Felicia Taylor E.

Southern Spiced: A Brown Girl’s Tale is a collection of poems by Felicia Taylor E. centered around her childhood memories, adolescence and young adulthood. There are four distinct collections: ‘Beginning’, ‘Piney Woods Time’, ‘Blues of Life and Love’ and ‘Grateful’. The first is a collection about her early childhood, with sweet memories watching and learning from television, her love of books and her imaginary friends, movies, and her adventures with her mom and dad. But also, some traumatic memories of discrimination, random strangers touching her hair, the cruelty of her early years’ teacher, and a terrifying encounter with the Klu Klux Klan. The second collection is about her time growing up, spending time with her grandmother and grandfather, her love of music, playing out with friends, and the joy of singing in the church choir. In the third collection, Felicia describes her youth, her growing understanding of the world around her, the stories of others who fought every day for survival in an unjust society, the cruelty of dementia on patients and their loved ones, her growth as a young woman and a poet, a blossoming love with a ‘brown eyed Knight’, and thoughts about death. In the final collection, Felicia shares beautiful memories of lost loved ones.

Southern Spiced: A Brown Girl’s Tale is a beautiful and poignant collection of poetry by Felicia Taylor E. The poems are both heart-warming and heart-breaking, as Felicia takes the reader on a journey through her life, and shares her experiences of growing up as a Black girl and woman in the South. The diverse collection of poems shows the authors ‘multilayers’ of womanhood and being a Black woman.

Star rating: 5 Stars

Summary: A beautiful and poignant collection of poetry that are both heart-warming and heart-breaking.