Almost Too Much Covered in The Tradition

In his third book of poetry, The Tradition, Jericho Brown covers much ground: he grapples with myth, media, racism, his own mortality, and still manages to push past established forms of poetry. It’s impressive in scope, but the breadth can leave the reader forgetting the ground covered because there was too much of it.

Brown conveys a disdain for the world around him that embraces and encourages racism and violence, but also exudes a confidence about his own abilities to navigate the terrain. This is a book from a grown, tired man, and is filled with the heartbreak and the fortitude he’s earned. He introduces, too, the “Duplex” form in his poetry, described by Jeannine Hall Gailey in her Barrelhouse review of The Tradition as “a sonnet-like series of couplets that include repetition.”

The repetition accomplishes a layering of experiences and voices, making his experiences feel that much more echoed in the lives of others, as though he is not alone. These stories are from a chorus, not a soloist. 

While Brown should be appreciated for his skill and his willingness to leave no stone un-turned, the latter is also a fault of The Tradition. Reflecting back on the book, it’s difficult for this reader to remember much of what Brown wrote about, even as the feeling was that it was powerful. The writing is so good though, it'd be worth additional reads. 

Thank you to the Boston Public Library for recommending The Tradition.