Tug, a thoroughly contemporary first collection, astonishes with its scope and vitality. Ranging in tone from formal to informal, and in mood from longing to celebration, Patterson deftly articulates the shifting ground of human relationships. Different characters, male and female, people these poems. Whether it be the loving son, the unrepentant seducer, or the African American man admired by the world, the voices speak to us openly, with an honesty that is disquieting. Arcing between the impulse to sing and the impulse to narrate or document, Patterson explores the ties of love, family, and…
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