, i must survive myself." She pioneered the experimental "American Sonnet" form, publishing these pieces from 1986 to 2001, influencing poets like Terrance Hayes and Billy Collins. Her art, rooted in life's particulars, resonates with timeless and universal themes. In her work, Coleman draws from her experiences and cultural heritage, crafting narratives that reflect both personal and societal struggles. Her sonnets are infused with a diverse range of influences, from Huey P. Newton to Herman Melville, and tell the intertwined stories of Black and white America. This collection is a testament to the power of words to articulate reality and possibility, appealing to those who appreciate a unique, questioning perspective.