Ghetto Koans // A Personal Archive

The Japanese word ‘ koan’ is a seemingly unanswerable riddle used by practitioners of Zen Buddhism to trigger spiritual enlightenment and understanding.Ghetto Koans: A Personal Archiveis a vibrant, genre-busting collection of voices, observations and memories that trigger nostalgia of a lost time, lost neighborhood, lost city.

James Cagney masterfully weaves together monologues, documentary-style narratives, and keen observations, offering a profound glimpse into the lives and stories that shape this unique community and beyond. From direct door-to-door salesmen and flirtatious phlebotomists to rotary telephones and an appreciation of clotheslines, each poem serves as a window into the heart of the Bay Area, capturing the raw beauty, struggles, and curious triumphs of its people. Cagney’s words resonate with authenticity and depth, making this collection a must-read for anyone seeking to understand the rich tapestry of urban life.

Ghetto Koansis a journey through the soul of a community, told with unparalleled honesty and grace.

James Cagney is an African American poet currently living in Oakland, Ca. He authored two poetry collections:Black Steel Magnolias In The Hour Of Chaos TheoryandMARTIAN: The Saint of Loneliness. His books won the 2021 James Laughlin Award from Academy of American Poets and the 2019 Josephine Miles Award from PEN Oakland. His poems have appeared inAlta, Zyzzyva, Poetry Daily, Best American Poetry 2022, Black Imagination: Black Voices on Black Futures, Powerful, Black Powerful: Black Voices Reimagine Revolution, Beat Not Beat, Civil Liberties UnitedandColossus: Home, among others.

• Publisher: Black Lawrence Press
• Publish Date: July 15, 2025
• Pages: 114
• Language: English
• Type: Paperback
• EAN/UPC: 9781625571625
• Dimensions: 8.5 X 5.5 X 0.3 inches | 0.3 pounds
• BISAC Categories: Poetry