Nafissa Thompson-Spires

“Wash Clean the Bones” is about a woman named Alma who sings at funerals for Black boys. The story delves into Alma's physical ailments, her mental disquiet, and her worries over her son.

In “Heads of the Colored People: Four Fancy Sketches, Two Chalk Outlines, and No Apology” by Nafissa Thompson-Spires, the phrase "four fancy sketches" refers both to the author's written sketches of...