Crystal Williams

Crystal Williams is a native of Detroit, Michigan, and author of Kin and Lunatic. Her poetry appears in magazines such as Luna, Fourth River, Callaloo, The Indiana Review, and...

Lunatic
Poems by Crystal Williams

Crystal Williams

Crystal Williams’ new collection, Lunatic, courageously roots out the underbelly of the human condition with humor, irony, and unflinching directness. Williams confronts large-scale social and cultural events such as September 11, the death of Amadou Diallo, and the Chicago Race Riots in addition to exploring the oftenparalyzing terrain of loss, desire, and displacement. Among its most common themes is personal responsibility. The interpretation of personal narratives affects not only the self, Williams insists, but reverberates with epic consequences in the wider world. Pointing to James Baldwin’s The Fire Next Time, Williams questions the dark side of human experience with clarity, compassion, and even laughter. Ultimately, Lunatic explores how the public and private converge and how we can each reach, boldly, for reconciliation.

ALSO OF INTEREST: Kin, Crystal Williams, 0-87013- 548-1, $15.95

Reviews

“The Reward of taking personal ownership of the things that matter is at the heart of many of the poems in this marvelous collection by Williams, a passionate, accomplished poet whose 40+ razor-sharp entries here dance on humankind’s darkest floors, comfortable in their exploration of loss — and confident in their hope for recovery.”

- The Book Review

“Lunatic…gives us another glimpse of this fine artist’s keen eye for social nuance and her deep respect for oral tradition. Lunatic courageously roots out the underbelly of the human condition with humor, irony, and unflinching directness.”