Life according to Motown

“Patricia Smith’s work is direct, colloquial, inclusive, adventuresome.” 
— Gwendolyn Brooks

In the 1960s, the lives of black children were shaped by the glittery specter of Motown--a world of furious flash, undeniable glamour, and impossible romantic ideals. Some discovered the truth before it was too late. Others still drape their blues in the silken sounds, swirling in dimly-lit rooms in an endless, blinding slow dance.

Born and raised on Chicago's West Side, Smith grew and thrived on the bright promise of Motown. This debut collection—written when she was the five-time champion of Chicago's legendary Uptown Poetry Slam—recounts in vivid imagery the lessons taught by and learned from Motown, poems that define what it means to be a Chicago girl.