The Tradition

Jericho Brown

June 18, 2019

The Tradition by poet Jericho Brown is a powerful and timely book of poems that meditates on themes of violence, race, sexuality, family, and relationships. Brown reflects on a past that is both personal and collective in its impact, weaving together history, memory and experience in a way that allows the reader to feel and to understand.This book is an exploration of identity and survival in a world in which lifelines are fractured and out of reach. Part of the complex and nuanced strength of the book lies in the duality between large and small, between the intensely personal and the universal. Brown’s words bring readers a glimpse into a life that transcends physical pain and anger, where deep emotion is not only displayed but embraced and accepted.The Tradition also speaks to contemporary reactions to external pressures and violence. Brown seeks justice as he unities his rage and his vulnerability in one elegant and haunting story. His words carry with them the weight of his undeniable truth, while they continue to grapple with injustice in the present.In this stunning book of poetry, Jericho Brown has created an emotional and nuanced portrait of our society and of lives not often heard. He speaks of a tradition that is our own, of a grieving that never ends, and of a hope that never fades. It is an essential work of poetic art that demands to be read and reconsidered.