OUR SOULS HAVE GROWN DEEP LIKE THE RIVERS Black Poets Read Their Work

The rich heritage of African American poetry is presented in this impressive program. From Langston Hughes and W.E.B. DuBois to Rita Dove and Ethelbert Miller, the varied voices--sometimes strong, sometimes humorous--are heard loud and clear in a feast of sounds, images, and visions. This presentation should be a benchmark for poetry programs to come. Not only are most of the poems read well by their creators, but the accompanying documentation is impressive. The poets and the poems are clearly listed on the back of the CD case. More than comprehensive is the fifty-page booklet that accompanies the set. The first essay, by poet Al Young, gives a brief overview of black poetry. The second, by Rebekah Presson Mosby, addresses each poem in the collection. The essays are followed by a brief reading list and, finally, notes on all 75 poems. Overall, a very thoughtful presentation. P.B.J. Winner of AUDIOFILE Earphones Award. © AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine [Published: APR/MAY 01]