"The Heart’s Desk: A Review of Geffrey Davis's 'One Wild Word Away'" by Spencer Harden

Geffrey Davis’s One Wild Word Away is a collection of 31 poems, in which Davis delves into his grief, trauma, and past. It is also his journey of raising his son. A lot of the poems within this book evoke a nostalgic feeling, whether read or listened to. Davis carefully chooses every word used in each poem, and they convey a deep emotional connection, suggesting that they hold significant meaning for him. With every piece, you learn more and more about him; it’s like he’s telling you “Hey, this is me, and I want to share it with you.” I think listening to the audiobook version of this book, as I did, gives you a different take on these poems. Hearing them spoken to you makes it feel more intimate and personal, like a friend venting to you and sharing their deepest thoughts.
Geffrey Davis is an author of many poetry books, including Revising the Storm, which won the A. Poulin, Jr., Poetry Prize, and Night Angler, which received the James Laughlin Award from the Academy of American Poets. Davis grew up in Tacoma, Washington, and his poems are often about family dynamics, specifically his relationship with his father and son, and his experiences as an African-American man in the United States of America. I’ve gained an appreciation for his poetry; there’s just something about how he chooses his words. Everything seems to be curated and carefully chosen, including his emotional vulnerability and his ability to address intimate topics like love, grief, masculinity, race, and fatherhood. As well as writing, Davis is also a professor of creative writing at the University of Arkansas, and he now lives in Appalachia.
One of his poems from this collection that stands out the most to me is “Hymn at My Throat,” which is a poem about fatherhood and childhood. The poem delves into Davis and his child’s relationship, and his parenting skills. He compares his past as a child and his life now as a father. One of my favorite sections from this piece is

And the boy at the desk of my heart starts,
the boy at my heart's desk removes the number 2
pencil he’s been worrying at his teeth to open
the final sentence for his essay on love.

My interpretation of these lines is Davis talking about how, at heart, he’s still young and learning — learning especially about love or how to love, “worrying at his teeth,” showing the reader that he’s scared and nervous — as we all are when it comes to love.
Another strong poem from this collection is “Self-Portrait With Waiting,” which delves into his past once again. It talks about the trauma he’s been through with his father; it delves into religion and drug addiction. In the Audible version of the book, the piece, “It Must Have Been Summer” comes right after “Self-Portrait With Waiting.” Both poems having similar themes — themes of the past and reminiscing and trauma —including Davis’s rape as a child at the hands of his teenaged babysitter:

Just another
addict’s child who’d learned to stop
asking for mercy.

Listening to this piece on Audible, I didn’t even notice the poem had changed; both pieces flow perfectly into each other, and I love that. To call back to what I mentioned earlier, it felt as if a friend was talking to me and telling me about his past; it was as if one memory naturally bled into the next. Davis’s voice in the audiobook also adds another layer of intimacy, making his words hit harder.
Listening to this book made me feel good about myself. It gave me the feeling of helping out a friend and being there for them. I think listening to a book can give you a totally different experience than reading one. The experience I had listening to these pieces was powerful and moving. 10/10 — I wholeheartedly recommend it.

Spencer harden

Spencer Harden is a black and Hispanic 20-year-old from New York City and an interdisciplinary student, focusing on game design and creative writing at Woodbury University. He enjoys playing and creating games, as well as writing and creating worlds. He's grateful for gaining unique experiences in college, in MORIA, and life.