Domestic Work

Winner of the 1999 Cave Canem Prize 

“Trethewey’s verse explores the various forms of labor—from the men on the docks to the women employed as domestics. Their insights into the history and experience of black Americans contain a profound message for all of us. A noteworthy debut by a remarkable young poet.”—Kirkus

“From sonnets and traditional ballads to free verses shot through with the syncopated attitude of blues, the poems in Domestic Work sing with a muscular luminosity. Here is a young poet in full possession of her craft, ready to testify. To which I say:  Can we get an ‘Amen?” And: Let these voices be heard.”—Rita Dove, Judge

“Natasha Trethewey’s Domestic Work depicts an arresting psychological landscape. Her mirrors sway light and shadow over sharp portraits of people in a world between worlds. Yet, their rituals and obsessions make them like us. Seemingly straightforward and plainly spoken, woven of what dares to sound everyday, these poignant narratives are deceptive as they throw an emotional cast and the reader is beckoned to a place like no other.”—Yusef Komunyakaa

Graywolf Press is pleased to collaborate in the publication of Domestic Work with the Cave Canem Foundation, an organization founded to promote the development of emerging African American poets and to bring the rich diversity of African American poetry to a broader audience.