Afraid of the Dark by Guyleigh Johnson

Afraid of the Dark is Darmouth author Guyleigh Johnson’s second book. Johnson is a spoken word artist, writer, and community organizer and she pours her multiple talents into this work of short fiction and poetry.

The book is framed by prose sections written from the perspective of Kahlua Thomas, a 16-year-old black teenager from Halifax who lives in poverty with a mother that struggles with alcoholism. Kahlua dreams of escape—escape from poverty, abuse, discrimination, and even the colour of her own skin. When her high school history class proves to be too boring and whitewashed to bear, Kahlua uses the time to research and write poetry about black history and black experiences, focussing on incidents in her own life like her father’s absence, as well as black activism more broadly. Kahlua’s poetry is infused with pain and is presented alongside several more prose sections that feature searing descriptions of trauma in her own life, including a violent falling out with her mother, her experiences of sexual abuse, and the loss of a friend to gun violence.

“Reading Johnson’s poems today reignited the fire I have for social justice and reminded me that these violent events will undoubtedly mark this time in history.”

Kahlua is immediately a lovable and sympathetic character: she is clearly smart but devalued by nearly everyone around her. She describes her insecurities: “In the back of my mind I know the essence of being black is beautiful, but why I’m afraid to express that I don’t know”. She often waxes philosophical in the prose sections of the book, as when she ponders her life, saying, “I felt like a punching bag and life kept throwing me jabs, uppercuts, and straight shots”. I found myself hoping that her writing would help her learn to punch back, so to speak.

Although Afraid of the Dark tackles many upsetting—yet extremely vital—topics, Johnson navigates these issues with passion and precision. Her poetry is particularly evocative; the rhymes crackle with life and urgency as in “Remember What They Promised Me”:

“Brisk breeze 
Falling to my knees
Stuck
Getting up
Running freely
Can you see me?”

I found it particularly moving to read Johnson’s book now, in the summer of 2020, as support for the Black Lives Matter Movement surges stronger than ever. Her poetry, in particular, haunts me. I happened to read Johnson’s poem “Philando Castile” on the anniversary of his death and I was struck once again by the horrors of anti-black police violence and the urgent need for change. Reading Johnson’s poems today reignited the fire I have for social justice and reminded me that these violent events will undoubtedly mark this time in history.

Afraid of the Dark is especially powerful because it tells the story of one black teen in Eastern Canada in particular, but also extends its reach to include a discussion of the black experience in North American more broadly. Johnson reminds us that we are not exempt from racism north of the US border, and that we can do more to address both the large and small; systemic issues of racism and smaller aggressions in our daily lives. I hope all kinds of people read her book because we need to be reminded.

This is Guyleigh’s second book, following the release of Expect the Unexpected. Guyleigh Johnson is a 25-year-old spoken word artist/creative writer from North End Dartmouth. A community advocate, Johnson encourages youth to see their true potential and to step out of their comfort zone. In print, on YouTube, Facebook, and her personal webpage she’s starting the conversation for change.

Publisher : Pottersfield Press (Dec 10 2018)
Language : English
Paperback : 128 pages
ISBN-10 : 1988286522
ISBN-13 : 978-1988286525

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Rachel Fernandes

Rachel Fernandes was raised in Ottawa, where she completed her Honours BA and MA in English at the University of Ottawa. She is now based in Kingston, where she is a PhD Candidate studying contemporary North American literature. Her research focuses on mixed race identity in various genres, including memoir, poetry, and the novel.
Over the last decade, she has published a smattering of poems through small presses such as In/Words, Joypuke, Coven, and Feathertale, and served on the editorial boards of The Ottawa Arts Review and The Lamp Literary Journal. She loves reading even more than she loves writing, and is excited to share and discuss new Canadian work through The Miramichi Reader.