2024 in (partial) Review: Dear Human at the Edge of Time, and Caulbearer

What a year it's been!

I was looking back at this time last year on my photo stream, which reminded me that right around Christmas and well past the start of the new year then, we all came down with RSV, and were pretty much coughing, miserable, and staying indoors. That forced retreat predisposed me to picking up some hobbies I hadn't done in a while—notably, collage and hand-binding (books). Thankfully we got better  and got back into the swing of our regular schedules. ​
 
On February 08, I was invited to join some amazing poets (Regie Cabico, Grisel Y. Acosta, Kealoha, Kyle Carrero Lopez, Mara Pastor, and Lehua M. Taitano) at the National Portrait Gallery, in a reading dubbed "1898 Revisions: Poetry Night." The reading marked the culmination of the impressive exhibit "1898: U.S. Imperial Visions and Revisions," curated by  the Smithsonian's Taina Caragol and Kate LeMay.

On February, 10 our anthology Dear Human at the Edge of Time: Poems on Climate Change in the U.S. which I co-edited alongside Aileen Cassinetto and Jeremy S. Hoffman (Paloma Press, 2023) had its east coast book launch at the beautiful Elizabeth River Project building. In the morning of the same day, we also hosted a "Mindfulness Walk" along the Elizabeth River Trail. The anthology's 70+ contributors include Union of Concerned Scientists director Erika Spanger and U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón, with a Foreword by Claire Wahmanholm and an Afterword by Dr. Sam Illingworth. Joining us at the in-person February launch and reading were anthology contributors Lesley Wheeler, Gail Giewont, Denise Wilcox, and Kindra Greene. 

Alongside my own teaching and writing, the rest of the 2024 was full of lovely celebrations of poetry and books— The high point for me of course was the release in August of my book Caulbearer (Black Lawrence Press, Immigrant Writing Series Prize), and the double book launch I shared with my friend and MFA colleague Marianne Chan (whose second book Leaving Biddle City was published about 2 weeks before mine). There have been many virtual and in-person events and readings since then, and I hope to do more in 2025. 

In the meantime, I wanted to share some excerpts from Christopher Newport University Environmental Biology major Emma Commons— They are from a final paper she wrote for her English professor, poet Tracy Rice Weber, this December. Thank you Emma for the shoutout to Dear Human at the Edge of Time, and for such important words; I wish you more power for the work you will continue to do toward that future we all want to share. 

           "The invisible string theory depicts the idea that the universe has tiny, little threads that transcend time— joining things destined to fuse. This theory, often used as a cliché, reflects a much deeper meaning of humanity. The string represents an emotional connection between its two adjacent ends and the idea that ties the cord so the ends can meet....  

            Empathy, on the most comprehensive level, is the ability to understand and connect with others. When a person is described as empathetic, it indicates that they are intuitive, sensitive, compassionate, and a person who someone can turn to. This is a quality many strive to have; it’s a tool within the mind that allows you to bind with the minds of others, broadening perspectives.
         
           Behind the tragedy that triumphs media coverage, empathy is displayed all around us. On a global view, we see Red Cross volunteers rescuing hurricane survivors, Greta Thunberg fighting for climate change, and social media campaigns for humanitarian crises. On an everyday basis, we see friends confiding in one another, a young girl rescuing the oldest dog from the shelter, or a professor checking in on a student who has been missing class.

             Empathy is typically shown through actions but can also be delivered through the arts. Drawings, songs, sculpture, dance, writing, and photography are all examples of expressive art. Poetry is one of the most vulnerable forms of conveying how one feels....

          Alongside encapsulating one's thoughts, poetry has the power to initiate change. The craft choices intertwined throughout a poem create an invisible string between the poet and author, tying them together on an emotional level to share ideas and promote mutual understanding. This connection, brought upon by a singular poem, can create a thread of empathy used to combat something as lethal as climate change....

              It will take decades of work to combat the irreversible effects of climate change; however, the more people who believe in the power of working towards a better environment, the quicker we can work. Luisa Igloria uses her passion to fuel a drive for change within people— to promote their inner empathetic side to help the Earth. More exposure to her work, and poems similar, will gain traction in the movement of using empathy as a tool for change. As stated by environmental activist Joanna Macy, 'If we allow ourselves to truly feel the pain of a world in peril, empathy can fuel the courage and creativity needed to change it.' "

[Thank you, Emma! 
Emma Commons, from Richmond, VA, is a sophomore at Christopher Newport University studying Cellular, Molecular, and Physiological Biology, and plans to pursue a career in the health field. Alongside her love for science, she is passionate about the fight against climate change and helping spread the message to others. ​]