I Be Less Than: A Collection of Poems about Power, Pain, and Resilience

I Be Less Than is a self-help and wellness poetry book designed to support emotional healing, self-reflection, and personal growth. Through honest, rhythmic poems and guided writing prompts, the collection invites readers to explore identity, self-worth, and resilience in a way that is reflective rather than prescriptive.

In this fearless poetry collection, Katrina Pinkney confronts the voices, systems, and expectations that demand we shrink ourselves to fit the world’s narrow definitions. Through poems that pulse with honesty, rhythm, and emotional clarity, she explores what it means to stand firmly in one’s authentic self—even when every channel insists you should be less.

Rooted in her lived experience as a Black woman, Pinkney’s poetry speaks to anyone who has ever felt unseen, misunderstood, or pressured into silence. These poems navigate personal and social landscapes shaped by race, gender, identity, and the weight of societal norms, while remaining grounded in universal emotions—pain, anger, hope, loneliness, resilience, and the desire to belong without surrendering who you are.

Each poem is an act of resistance.

Each rhythm, a refusal to diminish.

Each word, an invitation back to your truest self.

I Be Less Than redefines “less” as a source of strength—proof that even when the world attempts to reduce you, you can rise with clarity, power, and unrelenting authenticity.

A compelling collection for readers who seek poetry that tells the truth, challenges the familiar, and reminds us that healing begins when we allow ourselves to exist fully.

This print edition includes an exclusive bonus section of guided writing prompts inspired by themes of identity, resilience, voice, and self-reclamation.