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My first experience with Letta Neely's poetry was at a Middlebury College reading. I was impressed to see this black woman up on stage, but when she started to read, I was mesmerized.
I expected no less from the book, which I ordered on the spot. It did not disappoint.
Juba is Letta Neely's third production piece, a collection of pieces from her previous these chap books and some additional pieces.
Neely is not afraid to tell readers off. She speaks with a firm, powerful voice on a variety of topics: being black, being a lesbian, the environment, the president, and even latchkey children.
Juba begins with a state-of-the-world address and a statement about societal priorities: "...we strip trees, dye them the color of leaves, and put white men's faces on them, to pay for places to sleep..." This realism draws the reader in.
The book rises in intensity as she gets more personal, delving into her own experiences and taking the audience along with her. This poetry is very personal and emotional; it comes out raw, and gets under the skin. And while listening to her poetry adds one aspect of the intensity, it hides the visual layout of her pieces. On the printed page, the formatting of the words is part of the experience of the poem. Emphasizing particular words, ideas and feelings, her layout style adds to the overall feeling of non-conformity in her work.
Her eloquence is seen in simple yet powerful word choice. In "Mostly we Merge" she lays out honestly the perils of loving the person you want to love: "...Afraid that if we touch here - hand to hand over cement - we will be killed / this is a hazard of our love." These poignant words make this poetry reach the reader in an honest, empowering way. Emotions, expressions, and images are laid out in words and language that are unmistakable.
The beginning of the end comes with an observation, a "Harlem Haiku." Neely merely takes a look around and states it as it is. Before an orgasmic conclusion, she attacks politics and the media and the almighty president appears even here, but then we are put back to rest by the title piece, a love story that is the final work. There is no better way to end such a passionate book than with passion.
