The Tradition

poetry by Brown

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July 22, 2026

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The Tradition is a 2019 poetry collection by Jericho Brown. This work earned Brown a Pulitzer Prize for poetry in 2020. The collection is noted for its exploration of themes such as identity, racism, violence, queer sexuality, religious faith, and trauma.1

Brown invented a new poetic form for The Tradition called the duplex, which blends elements of the sonnet, ghazal, and blues forms. The poems in this collection are praised for their stark vulnerability, honesty, lyricism, and ingenuity. The title poem, "The Tradition," uses the names of flowers and then lists Black men killed by police, framing their deaths as outcomes of a historical pattern.1

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Jericho Brown
The Tradition
” Brown’s first two collections were met with critical praise, but his third book, The Tradition, proved to be a breakthrough for him, with critics noting that his lyrical and technical skills had come into full bloom. The book’s title poem begins with a…
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” Brown’s first two collections were met with critical praise, but his third book, The Tradition, proved to be a breakthrough for him, with critics noting that his lyrical and technical skills had come into full bloom. The book’s title poem begins with a…
Read More