The collection explores the human body as a manufactured entity within an urban landscape. Jamaal May's debut collection, 'Hum,' presents poems that are alive with the sounds and beats of the city, likening the human body to a machine. The poems are characterized by their buzzing and purring rhythms, akin to well-oiled machinery, with grit, trial, and song thrumming through each line. The narrative framework is established through tight syntax, finely tuned internal rhyme, and punchy consonants that percuss each poem's beat.

The collection is noted for its innovative use of urban soundscapes and mechanical metaphors to explore the human form. Jamaal May's 'Hum' is recognized for its distinct sonic qualities, where poems are described as buzzing and purring like machines, driven by a strong internal rhythm. The precise language, characterized by tight syntax and punchy consonants, creates a percussive effect that underscores the collection's themes. The overall impression is one of a finely tuned, urban-infused poetic engine.