Overview
Chosen as a Book of the Year by The Guardian and the BBC, a collection combining poetry and photography that explores the hopes and hazards of being young and Black in South London.
What is it like to grow up in a place where the same police officer who told your primary school class they were special stops and searches you at thirteen because “you fit the description of a man”— and where it is possible to walk two and a half miles through an estate of 1,444 homes without ever touching the ground?
In Poor, Caleb Femi combines poetry and original photography to explore the trials, tribulations, dreams, and joys of young Black boys in twenty-first-century Peckham. He contemplates the ways in which they are informed by the built environment of towering concrete walls and fast-gentrifying neighborhoods that form their stage, writes a coded, near-mythical history of the personalities and sagas of his South London youth, and pays tribute to the rappers and artists who spoke to their lives.
Above all, Poor is a tribute to the world that shaped this singular poet, and to the people finding the magic amid the difficulties they face. As Femi writes in one of the final poems of this book: “I have never loved anything the way I love the endz.”
While major retailers like Amazon may carry Poor (Poems), we specialize in bulk book sales and offer personalized service from our friendly, book-smart team based in Portland, Oregon. We’re proud to offer a Price Match Guarantee and a streamlined ordering experience from people who truly care.
We’re trusted by over 75,000 customers, many of whom return time and again. Want proof? Just check out our 25,000+ customer reviews—real feedback from people who love how we do business.
Prefer to talk to a real person? Our Book Specialists are here Monday–Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. PST and ready to help with your bulk order of Poor (Poems).