{"product_id":"nichelle-jae-grownfolk-pb","title":"[10\/13\/26] Nichelle, Jae: Grownfolk Blues","description":"\u003cp\u003eHost Publications, paperback\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePublication Date: October 13, 2026\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePublisher Marketing: \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eGrownfolk Blues: a musical in poems\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eis a powerful cross-genre experiment by the inimitable poet, performer and screenwriter Jae Nichelle, blending narrative verse with musical theater in a dynamic score that transcends the traditional bounds of a poetry collection. Inspired by the queer Southern blues artists of the 1920s and 30s, the narrative follows a character named You, a queer Black woman who is frequently crushed beneath the weight of societal demands. You struggles against the pains of coming into adulthood, of finding love and meaning in life.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePublishing a century after the peak of popularity of Bessie Smith, Ma Rainey, and the other queer, Black artists who inspired this work,\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eGrownfolk Blues\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003etackles the persistently relevant themes of those musical greats—balancing and thwarting trivial societal expectations, struggling to make a living, finding moments of levity in times of great pain. Playful yet deadly serious as it sings, backsteps, and levitates with the sonic power and the poignant rhythm of the blues, this collection transgresses genre. Familiar narratives around love and heartbreak are transformed by Nichelle’s deft formal invention.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eGrownfolk Blues\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003econtributes to an ongoing dialogue on the power of creative expression in challenging oppressive systems, providing readers with room to reflect on their own ability to resist seemingly immovable constraints. Highlighting beautifully the difficulty of what we must endure, Nichelle offers one woman’s journey toward finding love and acceptance, in dazzling librettos that dance and reach toward us across the page.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Open Books: A Poem Emporium","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45407467503639,"sku":"9781972756003","price":20.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0004\/6497\/7956\/files\/1785796135-900.png?v=1786825976","url":"https:\/\/open-books-a-poem-emporium.myshopify.com\/products\/nichelle-jae-grownfolk-pb","provider":"Open Books: A Poem Emporium","version":"1.0","type":"link"}