Safari: Poetry by Angela Khristin Brown is a collection of more than a dozen poems that focus on both the historic and modern struggles of Black people–from slavery to Civil Rights and the terrible circumstances that Black communities continue to face today.

I liked the poems that included historical facts. My favorite poem was the one titled Black Power that recalled a number of milestones in the Civil Rights movement. There were a few names mentioned that I was not familiar with, and I was interested to research further to learn more beyond what was relayed in the poems.

I enjoyed reading the poems in the book that had inspiring and encouraging messages about persevering against adversity and having pride in oneself (including A Rose and Brown Skin Girls). Other poems took a much harder view of the subject matter, relating how far the situation still falls short of an ideal world.

The author used a variety of different styles in the poems. Many of the poems included slang or texting abbreviations which made them more relateable to a younger audience. However, it might be confusing for some readers to fully grasp the author’s meaning. And there were issues with typos in several of the poems. I really enjoyed this thought-provoking collection and recommend it for readers who enjoy poetry with a powerful meaning.