Foreign Currency by Samuel Ludke

A fierce and confident collection of poetry from the prolific Samuel Ludke, Foreign Currency is a bold compendium of raw, personal verse. Seemingly born for a spoken-word slam, as with Ludke’s other work, these pieces have the flow and attitude of a hip-hop riff, but also the vulnerability of a confessional. Though the form is relatively consistent, the themes bounce from cocky praise of a partner to confused mourning, or from painful personal narrative to deep societal analyses, showing that Ludke’s skill as a wordsmith encompasses both style and scope. A bit more creativity in the imagery would help this collection stand out, as there are too many predictable descriptions and canned phrases, but the soul of a lyrical storyteller is here on full display for a compelling collection overall.