Throughout the poetry found in Brandon White's second collection, Real Big American Zen, weave the themes of an ache established in isolation, the depths of soul-searching, and unexpected humor scratched out of dark places. He ponders raising young children in times of great uncertainty while digging into what it means to be an American during times of unprecedented political turmoil. As such, White holds the unsteady mirror up for us all, making adjustments to a life in chaos and advancing over the uneasy path of a year swept in pandemic.