Poetry
- Middle Creek Poems. Laurinburg, N.C.: Blue Coot Press, 1979.
- Carolina Shout!: Poems. Greenville, N.C.: Greenville Printing Co., 1985.
- Finch’s Mash: Poems. Laurinburg, N.C.: St. Andrews Press, 1990.
- The Persimmon Tree Carol. Troy, Maine.: Nightshade Press, 1990.
- Plankhouse, with photographs by Roger Manley. Rocky Mount, N.C.: North Carolina Wesleyan College Press, 1993.
- Poor People: Poems. Troy, Maine: Nightshade Press, 1998.
- The Past. Hillsborough, N.C.: S. Stephenson, 1999.
- Fiddledeedee. Washington, D.C.: Bunny and the Crocodile Press, 2001.
- Greatest Hits, 1978-2000. Johnstown, Ohio: Pudding House Publications, 2002.
- Possum. Treadwell, N.Y.: Bright Hill Press, 2004.
- Family Matters: Homage to July, the Slave Girl. Durham, N.C.: Bellday Books, 2008.
- Playing Dead: Poems. Georgetown, Kentucky.: Finishing Line Press, 2011.
- Play My Music Anyhow: Poems. Georgetown, Kentucky.: Finishing Line Press, 2013.
- The Hunger of Freedom. Princeton, N.J.: Red Dashboard LLC Publishing, 2014.
- Maytle’s World. Chapel Hill Press, 2015.
- Elegies for Small Game. Press 53, 2016.
- Nin’s Poem. St. Andrews University Press, 2018.
- Our World. Press 53, 2018.
- Slavery and Freedom on Paul’s Hill. Press 53, 2019.
- Shelby’s Lady: The Hog Poems. Fernwood Press, 2020.
- Praises. Main Street Rag Publishing Company, 2021.