Above Ground

By: Clint Smith

Narrated by: Clint Smith

A New York Times bestselling poetry collection from Clint Smith, author of #1 bestseller and National Book Critics Circle Award winner How the Word Is Passed.

"A joyful embrace and legacy of bright language and poignant questions." —Aimee Nezhukumatathil, author of World of Wonders

Clint Smith’s vibrant and compelling new collection traverses the vast emotional terrain of fatherhood, and explores how becoming a parent has recalibrated his sense of the world. There are poems that interrogate the ways our lives are shaped by both personal lineages and historical institutions. There are poems that revel in the wonder of discovering the world anew through the eyes of your children, as they discover it for the first time. There are poems that meditate on what it means to raise a family in a world filled with constant social and political tumult. Above Ground wrestles with how we hold wonder and despair in the same hands, how we carry intimate moments of joy and a collective sense of mourning in the same body. Smith’s lyrical, narrative poems bring the reader on a journey not only through the early years of his children’s lives, but through the changing world in which they are growing up—through the changing world of which we are all a part.

Above Ground is a breathtaking collection that follows Smith's first award-winning book of poetry, Counting Descent.

A Best Book of the Year 2023: TIME • NPR’s Best Books • New York Public Library • Electric Lit • The Root • NBC Today • Mother Jones

Determined to find love in the midst of this life.

Clint Smith’s beautiful words are made more beautiful and soothing by the richness of his voice. He paints pictures of the every day and ordinary in the most extraordinary of ways. It is an African-American family story made accessible to all.

So beautiful

What a beautiful collection of poems. He captures so beautifully the love of a parent and the magic of ordinary life. Some of his reflections on life and the connectedness to our ancestors and each other really touched my heart.

Poignant and entertaining!

I loved the way he intertwined his story with current events of the world! Perspectives of a Black father loving his wife, raising his children, while navigating through life's many events. His colorful narration kept me interested, there was something he spoke about in every. chapter that you could relate to. Great read!

love this

what an awesome collection. it perfectly describes parenthood. alarm was my favorite. it describes the absolute terror of losing a child perfectly 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

Loved the Audio

I loved this collection. I listened to the audio and highly recommend (adding?) Smith’s narration if possible! The “Great Escape” made me laugh and the Willie Francis poem made me cry. All of them caused me to take a deep breath — especially Cartography. Yes to Zoom School, and “eat your carrots” was exactly the right thing to say 😉