Oakland is a town full of creatives, and poets and poetry is woven into its fabric.
The talents coming from Oakland is clearly on display in The Town, an anthology published by Nomadic Press earlier this year, and curated by Oakland’s Poet Laureate, Ayodele Nzinga. Nzinga is also an Oakland Voices alumna and columnist.
The book almost didn’t happen, as Nomadic Press announced its closure in March 2023. The book is the last book published by Nomadic Press, founded by J.K. Fowler. The press published more than 100 books. Fowler and Nzinga collaborated on bringing The Town poetry anthology to fruition.
Nzinga says, “I am proud it marks my tenure as the inaugural poet laureate and the completion of Nomadic’s service to the Bay as a publishing house.”
The anthology features 65 poets who live in or used to live in Oakland. One of those writers is Marabet Morales Sikahall, also an Oakland Voices alumna, who has two poems included in the anthology.
“My poetry is a testament of being from Oakland,” she said. “…You can’t duplicate the uniqueness or scrapiness that is Oakland. It is absolutely mind boggling to be included alongside such fabulous writers. The work is phenomenal.”
The anthology, a “love letter to Oakland,” is available for $21 from Small Press Distribution.
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