Punks

New & Selected Poems

By: John Keene

Narrated by: John Keene

A landmark collection of poetry by acclaimed fiction writer, translator, and MacArthur Fellow John Keene, Punks: New Selected Poems is a generous treasury in seven sections that spans decades and includes previously unpublished and brand new work. With depth and breadth, Punks weaves together historic narratives of loss, lust, and love. The many voices that emerge in these poems—from historic Black personalities, both familial and famous, to the poet's friends and lovers in gay bars and bedrooms—form a cast of characters capable of addressing desire, oppression,
AIDS, and grief through sorrowful songs that "we sing as hard as we live." At home in countless poetic forms, Punks reconfirms John Keene as one of the most important voices in contemporary poetry.

©2021 John Keene (P)2023 Recorded Books

A Well-Deserved National Book Award Winner

I bought this as a paperback but didn’t read it. When I saw this available as an audiobook narrated by the author, I purchased and listened to it one evening while commuting, cooking, and cleaning. But I enjoyed the book most when I read it while listening to Keene’s narration, giving me a double dose of his artistry. The book stunned me with its rich language and imagery. Verse and its subjects spanned time. One poem highlighted George Washington Carver and another Benjamin Banneker. Among Keene’s final poems, he writes how his love of Black people and himself drives his verse. I feel like I’ve traveled time and space with him. Now, I will read his book as he narrates. Punks deserved its National Book Award win.