"Every time you think a Jericho Brown poem is about to drown in sentimentality or gushy eroticism, he makes a turn that freezes you solid, or boils you over, or completely vaporizes you," wrote The Stranger's Rich Smith on Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Jericho Brown. In his Word Works lecture moderated by former Seattle Civic Poet Anastacia-Reneé, Brown will unpack the feeling of coming away from a poem in complete confusion. "Looking at examples of sense and nonsense in his and others’ work, Brown will explore the different techniques poets use to balance meaning and mystery," read press materials.