Poetry of Place and Freedom with Forrest Gander and DaMaris Hill

Episode Summary

This is the first week of April and April is Poetry Month. So we are so pleased to feature two conversations with poets who use their genre as a vehicle for historical witness and spiritual transformation.

First, we talk with poet, geologist and translator Forrest Gander about his novel in poetry Mojave Ghost. It’s a lyrical journey through the arid landscapes of the Mojave Desert that interweaves ecological awareness with personal loss.

First, we talk with poet, geologist and translator Forrest Gander about his novel in poetry Mojave Ghost. It’s a lyrical journey through the arid landscapes of the Mojave Desert that interweaves ecological awareness with personal loss. — Forrest Gander

Then, we revisit my 2019 conversation with poet DaMaris Hill, about her book of poems: A Bound Woman Is A Dangerous Thing. It’s a searing poetic exploration of Black women’s incarceration and resistance throughout American history.

“Black women’s resistance has always been an act of storytelling—of making sure we are seen, heard, and remembered.” — DaMaris Hill

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Key Words: Forrest Gander, Mojave Desert, poetry and nature, ecological poetry, Pulitzer Prize poet, environmental literature, contemporary poetry, DaMaris Hill, A Bound Woman Is a Dangerous Thing, Black women in poetry, historical poetry, poetry and activism, feminist poetry, poetry and social justice, contemporary Black poets, Poetry Month,

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Segment 1: Forrest Gander

Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Forrest Gander discusses Mojave Desert, his immersive, book-length poem that blends environmental observation with personal reflection. Gander, known for his deep engagement with the natural world and linguistic experimentation, explores the Mojave’s stark beauty and the existential themes that arise from it.

Key Topics:

The poetic and philosophical themes of Mojave Desert
How landscape and language interact in Gander’s work
The influence of ecology and the environment on poetry
The role of grief, memory, and renewal in his poetry
The rhythm and structure of a book-length poem

Segment 2: DaMaris Hill

Poet and scholar DaMaris Hill shares insights into A Bound Woman Is a Dangerous Thing, a collection that weaves together poetry and history to honor the resistance and resilience of Black women. Through powerful verse, Hill brings to light the often-overlooked stories of women who fought against systemic oppression, from Harriet Tubman to modern-day activists.

Key Topics:

The historical and cultural influences behind A Bound Woman Is a Dangerous Thing
Poetry as a medium for reclaiming silenced voices
The intersection of personal and collective history in Hill’s work
Black women’s resistance and survival throughout history
The connection between poetry and activism

Next Week on Writer’s Voice: We talk with Jamaican poet Ishion Hutchinson about his stunning collection of essays, Fugitive Tilts. Then Sanjana Sekhar tells us about a visionary collection of stories from Grist’s short story contest to imagine positive futures in a climate-changed world, Metamorphosis.

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