KyleDargan’snewcollectionofpoetryreflectshismanypassionsasapoet,hisdeepengagamentwithwhatitmeanstoworkintheAfricanAmericanliterarytradition,andhislivelyvoice,infusedwithhip-hopsensibilityandidiom.Skillfullyblendingvernacularandelegantdiction,hisclippedandreflectivephrasingscreateanimatedpoemsthattakeonamyriadofconcerns.MovingthroughsuchsubjectsasamidnightwaitintheWashington,D.C.,busstation,menonexhibitatthe1904World’sFair,thesightsandsoundsofanIndianakaraokebar,andanimaginedescapedslaveturnedtostone,Dargan’sworkcontinuallyshiftslensestoexamineanAmericaincreasinglystifledbydogmasandineptsocialcategories.Atthecoreofthebookiscompassionfortheindividualswhopopulateit,andfromthatcompassiongrowsahungerfortheoldidentities,inwhichweencaseourselves,tocomeundone.From“Palinode,OnceRemoved“Thedaywepursuemetaphor,Iwill/teachthemaboutthebrain--howthereisacenter/tocatchdiscrepancybetweentheexpected/andtheperceived.Stimulatethemechanism./youareworkinginmetaphor./Thoughsurprising/Iamnotametaphor.Thisis:Iamaperiod,/smallanddark.Ifyoureadmecorrectly,/youaretostop.Pause.Breathe.
