Matthew Shenoda is the author of several poetry collections, most recently, The Way of the Earth. His newest book, Holdings is forthcoming in 2027 from Knopf. Currently he is Professor and Chair of the Department of Literary Arts and affiliated faculty in Africana Studies at Brown University. Additionally, Shenoda is also a founding editor of the African Poetry Book Fund.

POETRY

Sunrise

By MATTHEW SHENODA

We, who come upon grief / like the hooves of a beast / cresting a hill