Dear Memphis
poems

The poems of Dear Memphis focus on reflection and remembrance--an inward echoing through time--to invoke the place that gave rise to them, to actualize it and let it resonate with history. They do so with few and poignant brushstrokes, the brilliant use of double meaning, and different poetic forms.......more

An incredible debut, full of poems that are moving, thought-provoking, and meticulously wrought. As a Southerner, I especially appreciate this book's reckonings and wrestlings with the South and belonging. As a poet, I especially admire Edelman's subtle patternings of sound throughout; there is an o......more

As absolutely biased as I am toward Edelman's writing, I think this is one of the strongest debut works of poetry I've read. Pulling at strings of home & empire, femininity & spirituality, domesticity & disorder, Edelman produces a marvel of poetics toward the ache of a better future.......more

"What do I know of exile?" the poet asks. There's a lot in here about family and diaspora and racial solidarity, but this question of heritage and inheritance, the question of what belongs to us from the received legacy of our family, is what's sticking with me from these poems.......more

Stunning collection. Some favorites include "After Waking", "Swatch Test", "How Prayer Works" and Nocturn. The pacing and build of the collection was perfect. Highly recommend.......more