LeavingSaturn,chosenbyAlYoungasthewinneroftheCaveCanemPoetryPrize,isanambitiousandhonestcollection.MajorJackson,throughbothformalandfreeversepoems,rendersvisiblethespiritofresilience,courage,andcreativityhewitnessedamonghisfamily,neighbors,andfriendswhilegrowingupinPhiladelphia.Hispoemshauntinglyreflecturbandecayandviolence,yetatthesametimetheyrejoiceinthesustainingpowerofmusicandthepotencyofcommunity.Jacksonalsohonorsartistswhohaveservedasmodelsofresistanceandmaintainedtheirownfaithinthebeliefoftheimaginationtoalterlives.Thetitlepoem,adramaticmonologueinthevoiceoftheAmericanjazzcomposerandbandleaderSunRa,detailssuchahumaneprogramandservesasanadmirabletributetothetraditionofAfricanAmericanart.Throughout,Jacksonunflinchinglyportraysourmostdevastatedlandscapes,yetwithavividnessandcompassionthatexposethedepthofhisimaginativepowers.
