jakekilroy 's review for:

Wade in the Water: Poems by Tracy K. Smith

4.0

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There is a specter quality to Smith's poems, at least in this collection, as if she were documenting experiences of herself as an older mother, herself as a young sister/daughter, and even her ancestors a century or two ago. There is a beauty and a brilliance to her memories and takeaways, but there remains a curious thread of knowing without striking. She narrates the poisoning of rivers, recounts the letters written by black soldiers in the Civil War, and unpacks learning how to ride a bike with the same ethereal understanding. It's poetry without time, a memoir of blood and nerves, floating through the sea of being, and it's just wonderfully done.