/lit/ - Literature

>>22792521
There really, REALLY has been. Do more digging. I'm serious. You won't be disappointed if you look hard enough. Here: I'll give you a few which I consider to be worthwhile. Take care, these are my valuables, OP.

>Mark Strand
poetryfoundation.org/poets/mark-strand
voetica.com/poem/12227
youtube.com/watch?v=kw6dAZwg24c
>Tracy K. Smith
poetryfoundation.org/poets/tracy-k-smith
>Henry Taylor
poetryfoundation.org/poets/henry-taylor#tab-poems
poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/browse?contentId=35971
>Vernon Scannell
poetryfoundation.org/poets/vernon-scannell
>Dylan Thomas
>Seamus Heaney
poetryfoundation.org/poets/seamus-heaney

And there are many others of all sorts, quite nearly.

>>22793180
Poetry is the highest form of literature. That is precisely why the gap between a great poet and a crap one is so astronomically huge. The essence of poetry is to say as much as possible with as few words as possible - high information density; and like philosophy, all great poets are in conversation with one another and engaging in introspective self-observation. It is an abstract and introverted artform - more literary than philosophy, more abstract than literature, less visual than painting, and yet somehow at the epicenter of all three. Tread softly, boy! You walk upon the stones of our forefathers - without whom, none of us would stand here. Not a man!

>>22792536
This is an interesting point. Even if I'm unsure that's the reason for scarcity. I think it's probably much simpler than that - television, video games, film, and pornography.

>>21527913
Oh, I forgot to say something very important which I meant to say. Pick at least one of the sciences and read works within that area. If you're more inclined towards STEM, master one. Read books on the history of mathematics, and do not neglect math. If you're not mathematically inclined, at least make sure you're comfortable with arithmetic, conversions, mental math, and basic geometry and algebraic concepts. A shocking number of people do not have these abilities. Some recommendations:
>A History of Pi
>3.1416 and All That
>The Foundations of Analysis - a bit of a slog for me, but still useful. Types who gravitate to algebra over calculus or geometry probably enjoyed it more than I.
>Adventures in Numberland
>Basic Mathematics; Serge Lang - kind of a meme book, but it helped me a great deal
>Six Easy Pieces & Six Not So Easy Pieces; Feynman
>Introduction to Mathematical Philosophy; Russell
>A History of Greek Mathematics I & II; Sir Thomas Heath
You get the idea. Last I checked, the American Mathematical Society had a list of favorite books.

Some Random recs:
>Metaphors We Live By; George Lakoff
>English Meaning and Culture; Anna Wierzbicka
>English Words from Latin and Greek Elements; Donald M. Ayers
>Essays of E.B. White - just comfy
>C.S. Lewis and Tolkien - comfy and wholesome
>Anatomy of Criticism; Northrop Frye
I could keep going forever probably, lol, so I'll stop now.

You'll notice most of these are not by black men or women. I don't think it matters much. Take from what strengthens, leave what weakens. Care not where it comes from, but only where it will take you. That's my perspective.

Happy reading, senpai.