Crushing It

The title of Crushing It comes from a conversation Knox had with Ada Limon. Knox was telling a story about struggling during an ADHD test despite her brain telling her she was crushing it, and Limon replied that phrase would make an excellent title. This book contains more autobiographical poems than all Knox’s other books combined, starting with the dedication, To My Mother, ‘A classy, funny lady,’ which is what Knox’s mother wants inscribed on her tombstone. Knox said it required a terrifying level of vulnerability to reveal these parts of herself. Jennifer Knox is considered an underappreciated voice–her humorous and at times crass poetry was initially not wholeheartedly welcomed by the literary establishment. As she has continued to publish, Knox has garnered increasing acclaim, and now is an influential voice in the literary scene. Knox’s poems are a refreshing new perspective, employing colloquial language, pop culture references, and absurdist humor to craft a singular poetic voice.