Tracy K. Smith, _Wade in the Water_

 FROM 2018, PUBLISHED during Smith's tenure as Poet Laureate. Deft, accomplished, and sometimes more than that. An erasure poem based on the Declaration of Independence, a long piece constructed from the testimonies of the Black Civil War soldiers, some spiritual engagement (the title poem in particular, I would say), some deeply felt poems about members of her family (especially in Part IV). 

Smith has never been one of my very favorite poets, but I always find her worth reading. That I thought well enough of her work to buy this book, then took five years to get around to reading it because  there were always several poetry collections I was more interested in looking at, then eventually did read it and appreciated it...that about sums up my readerly relation to Tracy K. Smith.  I don't expect to pick up the memoir or the "new and selected," but she's been a true toiler in the vineyard, so kudos to her.

By the way, the "new and selected" format just annoys me. If you are reprinting old work for readers unfamiliar with your poetry, can you leave it at that, and not throw in a dozen new poems so the people who have been reading you all along have to re-purchase work they have already paid for once in order to get the new work? A slap in the face to loyal readers, it seems to me. We deserve better.