Summary

In “Hammering (April 18, 1974),” Hank Aaron is “the future / ‘Home Run King’” (170). Despite his successes as a player, he is not considered “in the league / with the greatest, Ruth” (171).

In “Dear Trane (Lecture on Something),” the speaker gives a series of instructions. He discusses the similarities and parallels between poetry and song. His lecture is halting, as he searches for the right language. He encourages his audience to create openings in their artistic creations.

In “Blackness,” the speaker asserts that all of his poems, written or unwritten, are all inspired by his love for “black people” (177). Even “the black period that will end / this poem is a sign” of his love for black people (178).

In “Words,” “Words,” the speaker asks a series of questions. In each one, he is clarifying that his audience did not mistakenly say the...