The Poetry Project

Reading

Love is a Dangerous Word: The Selected Poems of Essex Hemphill — Book Launch with John Keene and Robert F. Reid-Pharr

Co-presented with New Directions

Please join us for a special evening celebrating the revered poet Essex Hemphill (1957–1995), and the publication of a new landmark selection of his incendiary, sensual verse Love Is a Dangerous Word. The legacy of the late, great Essex Hemphill has been lovingly sustained through xeroxed copies of his few published works. They are as potent now as they were in the 1980s. With tenderness and rage, Hemphill’s poems unflinchingly explore the complex, overlapping identities of sexuality, gender, and race; the American political landscape; and his own experiences as a black gay man during the AIDS crisis. This event will be a tribute to Hemphill and his lifetime of achievements as a poet, performer, editor, and activist. The selection, co-edited by John Keene and Robert F. Reid-Pharr, serves as both an introduction to Hemphill’s poetic prowess and a treasure trove for those who have long awaited his return to the literary spotlight.

The evening will include readings and performances by: John Keene, Robert F. Reid-Pharr, Pamela Sneed, Samiya Bashir, Jafari Sinclaire Allen, and more special guests.

We hope you can join us at 7:30pm for a pre-event reception to raise a glass to Essex Hemphill.

This event will also be livestreamed for free on the Project's YouTube channel.

Events