tender gravity

Tender Gravity by Marybeth Hollemans is a collection of poems that explore her relationship with the more-than-human world, navigating loss and finding solace in the wild. The poems resonate with the works of Mary Oliver, Linda Hogan, and Walt Whitman, reaching to the familiar moon and orphan stars.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 88 pages
Publication date: 09 August 2022
Publisher: Red Hen Press

Marybeth Hollemans poetic journey explores her profound connection to the world beyond human existence, spanning her childhood in North Carolina to her life in Alaska. Through her vivid descriptions of deep time in remote land and seascapes, she delves into the intricacies of navigating loss, including the loss of beloved places, wild beings, and her younger brother. Hollemans emphasizes the importance of shifting attention beyond her own human experience, seeking solace and understanding in the natural world. She poetically expresses her love for both bears and her brother, emphasizing the nuanced differences in their hearts' beats. Ultimately, she finds solace in the wild world, embracing the joy-sap rising and reconnecting with the only world that truly matters.

Her poems resonate with the profound insights of Mary Oliver, Linda Hogan, and Walt Whitman, weaving a narrative arc of seeking, falling, and finding. They transcend familiar earthly realms, reaching to the moon and orphan stars of distant galaxies, and then intimately capturing the essence of small brown seabirds and tiny bog plants. Through her exquisite attention to detail and immersive poetic language, Hollemans invites readers to explore the depths of grief and celebration, finding solace and meaning in the interconnectedness of all things.

Dimension: 228 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781597099370