A review by jakekilroy
The Tradition by Jericho Brown

4.0

This collection carries with it the human experience, ranging from daydreams of love to bursts of violence. It reads thoughtful and pensive even when it comes impulsive and menacing. It paints a life, lyrically and blessedly, cherishing the social bestowments he so wonderfully enjoys, while putting weight and dissection to the magnificence and hardship of a gay black existence—and readily and heartily facing the historical manufacturing of looming white legacy and what arms of dominance that shall mean. At each step of every poem, it's abundantly clear that Brown knows what he’s doing, a balancing act that he's been training for, only seeming effortless because he's done the work—a wonder.