Dear Mothership: Poems

by Marcus Wicker

From the author of Maybe the Saddest Thing and Silencer comes a playful yet profound poetry collection that orbits the intersections of public loss, private grief, (dis)connection, capitalism, and identity.

In Dear Mothership, Marcus Wicker channels the lyrical dexterity of Outkast and the speculative vision of poet Robert Hayden to chart a course through personal and political upheaval.

The collection’s centerpiece is the “Break Beat Crown”—Wicker’s original take on the heroic crown of sonnets—presented as a travelogue from an extraterrestrial who has touched down in modern-day Atlanta. Across linked poems, the outsider records field notes on pandemic discord, isolation, tenderness, late-stage capitalism, empathy, and art. The longer the speaker inhabits a dysfunctional society, the more alien he feels. In addition to these science fictional experiments, Wicker delivers affecting, personal poems grounded in lived experience: lingering grief over two miscarriages, the sudden death of a friend, a sustained search for joy on the other side of those heartbreaks.

With its singular imagination, Dear Mothership kindles a new understanding of what makes us most human.

Genres: Poetry

112 pages, Paperback

Published September 8, 2026

About the author

Marcus Wicker is the recipient of a Ruth Lilly Fellowship from the Poetry Foundation, a Pushcart Prize, The Missouri Review's Miller Audio Prize, as well as fellowships from Cave Canem, and the Fine Arts Work Center. His first collection Maybe the Saddest Thing (Harper Perennial), a National Poetry Series winner, was a finalist for an NAACP Image Award. Wicker's poems have appeared in The Nation, Poetry, American Poetry Review, Oxford American, and Boston Review. His second book, Silencer—also an Image Award finalist—was published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in 2017 and won the Society of Midland Authors Award, as well as the Arnold Adoff Poetry Award for New Voices. Marcus teaches in the MFA program at the University of Memphis, and he is the poetry editor of Southern Indiana Review.

Reviews

[Joyce]

*Thank you to NetGalley, Ecco, & Marcus Wicker for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

How do you even review a poetry collection like this?

I’m 38 years old, and somehow this is the first collection I’ve ever read that feels… like this.

To say I had blind spots is an understatement. Reading this as a hapa (Native Hawaiian and white) woman, I constantly found myself opening another tab to look something up. A cultural reference. A hip hop lyric. A phrase I’d never heard before. Even the way some of the poems were built felt unlike anything I’d seen before.

It wasn’t that I couldn’t understand the poems but more so, it was realizing there were layers I would’ve missed if I hadn’t stopped to research them. To understand more than what was being offered at face value.

I loved that.

I never felt like the book was trying to explain itself to me. It simply seemed to say, Come along. If you’re willing to do the work, we’re going to have one hell of an adventure.

And what an adventure it was.

Marcus Wicker somehow blends poetry, hip hop, science fiction, politics, grief, humor, and identity into something that feels entirely his own.

One of my favorite things about this collection is that it doesn’t ask to be experienced one way. You can let it wash over you and simply enjoy the ride, or you can do what I did and end up with fifteen Safari tabs open because one reference led to another, and then another. Neither way is better. They’re just different journeys through the same collection.

I ended up listening to Planet Frog while I read, and there were moments where the whole experience felt almost otherworldly.

I kept rereading lines, not because they were confusing, but because I knew there was something I hadn’t quite caught yet.

I honestly don’t know how he did it.

HOW DID HE DO THIS?!

I can’t believe it took me nearly four decades of reading to find a collection this original. It reminded me that poetry doesn’t have to fit inside the versions we studied in school. It can sample music, borrow from pop culture, imagine aliens observing humanity, make you laugh, break your heart, and send you down a two-hour research spiral… all in the span of a few pages.

Apparently, I’ve been missing out.

[Melody]

Thank you, NetGalley, for an ARC of this masterpiece.

