Remedies for Disappearing

Remedies for Disappearing is both a hymn to Black girlhood and a collection of full-throated songs. It is the cry and resounding echo. This collection captures the tender-hearted but unflinchingly honest recollections of crushes and first kisses rendered in pithy and brilliant poems. It is doubtful that Patrick wrote this collection for young people, but nonetheless, I think she will find an audience in teens who crave and search for and find solace in language that reflects experiences of youth with a clear eye and masterful writing. The poems crafted from collected prom stories are particularly captivating as are the poems one would consider less directly about teenage rites (rights?)of passage: the aunties inviting Joe Morton to dinner, the speaker exiting the supermarket and considering the men who stand outside catcalling. The poems are intimate and vulnerable, and teens everywhere will be both challenged and comforted by this sharp, smart voice.