Gray and Something

Elliot Harmon's debut poetry collection, Gray and Something, is an engaging exploration of a young writer's attempt to contribute to the field of literature while navigating the hilarious absurdities of daily life as a human being. The narrator's interpersonal relationships trace through the entire book, while cultural influences ranging from professional wrestling to vintage country gospel music provide unlikely perspectives and a lush backdrop for a hero's journey.

Harmon's wit and humor infuse the pages with levity, even when the subject matter turns dark. With emotional depth and agility, the narrator navigates quickly between the small-scale prickles of a poet's life-such as the twinge of anger evoked by a petty insult from a "famous poet"-to the deep despondence felt over another writer's death and the frustration over an inability to find the right words for grief's enormity.

As much as Gray and Something is a portrait of the literary community and its distinctive characters, from romantic partners to competitors to friends, it is also a road map and a deep dive into the cultural products of Americana. As the narrator drives a friend across a large swath of the rural Midwest to a funeral, he contemplates religious billboards and dives into the musical history of the road-trip soundtrack. In this story, highbrow and lowbrow art have equal footing-any subject is worthy of attention, as long as it is interesting at its core.