[encore] 168: What Does It Say by Tess Gallagher

The Slowdown: Poetry & Reflection Daily · May 14, 2025 · 5m

Today’s poem is What Does It Say by Tess Gallagher.

The Slowdown is currently taking a break. We’ll be back soon with new episodes from a new host. This week, we’re going back into the archive to revisit Tracy K. Smith’s time as host. Today’s episode was originally released on July 17, 2019.

In this episode, Tracy writes… “When I packed up for college, back in 1990, I took sneakers and loafers. I probably also brought some nerdy deck shoes, and maybe even a pair of heels. But by the time my sophomore year rolled around, nearly all of those shoes had been replaced by a pair of black cowboy…