About the Book

Cave Canem presents the best African American poetry, featuring over 200 popular and critically acclaimed Cave Canem poets including Paul Beatty, Claudia Rankine, Willie Perdomo, Tracy K. Smith, Nikki Giovanni, Terrance Haynes, among others.

In celebration of Cave Canem’s twentieth anniversary, the renowned foundation presents this noteworthy anthology featuring the best contemporary African American poetry from over 200 beloved poets.

Highlighting Cave Canem’s indelible impact on the American poetry scene, The Beautiful, Needful Thing will contain selections from Cave Canem poets who have published a book and/or won prestigious awards—a few of which include the Pulitzer Prize, the National Book Award, the Whiting Writers Award, the Poetry Society of America Frost Medal, MacArthur Fellowship—in its twenty-year history.

Contributors include: Elizabeth Alexander, Paul Beatty, Terrance Hayes, Claudia Rankine, Tracy K. Smith, Kevin Young, Major Jackson, Nikky Finney Tyehimba Jess, Willie Perdomo, Patricia Smith, Natasha Tretheway, Afaa M. Weaver, Yusef Komunyakaa, Tim Seibles, Vievee Frances, Lyrae Van Clief-Stefanon, Greg Pardlo, Jericho Brown, A. Van Jordan, Sharan Strange, Carl Phillips, Rita Dove, Harryette Mullen, Marilyn Nelson, Lucillie Clifton, Michael S. Harper, Kyle Dargan, Camille T. Dungy, Dawn Lundy Martin, Reginal Dwayne Betts, Tara Betts, Mahogany Brown, CM Burroughs, Eisa Davis, and Ross Gay among others.

With a foreword and afterword by Cornelius Eady, The Beautiful, Needful Thing is a comprehensive compilation of the finest in contemporary African American poetry and an addition all poetry aficionados will want in their libraries.