The history, deep south surroundings, and personal convictions of poet Wendy Taylor Carlisle are a collective wonder to behold. In her latest book The Mercy of Traffic, Carlisle offers a slew of poems that not only create a compelling biographical piece, but also a rather unflinching look at childhood. The way Carlisle discusses childhood in particular is one of the book’s greatest strengths. In the way she approaches poems such as “Like a Tide” and “Driving Toward Houston”, it is clear that these pieces go deeper than simply remembering an event. Everything is up to deconstruction here. Everything carries a voice that has much to say about the present, in addition to the past.

Gabriel Ricard, Staff Writer