University of Georgia Press, 2007.

Nikky Finney compiles more than 100 new and established African American poets in her anthology, “The Ringing Ear: Black Poets Lean South.” Featured in its 405 pages are the contributions of Sonia Sanchez, Yusef Komunyakaa, Harryette Mullen, Nikki Giovanni, Kevin Young, Cornelius Eady, Al Young and many others.

The writings speak of the African-American experience in the South through humor, hurt, hope, fear and emotions that connect to the area’s paradoxes and past. Finney clusters the artists’ works in titles such as “Music, Food and Work: Heeding the Lamentation and Roar of Things Made by Hand” ; “Religion and Nature: The Lord Looks Out for Babies and Fools” and  “Love, Flesh and Family: The Hush and Holler Portraits."

Nikky Finney is professor of creative writing in the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Kentucky. Finney received a PEN American Open Book Award in 1999 for “Rice,” a collection of stories, poems, and photographs and the 2004 Benjamin Franklin Award for Poetry for “The World Is Round.” She travels extensively, reading to listeners, staying connected and engaged and maintaining her commitment to the risky business of creativity. Finney received a bachelor of arts degree in English literature from Talladega College in Ala.