Overview

When did you feel the pull of poetry? For Ashley M. Jones, the moment she knew she would be a poet was at seven years old—reciting “Harriet Tubman” by Eloise Greenfield. That moment, that poem, showed her there was a place for her in the world of literature as her full Black self. As she continued to grow as a person and a poet, becoming the first person of color and the youngest person to serve as Poet Laureate of Alabama, Jones encountered so many incredible Black women poets who showed her the possibilities. Part critical essay, part personal essay collection, What the Mirror Said traces the influence of nine Black women poets in Jones’s writing and life. She brings together historical biographical information, personal reflection, and close readings as she explores personal connections to poets from Phillis Wheatley to Patricia Smith. This book is expansive in its study, from classical metrical scansion to metaphorical explication. In offering new ways to interpret poems by important contemporary poets, What the Mirror Said makes the case for the need to study and celebrate Black women poets.

Full Product Details

9780472040193

Table of Contents

Reviews

“Ashley Jones’ What the Mirror Said: The Necessity of Black Women in Poetry is a radiant call to celebrate the enduring power of Black women’s voices. Through tender and powerful essays that move between the personal and the scholarly, the ancestral and the everyday, this collection insists that poetry is not a luxury—it is survival, sanctuary, and call to action. Each essay honors the brilliance, courage, and honesty of Black women poets whose words have shaped Ms. Jones’s world—and ours. This collection of insight, gratitude, and proclamation reminds us that to read Black women’s poetry is to experience the divine and unwavering pulse of freedom.” * Sidney Clifton, Founder and President of The Clifton House * “What the Mirror Said is a bold exploration of aesthetics, history, and personal voice. Ashley M. Jones honors the Black women who reshaped American poetry, from Phillis Wheatley to the present, by blending cultural history with lived experience to show how these poets transformed language and challenged power. This vital book stands as both a tribute and a testimony, showing how Black women redefined what poetry can be.” * William Johnson, Director of PEN America Florida * “Readers open to gaining new perspectives and languishing in artful language will appreciate Jones's (Lullaby for the Grieving) enlightening tribute to the works of legendary Black women poets.” * Mitzi Mack, Library Journal *

Author Information

Ashley M. Jones is Associate Director of the University Honors Program at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and the Founding Director of the Magic City Poetry Festival. Her most recent book of poetry is Lullaby for the Grieving (2025).

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