This book was a great collection of poetry about the life of a Black man in America. From childhood stories to modern day anecdotes, the author takes us through experiences that may seem alien to some, but are disturbingly commonplace for America's modern Black man.
He describes his evolution from a boy witnessing shootings and feeling like the specimen of a biology class more than the frogs being dissected to a man who sees his life as a fleeting gift that could be taken unjustly at any moment. This fear is amplified by the desire to see his daughter grow (a daughter who he builds pillow gravestones for in his sleep for he fears she will be taken from him); to return home to his wife (who is well aware that one day her husband may not come home and could become another victim of police violence) to not break his mother's heart (a mother who knows even her love isn't strong enough to prevent him from being taken from her). In many ways, the collection is a love story to the women in his life both past and present, and the way they have shaped him as much as race in a supposedly post-racial America.
A strong collection that is both relatable and starkly different to my own life, but one that I think gives a good insight into the life of a Black man in America for anyone who would like to hear unfiltered and poignant stories.

I always look forward to books from performing poets, mostly because I am intrigued by how their words can move us when stripped of the spectacle and the ambience of a performing space.
This one was moving at places, tearful at others and heartwarming in totality.

Honest and raw, this book doesn't pull any punches while managing to stay soft at the same time

Powerful poetry that pins you down and makes you see the reality that is all around you, but that if you are not a person of color, you may be blind to. A glimpse behind the white-washed wall of mainstream reality.

This was so good! I am not a poetry lover, so it took me little bit to really get in to, but I am so glad I gave it a shot. I loved it

This was an unexpected love. It's a beautiful collection of relevant and thought-provoking pieces, remarkable in their raw honesty.

Still Can’t Do My Daughter’s Hair is not just about family life, but also race and masculinity. A stunning collection of poems.

2,5/5 stars

I could never connect with these poems. I actually had such a hard timing reading them that I stopped and left it unfinished for weeks until now that I decided to finish it once and for all. It still felt like a chore more than something I enjoyed.

I feel a little dumb saying this, but I think I didn't fully understand a lot of the poems. They felt like random words put on paper sometimes. I guess William Evans's style is just not my cup of tea.

I wanted to read this right away because I haven't read many male modern poets and I'm glad I did. With this book, I went in with a wide open mind and found that these poems are written with personal feelings and passion.
My two favorite poems are 'My Wife is Shaped Like' and 'Still Can't Do My Daughter's Hair'. The real-life themes that fill this book make it a must-read. No matter who you are this poetry book will open your eyes in some way. My mind is already open, I'm a strong believer in always having an open mind and so I was surprised that this book somehow opened my mind even more.
Like every poetry book, I didn't enjoy every single poem but more of them I did. William's writing is straight to the point with a powerful wordplay. I look forward to seeing what William writes next.

"She asks me what happened to this forest, but I cannot tell her of how I was once sapling, that she flourishes in the splinters of me."

"Maybe we start smaller; maybe we just want somebody to see us without imagining a future without us."

I tend to love poetry books, especially "own voices". 

There is nothing like a poetry book to tell a beautiful story in small pockets of narration interspersed with heartfelt symbologies and bitter truths. And I believe, there is no one better than William Evans to show this beautiful symbiote. 

Still Can't Do My Daughter's Hair talks about different elements of his life, culture and worldview, centred around his daughter and what he feels will come in the future. The writing is poignant, dark, and bittersweet at times. 

Evans draws relations between his experience as a male and what he has been able to view of what females go through, to project a story across many of his poems. Any time he deviates from the central theme (his daughter) is because he is painting a picture to better show you the context in which everything happens without having to interrupt his other poems with it.

He also takes elements of popular culture to create relationships between them and his message, as is the case of his liking Teen Titans Go! (which has a terrible rep online) because he likes seeing a black character on TV that isn't suffering or being a victim of hate crime. He even goes on to say, "I can't be concerned with that my fellow snobs have to say about my choice of cartoon as I lay across the floor with my daughter laughing because I can't guarantee she won't see her father on TV one day get hit and not get back up, and that laughter won't become language she forgets in my wake." which portrays this play with bittersweetness that seems to be so intrinsic to Evans' poetry.

