So, you may recognize Amanda Gorman from the poem she gave at Joe Biden’s inauguration. It was called “The Hill We Climb,” and if you haven’t heard it, go listen to it and then come back to this article.
It’s been a while since I watched her recitation. Though given her rising star power and how great it is to see a young Black woman thrive, I had no choice but to read Call Us What We Carry. When I saw her book at my university’s library, I was excited to start reading it. She’s a talented, intelligent, creative poet, and I’m interested in learning more about her. I don’t read poetry that often, but it’s Amanda Gorman. Why not read it?
Synopsis: Call Us What We Carry is Amanda Gorman’s poetry collection filled with poems about current events, including “The Hill We Climb.” She speaks on issues concerning the pandemic, racism, human behavior, and various events in American history. Through her poetry, she seeks to strike a chord in humanity through tapping into the psychology of emotions, relationships, and everyday events.
Review: This book deserves a whole unit in an English class. I’m no English major, but the poems are interesting to analyze and think about. Depending on your critical thinking ability, they aren’t too hard to interpret, and her writing style could appeal to a wide variety of audiences, especially young adults. Gorman is very poignant and witty in some of the most imaginative ways. One of my favorite poems from the book is titled “Another Nautical,” where she creatively elaborates on the meaning of “ship” from several linguistic standpoints. When I first read it, I was in awe of how she managed to turn a word like “ship” into something philosophical. It should become part of my philosophy.
Also, Gorman’s curiosity and aptitude for learning show with the facts she gives about the Spanish flu pandemic, the Morse code phrases, and racism in American history. Her poem “Monomyth” is set up like a play, but it serves as a chronological timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic. I’m sure it took her lot of thought to write some of these poems, but it takes A LOT of talent to write such a cohesive, compelling collection of poetry.
The book’s weakest poem, in my opinion, is “Report on Migration of Roes.” That one created a fictional world and is attached with a fictional survey, but it was confusing to follow. My mind struggled to envision the scenario as I thought, What is Pampax? What is Pandem? She gave a description in the beginning, but it was hard for me to create an image in-line with that world. “Report on Migration of Roes” doesn’t negate the book’s power (of course not), but it doesn’t add to it either. So if any poem had to go, my vote would be for that one. Better to write a separate collection of fictional poems for a cohesive, creative story.
Final Verdict: Call Us What We Carry is a strong collection of poetry that beautifully represents Gorman’s voice. With her creativity and intelligence, it’s no wonder why she became the United States’ first National Youth Poet Laureate. I’m neither a fan nor a writer of poetry, but it’s definitely a genre not everyone can master. Through her poems, Gorman taps into human psychology and history to connect with readers and encourage them to reflect on their place in the world. It’s a refreshing collection of poems that inspires internal and external reflection.
In the future, I would love to see Amanda Gorman write a collection of poems based on a fictional world she creates. With a cohesive collection that paints a picture, that book would no doubt be a great one. She has time to create one, and I’d totally read it. Though whatever book she releases next, I’ll read it. I look forward to seeing her evolution as a poet and writer.
