To Greet Yourself Arriving pays tribute to inspirational and illustrious figures throughout black history. A wide range of individuals such as activists, artists, and athletes are showcased in Michael Fraser’s powerful poetic portraits—Rosa Parks, Barack Obama, Harriet Tubman, Oscar Peterson, Oprah Winfrey, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and P.K. Subban. In his foreword to this groundbreaking collection, Canadian Parliamentary Poet Laureate George Elliott Clarke writes, “Fraser gives us characters who, even if tortured by their experiences of “race” and/or racism, win through to a stardom that edges into heroism…”

 Praise for Michael Fraser’s work

“A new, exciting voice has emerged in Canada’s poetry scene. The poet blends his unique heritage—birth in Grenada, boyhood in Edmonton and teaching high school in Toronto—with an unerring eye and ear for contrast and detail. All of Fraser’s lines crackle with an energy fuelled by deep empathy and the ability to take language to the edge.”—Canadian Bookseller Magazine

 Praise for To Greet Yourself Arriving

“Fraser doesn’t just show his subjects with scars and flaws, gold stars and halos, but almost always with a generous, cinematic light.”–George Elliot Clarke, Canadian Parliamentary Poet Laureate and author of Whylah Falls

“The poems are revelatory, educative, and inspirational. They tell (or retell differently) stories of heroes—some admired, loved; but many unsung, forgotten… That this is a historically significant book is evident on every page.”—Mayank Bhatt, Generally About Books

“Fraser’s poetry provides rich pieces to share and consider. This is a collection that teachers should be teaching across the country.” —Jael Richardson, Toronto Star

“The poems in Fraser’s To Greet Yourself Arriving stand fiercely on their own as poems, tight and clear and clean, but as a chorus this book raises itself to a beautiful black sound.”—Michael Dennis, Today’s Book of Poetry