Urban Poetry and Soul
Pages of wisdom and soul that echo past the barriers of ignorance and enlighten the reader with truth and knowledge. Identity in Shades is a soulful collection of poetry written by author Shamir Kali Griffin, recipient of the 2014 Central Valley Favorite Author Award (Community Link Newspaper).
"Identity in Shades by Shamir Kali Griffin is the sound of truth being shouted from rooftops and whispered under the covers; these are verses that echo gunshots and summon ghosts from generations past. A vulnerable, visceral, and inspiring collection, each poem pulses with authenticity and demands that readers return for a second taste. Swinging wildly from the political and cultural to the personal and emotional, these pieces rarely follow a meter, and while rhyming is prominent and occasionally forced, it avoids being childish or sing-song. Glimmering with Native American allusions, a poignant grasp of love, and a humbly nostalgic voice, Identity in Shades deserves a slow, savoring read." --Self-Publishing Review
Pages of wisdom and soul that echo past the barriers of ignorance and enlighten the reader with truth and knowledge. Identity in Shades is a soulful collection of poetry written by author Shamir Kali Griffin, recipient of the 2014 Central Valley Favorite Author Award (Community Link Newspaper)."Identity in Shades by Shamir Kali Griffin is the sound of truth being shouted from rooftops and whispered under the covers; these are verses that echo gunshots and summon ghosts from generations past. A vulnerable, visceral, and inspiring collection, each poem pulses with authenticity and demands that readers return for a second taste. Swinging wildly from the political and cultural to the personal and emotional, these pieces rarely follow a meter, and while rhyming is prominent and occasionally forced, it avoids being childish or sing-song. Glimmering with Native American allusions, a poignant grasp of love, and a humbly nostalgic voice, Identity in Shades deserves a slow, savoring read." Self-Publishing Review, ★★★★
Shamir Kali Griffin, is an award winning author of poetry, grass dancer, altruist, and former ABA therapist. Is a writer of African American, Native American (Choctaw, Creek, Blackfoot), and Irish descent that relies on cultural knowledge and current social issues that he expresses through poetry. Griffin paints vivid landscapes of the human soul with the colors and hues of language (English, Spanish, Choctaw, and Japanese) to express the importance of social issues of those in the LGBTQ, Black, Native American, and migrant communities.
His book Identity in Shades led to his nomination for the 2014 Rainbow Choice award by Community Link and to his overall reception of the award. In 2021 Griffin won the December Collection contest held by Wingless Dreamer Publishing for his poem Yugen (Tranquil Beauty).