ALL THAT NAMES US

Walker’s debut poetry collection looks, in part, to the past for reflective verses on life, loss, and human suffering.

These short works tell a story—one that reads like a poetic family memoir, an account of grief and loss, a coming-of-age narrative, and vignettes of adult life and work. The book begins with childhood reflections and shares a raw, sometimes painful picture of an imperfect suburban existence in years gone by. It unfolds to glimpse attentively into the lives of people in pain, with each poem a tale unto itself. Rhythmic, thoughtful language contrasts gritty imagery of liquor stores, and factories, or of a deathbed, as in “The Baby Monitor”: “We bought a baby monitor to hear / my mother in her rented bed / in the living room. / Small red lights followed each breath.” Mortality whispers throughout the book, making an appearance every few pages as a stark reminder, while the author’s free verse poetry paints a grim picture of the world’s injustices. The final poems take a spiritual turn, reflecting on faith and religion, as well as poignant moments in nature, as in “Home Remedy for Writer’s Block,” which reflects on a pond: “Widening ripples / say something perfect / to something perfect / in you.” Walker’s works have a dreamlike quality, with images like scattered puzzle pieces, leaving questions lingering about the texts’ origin and meaning. As a snapshot of the Southern experience, with visits to the industrial North, the collection acknowledges the painful qualities of humanity while also holding space for the beauty of living. Overall, this book flows like a river, one poem into the next, creating a whole narrative that mirrors readers’ own fractured places.

A deeply reflective set of poems with a mature perspective.