Get Counting Descent Pdf

The poem encapsulates themes of racial inequality, preconceived notions, and the temporary nature of life. The cicada symbolizes black boys who are often not allowed the luxury of innocence and are perceived through the lens of racial prejudice.

Clint Smith's debut poetry collection, Counting Descent is a coming of age story that seeks to complicate our conception of lineage and tradition.

“What the Cicada Said to the Black Boy” by Clint Smith is a poem comparing black boys to cicadas. How they both get treated and their differences. Smith uses metaphors and personifications to reveal that blacks have been mistreated alike how cicadas are treated when they appear.

"Keeping Score" In “Keeping Score”, Smith writes from a child's eyes, observing the absence of the magic of childhood in their family. The child catches small glimpses of any remaining youth in the adults in their family through things like blinking when playing cards, and someone's personal tell of when they've won.

The poem "what the fire hydrant said to the black boy" repeats "just see" three times, "they say we both" twice and "a burning" twice. It preface the circumstances of oppression in society and highlights how society feels threatened by black people, just as how a fire hydrant serves as a threat to fires.

Published in 2016, Counting Descent is Smith's first full-length collection of poetry that explores themes of race, humanity, and coming of age.

The poem encapsulates themes of racial inequality, preconceived notions, and the temporary nature of life. The cicada symbolizes black boys who are often not allowed the luxury of innocence and are perceived through the lens of racial prejudice.

In the poem “Canon,” Smith emphasizes the idea of questioning your place in society by stating, “ Our stars weren't meant for their sky. We have never known the same horizon.” Smith does this to help convey his message on how many people feel as if they can never feel like they'd ever be able to find it in life.

Soles is a poem by Clint Smith which explores the complexities of being a black man in America. The poem speaks to the powerlessness that comes with being a black person in a country where racism can be both subtle and overt.