Identity Crisis (PB) (2024)

recto y verso EDITIONS is proud to announce the release of Identity Crisis by Poet and Writer Ian Macks. Ian's distinct poetic voice and literary light shines bright within the poems of his long-awaited sophomore effort. Kayla Davis writes: "'Identity Crisis' by Ian Macks details the silent inner voice of a black man screaming. Magnifying the 'not black enough' trope that's been pervasive in our culture, Ian Macks' poetry reads raw and emotional. Punished and misunderstood, as a black man in America, Ian fires back with poems that are unapologetically black, in words that are meant to be felt, not just read. Consumed by colorism projected onto him, Ian Macks spills the tea in this captivating walk through his existence. I encourage you to walk these miles in his shoes. A must-read for anyone who felt alone in a room full of friends." Currently based in New York's Capitol Region, Ian Macks originally hails from The Bronx, NY. As a youth, Ian was mostly non-verbal during his first decade on planet Earth. These early childhood experiences shaped Ian's emotional sensitivities and point of view on love, loss, racism, and hardship. Previous work includes Ian's chapbook A Loss and Gain of Comfort, released in 2014 to much acclaim. Ian Macks performs his poetry at various NY poetry venues such as WAMC's The Linda, Caffe Lena, Brass Tacks, Poetic Vibe, Hudson Valley Writers Guild, Rough Draft Bar and Books, 518 Craft and many more.