Everything he writes goes on to pain the main picture that you get once you finish the book. To say that Still Can't Do My Daughter's Hair has or should only have one topic is to limit the scope and meaning of this work. This book is not only telling the story of how Evans still does not feel like he is an expert at parenthood, or at being exactly what he thinks his daughter needs but how the context in which he's grown up (in this case Ohio) has shaped the way in which he interacts with other and the fears he has for the future.

I received a copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The title is misleading. I was expecting this to be more about Evans' daughter, but more than anything it was about growing up in America as a Black man and trying to survive.

This book opened my eyes to just how rough it can be to be Black in America. The terror that they can have day in and day out and the relief they can get over something others may not think twice about. It reaffirmed just how important representation is for everyone as he talks about enjoying seeing Cyborg smile through whatever he has to deal with.

The poetry was raw and heartfelt. Even though I have experience none of his struggles, I could feel how hard they were for him and how they affected him. It has opened my eyes to how certain events and upbringings can affect different people. This book has opened my eyes.

The book of poetry is well written, has ample imagery and makes you think. The work revolves around parenting and is a political cum emotional statement that critiques the current judicial system in the United States.Some of the verses are absolutely stunning while the others make a point. This poetry can only be enjoyed if you are aware of the current political tension in the US, otherwise, it makes you feel like an outsider. It doesn't teach, it just tells.
The poetry is raw, beautiful and hauntingly real. The poet, William A Evans really leaves you stunned. He makes a point and sticks to it making you question the status quo.
I wish there were more themes in his poetry,

I received this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion. The title is initially what drew me to this collection, and while it's not necessarily just about Evans's experience being a father, it is about childhood and fatherhood and death and being black in America. As was the case when I read Claudia Rankine's Citizen, there is so much about just surviving that I personally can not and will not ever really appreciate. Evans's voice is strong throughout, and his pain and loss really struck me hard. The opening pieces, DUST and FATHER/DAUGHTER I went back and reread at least three more times, and I swear I could read them everyday. I also really loved THE BOYS RAN BACK PAST AND THE FLOWERS NEVER GREW BACK, EVEN THOUGH I LOVE YOU MORE THAN ANYTHING, THAT WON'T STOP THEM FROM KILLING YOU, and THE STREET LIGHTS WATCHED MOST OF US MAKE IT HOME THAT NIGHT. If you have any interest in poetry that's raw and expressive, you should absolutely get your hands on a copy of this book. I can't fully convey the weight of William Evans's words, so I'll leave you with some instead.

"The street light lights up and somewhere my father
prepares his best suit. We buried his mother two months past but it is
dark now, and he does not know where his son is. What happens to a
man when both his legacy and memory is placed in a garden that will
never bear fruit. What to do with all these tree limbs."

This is easily one of the best poetry books out there, and possibly one of the best books, period. William Evans just has a way of getting to you in a way no other author ever has. Every poem hit me, and despite our different experiences, it felt as though he were picking out the deepest parts of me and articulating it into words I could not have found on my own. Thank you, Mr. Evans.

The collection was heartfelt but I could not connect with the majority of it.

A good examination of what it's like to be Black in America.

Reading this collection of poetry was such a profound experience for me. And while I was lured in by the title, assuming it would be more about the author’s daughter, I realized this collection was so much more.

Still Can't Do My Daughter's Hair illustrates thoughts and feelings of a black man in America, often illuminating fears and bitter memories that plague him. His words are beautiful, yet haunting in how they linger with you long after you’ve finished reading. Poems that start off as innocent childhood memories take detours down dark paths, as William Evans gives us a glimpse of a bleak reality full of slain bodies. In this sense, his words can be sobering. He gives life to feelings of hurt, anger, and grief that pull you out of your comfort zone and implore you to wake up and acknowledge his pain. I look forward to reading more from the author and would recommend this book to others.

*I received an e-arc of this book from Netgalley, but all opinions are my own.*

Evans' poetry is very real and raw and emotional, and it's clear why he is so successful as a slam poet as these poems beg to be delivered with power rather than sit on a page.

This collection of poetry about what it's like to be a black man in America are haunting. After reading about the author and his history of doing slam poetry I can really see how much of this collection would work especially well if performed.