The Tradition

Brown's vivacious style and coaxing rhythms carefully critique a more universal experience of race, hope, despair, all entrenched in the modernness of American life. He diligently crafts the experiences of a black man in such a way that someone like me, a straight, white, male, cannot help but feel deeply connected to such simultaneous atrocity and courage.These characteristics are perhaps the most developed in the juxtaposition between the collection's title and perhaps the most discussed poem from the work, "Duplex." Brown invents this new format immediately before our eyes, a concoction of the sonnet, blues, and ghazal styles. The end product beautifully drapes trauma and triumph in a neat bow, and the reader cannot help but deeply empathize with its poignant repeated final line. Because that is exactly what the book is all about; taking the tradition of the black experience and making something entirely new, simultaneously honoring it and elevating beyond its constraints. No wonder the collection is so awarded.This is further explored in Brown's articulate use of common, modern vernacular. Colloquialisms that we often view as a lower form of language are elevated here, and they become their own kind of music to our ears. We see our casual selves, our thoughtless, everyday personality, pedestaled gorgeously until we respect such "low level" language. Once more, this is the point of the book: just like the black and brown people who have endured centuries-long disdain and oppression, Brown makes it his mission to elevate the otherwise untouched forms of literature.If this isn't art, I don't know what is.

If the word tradition means something that is being passed down from generation to generation, one might wonder what tradition Jericho Brown is following or approaching in his collection. However, the better question would be what is Brown traditionalizing? Beginning The Tradition with a poem narrated by someone who prefers ignorant bliss to the truth, Brown uses the first section to introduce a tradition of denial, pain, and loss through the thingification of the black body as flowers, furniture, and such. The second section moves from observation to accusation where Brown attacks subjects such as the system of white supremacy, in all its uncertainty and ambivalence in the poem “Riddle.” In the midst of highlighting generational traumas and violence, there is an underlying persistence in Brown’s work; the small but strong voice of endurance. Brown seems to imply that it is the piecing together of ourselves, as Brown has pieced together poetic forms to create his duplexes, that shows survival in spite of... is our tradition.

As somebody who rarely goes out of their way to read poetry, I can honestly say is a great collection! I first heard about the book on NPR’s Code Switch and fell in love with Brown’s voice, and immediately I had to purchase a copy for myself. Each poem is packed with such love, frustration, and call to action that I heard on the podcast. The theme address traditions in love, sexuality, gender, racism, and history, and balance perfectly within the Duplex quartet and the namesake poems. This was a short read, but I’m still thinking about it months later. Highly recommend!

An excellent book for exploring race and trauma in a safe, non-accusatory way. I bought this for my classroom (I am a white teacher in a 100% POC school) and I am interested to see student reactions to this work.Tw: race, BLM, rape, domestic violenceDuplex and Duplex Cento hit me so hard. They are truly amazing. A must buy for anyone who cares about being up to date on the next classic.

Jericho Brown's poems speak to our common humanity in the twenty first century American life. The poems begin gently like the souffle of a breath, and then gathers strength in a joyful romp. I was mesmerized by several poems in Tradition like the poem about his son and his daughter. The lines and explosions of metaphors and neologism pack quite a punch. There is often a deeper layer of meaning in the poems. I know will re-read it many times for the FUN of it!

I remember marching on December 1 with black umbrella and crowds of people on the annual Day Without Art. All of us knew someone dying of AIDS. These poems put me back in that time and since it appears that Jericho has survived, that makes me very happy.

This collection is going to require a re-read for me to fully absorb the poems. They alternate between going over my head, or speaking straight to my guts. His writing is concise. He gets right to the issue at hand, and evokes vivid imagery. This collection touches on Brown's experiences based on race, sexuality, and his HIV status. The raw honesty of his words knocked the wind out of me a few times. My favorite poems are: Bullet Points and The Tradition.

Poems appropriate for the times. A short, easy read. The author has an artful facility for language. Many of the poems are deeply personal. It will be interesting to observe if Mr. Brown will, as he advances in the art, expand his poetic universe beyond narrow themes and demonstrate versatility through a growing, wider-themed, more evaluative body of work. I suspect if he were to display greater versatility in his next book, I would be inclined to compose a more comprehensive review.

Jericho Brown is undoubtedly one of the greatest poet of his generation