Poet Spotlight: Tracey Knapp, Revisited - Why Some Poetry Demands a Return
A Return to Tracey Knapp's Award-Winning Collection
It's been three months since I published my first spotlight on Tracey Knapp's work, highlighting “Perfect Objects,” then, “Layover.” Numbers tell me that over 75% of readers opened and engaged with the last piece—but numbers aren't why I'm returning to Mouth. I'm back because some poetry refuses to let go.
In other words, I can’t shut my mouth about “Mouth.”
Where to buy this poetry
PUBLISHER - Wolfson Press / 42 Miles Press Poetry
TITLE - Mouth: Poems
AUTHOR - Tracey Knapp
LINK - https://wolfsonpress.com/mouth-poems/What Drew Me Back
Last week, settling in for the night, I spotted Mouth on my coffeetable. When I opened it randomly, I landed on "Layover"—and immediately understood why Tracey's work has been quietly working on me these past months. Her realness cuts through literary pretense like butter.
Also, I worked to secure permission from both the publisher and poet, which made diving deeper into this work irresistible. Common. How can I not?
Tracey, Revisited: The Power of Returning
There's something to be said for revisiting poetry after time has passed. I’m learning time has been a factor in producing a proper series arc. Lots to learn, and lots to love.
What strikes you changes. What you initially glossed over reveals new depths. In "Layover," I'm now caught by details I overlooked before like the "tinsel from my hairbrush" examined in airport bathroom lighting, the spider "pausing midair before / it continues to descend, no big rush / for the imminent water spout."
This is Knapp's genius—she transforms mundane waiting into existential meditation. The poem moves seamlessly from intimate self-examination to cosmic perspective: from bathroom mirror to terminal ceiling to "our planet and beyond it, a vast black / expanse of nothing, of night."
Why This Matters Now
Knapp's ability to find profound meaning in ordinary moments feels revolutionary. ➁ "Layover" captures something essential about modern transit—not just physical movement, but the liminal spaces where we're suspended between destinations, forced into unexpected contemplation.
The poem's final movement is breathtaking: "I wonder if I will ever fly / past it, beyond the window seat / of a slightly curved horizon." Altitude here, becomes perspective, and the desire to see our lives from outside this existential life.
We can also go back to ➀ “Perfect Objects,” the selection we kicked the series off, because, for some reason, the last line gets me.
How I Fell Into a Metrics Trap
The last March article reached 50 people, with 39 opening it—a 78% open rate that any email marketer would envy. But more importantly, readers clicked to the purchase links on Knapp's book and engaged with the content meaningfully.
But here's what I discovered: feeling dejected by metrics taught me more about my purpose than any success story could have: I'm not here to chase open rates—I'm here because Tracey Knapp's poetry deserves attention, dammit.
Gems of Wisdom
🤌 Forget vanity metrics when featuring quality work
🤝 Focus on meaningful engagement over getting everyone to look
🫶 Trust that valuable content finds its audience
🫰 Good poetry criticism fills a genuine void on a mostly negative internet
We need meaningful articles about poets and writers. If your critiques are meaningful, you’re golden. That should be enough.
But, if your work doesn't do well, keep writing, keep editing, and keep posting.
Recapitulation
➀ “Perfect Objects” https://visualliquid.substack.com/p/perfect-objects-poems-by-tracey-knapp
➁ “Layover” https://visualliquid.substack.com/p/poet-spotlight-exploring-tracey-knapps
This article.
The Series Continues
This is a re-introduction to a 4-part examination of some of my favorite poems in Mouth. Next month, I'll talk about “I Said You Said,” then, we’ll conclude with "Magnetia"—the poem that first captured me with its "pulsing iris" and drew me into Knapp's world.
We need more voices like Tracey Knapp's in contemporary poetry. Her unflinching honesty and unexpected humor create work with what I call "enduring cultural value"—poetry that stands the test of time because it captures something true about being human.
➀ "Perfect Objects" by Tracey Knapp from Mouth. © 2015 by Tracey Knapp. Reprinted with permission of 42 Miles Press, Indiana University South Bend.
➁ "Layover" by Tracey Knapp from Mouth. © 2015 by Tracey Knapp. Reprinted with permission of 42 Miles Press, Indiana University South Bend.
A special thanks to
& 42 Miles Press for republishing parts of this work.DISCLAIMER:
This article was developed with AI language models used as editorial tools. All content is ideated, written, moderated, and reviewed by Visual Liquid (human) editors for accuracy, and the occasional typo. 100% human artwork, tho.
SUBJECT: Poetry Spotlight: Poems by Tracey Knapp