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Exploring the Depths of Nature and Emotion in a New Poetry Anthology

This anthology features the works of distinguished poets, including Jericho Brown, Aimee Nezhukumatathil, Carl Phillips, Joy Harjo, Danez Smith, Ruth Awad, among others. These contributions delve into the intricate tapestry of our world, capturing its rivers, trees, insects, mountains, and earth with a rich palette of imagery. The poems vary dramatically in their forms, tones, subjects, and styles. Some embrace humor and wit, while others evoke mystery or strangeness. There are pieces filled with righteous anger, juxtaposed with those that exude gentle tenderness. Each poet presents a unique perspective on what constitutes the natural world.

This collection stands out through its particularity. It reads like a compilation of love letters dedicated to specific places—trees, parks, mountains, deserts, and roads are lovingly detailed. This attention to detail fosters a sense of intimacy that is often absent in broader anthologies, allowing readers to connect on a deeper level with both the poems and the environments they celebrate.

Above all, this anthology embraces a duality of emotions: it intertwines love with grief, wonder with despair. A significant portion of these works addresses themes of climate change and the profound sorrow that accompanies it. The poets express an enduring love for nature, which inherently encompasses love for humanity and ourselves. This collection encapsulates the messy, contradictory sentiments that coexist within each poem: This world is in decline, yet look at how dearly I cherish it. I may not have much time left to sit by this cherished tree, but allow me to describe the brilliance of its leaves. My heart aches, and as a small human, I feel powerless, yet behold: the beauty of the sky.

Over the course of a month, I engaged with these poems, allowing myself to experience their wholeness as they capture the expansive relationship between nature and humankind. Few, if any, of these poems fit neatly into a single category—they blur the lines between grief and love, beauty and mourning. With each page I turned, I anticipated the possibility of encountering a poem that I did not connect with; however, that moment never arrived. Each poem resonates with the essence of what it means to cherish this planet in its unique details, reflecting the simultaneous experience of mourning it. This anthology is a treasure to revisit time and again, and I trust that others will find the same profound connection within its pages.

Source
bookriot.com