Baby Suggs and a Purple Butterfly

Baby Suggs and a Purple Butterfly is a poetry anthology and guided journal inspired by two novels Beloved by Toni Morrison and The Color Purple by Alice Walker, where both stories highlighted the importance of language, storytelling, writing and poetry in helping to create community and fostering physical, emotional and spiritual connection and healing. The anthology/journal is divided into four sections: Sermons, Spells, Codes and Letters. The Sermons section, inspired by Baby Suggs' sermon in The Clearing, is centered on connections and the ways we try to stay connected to ourselves, our bodies, our families, our ancestors, our histories, our ways of knowing, and the world around us. The Spells section takes a look at the ways we create, incorporate and perceive magic, sensuality, mindfulness and wonder in our lives. The Codes section is a reflection on the codes, rules and structures that shape our realities and that we attempt to redefine for ourselves. Last, the Letters section, inspired by Celie's letters to God and to her sister Nettie, invites others to respond to our callings, our questions, our demands, and our hauntings and to join in on the congregation and conversation. Featured poets include .chisaraokwu., Keisha-Gaye Anderson, Zahura Akter, blkcowrie ¿, Kim Brandon, Jacqueline Carr, Carla Cherry, LeConte¿ Dill, Sherese Francis, Jacqueline Johnson, Divya Kandwal, and Kuukua Dzigbordi Yomekpe.