Ever inventive, The Tradition by Jericho Brown ironically/unironically pushes the boundaries on poetic form and meter. I could live forever in the complicated world of "duplexes" marveling at the intricate wordplay, a magician's sleight of hands. I could talk about how Brown brings to life Black queer joy, Black queer sorrow, Black American life in a way that leaves the soul both heavy and light. But perhaps what is most awe-inspiring about The Tradition is its quietness, how it weaves together all of these things without ever explicitly naming these things. A book I'll hopefully be returning to again and again.