DANEZ SMITH
THE POET HAS BEEN CELEBRATED FOR HIS DEFT LYRICS, AND HIS NEW COLLECTION EXPLORES RACISM, SEXUALITY, DESIRE AND HIS HIV STATUS
{ Q & A }
AS TOLD TO: HARRY NETTLETON
“American history has never been that great or honourable”
Your work largely reflects your experience as a black, queer person living in the US. You write that, “I’m not the kind of black man who dies on the news.’’ Do you consider yourself a voice for people who can’t speak up or aren’t listened to?
I don’t consider myself a voice for any imagined voiceless people. I don’t believe in voicelessness; I believe that the idea of there being people who “can’t speak up” is an oppressive invention. I’m not a voice for the people, I’m one of many in the crowd.