The Willies
- 2020 INDIES Winner
- Gold, Poetry (General)
“Finally, the poem I will not write.” With such an opener, Adam Falkner dares to let go of his debut collection. Most every image and sentiment to follow feels unburdening, like a rebirth. Falkner’s work has appeared on HBO, NBC, NPR, BET, and at the Grassroots Ball during the 2009 presidential inauguration.
It’s Tricky So Stay With Me: I crushed on the girls who
dated the boys I crushed on which I understand seems
inefficient but really it did the job. I loved Jeff or at least
from my desk behind him in third period I like imagining
my palm slapped around the buzzed cowlicks on his neck and
Jeff asked Tasha to a dance which I knew to mean that Tasha
and I should hook up it’s not that complicated if you think
about it. I loved Evan or at least the way pool water clung to
his trunks and his thigh hairs when he climbed out of the
chlorine and he got head from Michelle Cantor that summer
behind the equipment shed so I gave her my virginity we
thrashed around in the dead darkness of a linen closet
our bones clacked against the wood floor until there wasn’t
much else to say.
Reviewed by
Matt Sutherland
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. No fee was paid by the publisher for this review. Foreword Reviews only recommends books that we love. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
