Perennial

In her third collection of poetry, Zetta Elliott explores the certainties of life in the US-tulips blooming in the spring, police officers killing unarmed Black people, ginkgo leaves turning gold in autumn, and mass shooters targeting people of color simply trying to live their lives. Using free verse, tanka, and haiku, Elliott contrasts the beauty of each season with the brutality of American injustice, revealing the contradictions of contemporary urban life. Elliott's voice reveals vulnerability and defiance as the Black feminist poet struggles to hold onto hope despite exhausting and enraging conditions.