God Themselves

I listened to the audiobook and enjoyed every second. It’s the definition of “I laughed, I cried, it became a part of me.” Nichelle covers every facet of life: childhood, family, friendships, church, spirituality, sexual awakening, love, failed relationships, feminism, queerness, Black joy, Black trauma, technology, nature, healing, self-actualization, everything. She pairs God with mundanity, like group texts. She pairs humans with the divine. There’s something so relatable and raw and real and rhythmic and riveting about the way Nichelle carefully words her poetry. One of my favorite poems is “Barefoot Duplex” and below is an excerpt: “I dream up a life we could have. / oh, how much living we could do / if not for those who would kill us / it kills me those who are not for us / heaven is so far, they say. I say, so far, heaven is / us going nowhere else when we get home.” I cannot recommend this book enough. I will be bugging my library to get a physical book or an audiobook because I need people to read this. 10/10 instant classic. Reviewed from a NetGalley audiobook copy, not sponsored.