Love is a dangerous word : selected poems / by Essex Hemphill ; edited by Robert F. Reid-Pharr and John Keene ; foreword by Robert F. Reid-Pharr ; afterword by John Keene.

New York : New Directions Publishing Corporation, 2025.

xvi, 150 pages ; 21 cm.

"A New Directions paperback original."

American hero -- Heavy breathing -- Visiting hours -- Civil servant -- Voices -- For my own protection -- When my brother fell -- Fixin' things -- Commitments -- Rights and permissions -- Object lessons -- Invitations all around -- The occupied territories -- Song for Rapunzel -- The tomb of sorrow -- So many dreams -- Family jewels -- Soft targets -- Cordon Negro -- Black machismo -- To some supposed brothers -- Gardenias -- I want to talk about you -- Pressing flats -- If his name were Mandingo -- Black beans -- Homocide -- Better days -- Alpha wave disruptions -- Surrender is treason -- Forever -- State of the art -- Drinkin' -- Le salon -- Under certain circumstances -- Where seed falls -- O tell me, Brutus -- Now we think -- Balloons -- Isn't it funny -- The edge -- Between pathos and seduction -- Heavy corners -- Equus -- Romance is intrigue -- American wedding -- In the life -- Thread -- [Ex-boxer. retired from the ring.] -- P.O. box -- What twenty cents will get you -- [And when I get hot for you] -- [Love potions] -- [What will be bombed today?] -- American family, 1984 -- Vows -- "U.S. planning to wage war in space" -- Chances are few -- After school -- Observation in a war zone -- Confessions of a mask -- If we can't be instructed by grief -- Deadly weapons -- Meditations in a war zone -- Sultan -- The perfect moment -- Blue rinse -- The emperor's clothes -- The brass rail -- Meditations -- Suga', suga' -- Black queen -- Vital signs -- Considerations.