nightshade, by de'Angelo DIA

Poetry, chapbook, 44 pages, from Bottlecap Features.

nightshade invites readers into a realm of poignant emotions where grief, love, and radical tenderness intersect and asks them to embrace the solace found in the delicate spaces that define the human experience. This collection of elegiac poetry is an homage to the complexities of humanity and is inspired by the enigmatic nightshade flower, as referenced in Shakspeare’s Macbeth.

Within the pages of nightshade, the reader will encounter verses that are both familiar, abstract, and healing, as the poet explores the depths of sorrow and the transcendent nurture of love. Each poem serves as a vessel for contemplation of the ever-shifting landscape of desire. Through evocative language, the essence of the nightshade flower is woven throughout the fabric of this collection, serving as a reminder of life’s divinity and fragility. From the compassionate embrace of a grandfather’s eyes to the ache of farwell, these elegies reflect grace and timelessness and convey the ephemeral nature of existence with sentimentality and reverence.

Theopoet and mystic de'Angelo DIA examines cultural and moral imagination through poetry and performance art. The driving influences of his work are embodiment, mythology, and contemplation. Additionally, DIA’s work is grounded in the aesthetic of neo-Appalachian art, the charismatic nature of the Black church, and a multitude of theologies that inspire mysticism. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Applied Communication and Sociology with a minor in Photography from Appalachian State University, a Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies: Literature from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and a Master of Divinity and Doctorate of Ministry from Union Presbyterian Seminary. DIA’s poetry collections include bifurcation (Union Presbyterian Seminary, 2022) and sacred | spaces (Theurgical Press, 2024). His poems have appeared in BLACK BOY Journal, The Skinny Journey, Artist Writing on Liberation, and Cru Arts & Culture. DIA is the recipient of awards and fellowships from Cave Canem, The Watering Hole, the Hurston/Wright Foundation, the McColl Center for Art + Innovation, and the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African American Art + Culture. He is a member of the Goodyear Arts Collective based in Charlotte, NC.