Marcus Amaker is the Poet Laureate of Charleston, SC. This is his eighth poetry book, and it features handwritten poems and original artwork. Marcus' work has been presented by the Kennedy Center for the 2021 Presidential inauguration, and has been featured by PBS Newshour, Departures Magazine, and more.
The Birth of All Things is a book about Black fatherhood, joy, racism, anxiety, Bjork, Star Wars, and love.
“Once, in 2001, I heard a poet read a poem that turned to music in the air. Two decades later Marcus Amaker’s gorgeous new book is that moment on repeat, with each turned page. A mixtape of presence, The Birth of All Things is a genuine, lyrical offering to our heart’s expansion. To write in celebration while refusing to ignore grief, is a skill few artists have mastered, but it is mastered here. I am so grateful for the bonfire of light this book has brought into my world.”
— Andrea Gibson, world-renowned poet and author of Lord of the Butterflies (Button Poetry)
“A text for living, The Birth of All Things is a joyous collection with the breath of Amaker’s newborn daughter running through. Despite the current chaos of our times, these poems conjure a world filled with magic and music that centers us and keep us brave. A necessary collection: Organic, generous and life-giving.”
— Cheryl Boyce-Taylor, author of Arrival (Northwestern University Press), and mother of Phife (A Tribe Called Quest)
The Birth of All Things is an eclectic mix of poems from Marcus Amaker, the first Poet Laureate of Charleston, SC.
This personal collection delivers poems about a wide range of topics: Life as a new dad, racism in America, Björk, anxiety, Star Wars, masculinity, pandemics, black music, history, and more.
Amaker is an award-winning graphic designer, musician, and performance poet. The Birth of All Things is the sum of all of his talents.
The book features Amaker’s handwritten poems, and an original illustration from Florida artist Nick Davis.
Published by Free Verse, LLC.
