soft boy.
soft boy. takes an intimate look at the absurdities of toxic masculinity and attempts to illustrate the need to abandon patriarchy and misogynoir as urgent, essential to Black liberation and, ultimately, in everyone’s best interests. Humorous and introspective, soft boy. is the echoing cry of a Black man desperately searching for authenticity in a world that champions performance. This is David A. Gaines’ first published collection of poems and the fourth book to be released by the Black-owned publishing house, Black Minds Publishing, LLC.
About the Artist
David A. Gaines (he/they) is a poet, director, actor and educator born and based in Philadelphia. His work examines Blackness, masculinity, Christianity and mental health through an intersectional lens. As an award-winning, nationally touring poetry performer and Poet Laureate of Pennsylvania’s Montgomery County, his work has been featured in several publications including The New York Times, Philadelphia Inquirer, VICE Media, Button Poetry, among many others. His forthcoming sophomore poetry manuscript, CECIL, was selected as the first runner up for the 2025 AWP Donald Hall Poetry Prize.
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Cadence Casual [online]
proof that we were here