Dear Mothership, by Marcus Wicker, isn't a book of poems you pick up for casual reading. This is my first foray into this author's work, and after reading the first two pieces, I realized that to do his work justice, I needed to read them aloud so I could get the full vibe and feeling from each one. Admittedly, this work of art took me a while to get through. You can't just read poem after poem. Some you have to sit with; some you have to read again to make sure the message didn't go over your head; others you may need to read again just to find the right vibe within yourself to appreciate the words you're reciting. Each poem's style blends hip hop, prose, and something otherworldly. It's fitting, as you're reading this from the perspective of an ATLien. I would love to see these performed live, since I know my living room sessions didn't do them justice.

I know many people will be drawn to this book by the cover, but please note that these poems are deep and different. If you're an Outkast fan or love the mix of hip hop and sonnets, then you'll love everything that Marcus Wicker is putting down in this work of art.

[Mariah]

Sonnets for the modern poet and those who see the world beyond the shades of rose. A contemporary poetry collection that packs a punch with soul. For anyone struggling with identity or absolutely loving themselves – you will find a home in this collection. Loved every rhyme and the diversity of the diction across the poetry. Poetry that connects to the heart through the soul.
An emotional seesaw that will have you caught between teary eyes and vulnerable laughter. There is something incredibly special about poetry that makes you feel seen. It is also notable to mention the way this collection creates a conversation about living against the grain. For anyone tired of the status quo and hating themselves, once again you will find a home with this collection. Thank you, Marcus Wicker, Ecco, and Netgalley for this advanced digital copy. All opinions are my own.

For tarot readings, recommendations, and reviews, visit my blog https://brujerialibrary.wordpress.com

[Sacha]

5 stars

You're taking me to Stankonia? Calling out the ATLiens? You're a fellow emo Cancerian? Sir, there is no place I'd rather be.

This new collection from Marcus Wicker is full of innovative poems that connect with deep, personal experiences, aspects of popular culture, and fresh perspectives on identity.

These poems feel both distinct from each other and thematically unified, and reading them was a fully immersive experience. What was even better was listening to them in the audiobook.

I enjoyed this experience and look forward to connecting my students with Wicker's work in the near future.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and ECCO for this arc and alc, which I received in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

[Margaret]

Dear Mothership is a playful yet emotionally searching collection that explores grief, disconnection, identity, capitalism, and the search for joy.
Marcus Wicker combines personal experience with a speculative perspective that examines contemporary life from an outsider’s point of view.
The collection’s “Break Beat Crown” uses a travelogue from an extraterrestrial in modern-day Atlanta to explore isolation, tenderness, empathy, art, and social upheaval.
Alongside its experimental elements, the book contains deeply personal poems addressing miscarriage, loss, friendship, and the difficult movement toward healing.
At 112 pages, the collection offers a concentrated and imaginative contribution to contemporary poetry and literary conversations about what makes us human.

[Jessie - ADHD Seasons with Jessie]

This was a Goodreads giveaway that I got, and I loved it! I’m not a huge poetry reader but I’m so glad I applied for it. The poetry was very thoughtful and talked about the COVID years and a lot of the feelings I had during that time. The poems also covered harder topics like systemic racism, difficulty with family, capitalism and connection with people. I would highly recommend this if you are looking for a (less than 100 page) poem novella. Also, I am a ET lover and loved the references to that!

[Danielle Silver]

Objectively this was good, but it was not for me. I would love to enjoy more poetry because I enjoy reading novels in verse so I was excited when I won a copy of this in a Goodreads giveaway, but it was probably not the best place to start for a poetry novice like myself. There was a decent portion that I struggled to understand but it was definitely a me problem as I have not read much poetry (if any). I definitely recommend this for someone who likes poetry with a lot of symbolism but I don’t think I’m that person.

[Ambi]

I think I may have just been introduced to one of my new favorite poets! Wicker writes with such heart and cleverness and fun. Each poem is completely unique and Wicker’s voice is undeniably original. Some standouts for me were “Inheritance”, “I’m Tuning in Live from the Overflow”, and “Late Summer in the Anthropocene”.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

[Zero_Uravity]

Such a gorgeous and enlightening book, i dont really read poetry often but this was just so beautiful I keep talking about it to whoever will listen. Just a 10/10 ♡

[Chelsea]

It's always difficult for me to review a book written like this. I think that if you typically enjoy poetry collections or books written in verse, then you would probably like this.