Improving the Silence

a new poem, an event in Chicago this Wednesday, and some loose thoughts

Hi all,

I hope you’re doing well. It’s been a minute since I dropped a dispatch on this thing. I always tell myself that I’ll write more on this newsletter but apparently it is a futile bit of self talk. My honest feeling is that as I get older and both mature (hopefully) and have less time/energy I feel much less driven to talk on the internet in particular and public in general. It’s not that I never have a lot to say (I’m far more chatty than I mean to be often) but I think I feel exhausted by the amount of language/information that we’re all confronted with on these platforms and in general in a day living in this breakneck cruel society. In feeling my own exhaustion I am increasingly hesitant to add to the din of everyone' else’s overwhelm unless I really feel like what I have to offer might improve the silence (or in this case improve the noise). Given that, I often come to y’all when I have a new poem to share and so it is today.

A New Poem

I have a new poem in the world, Published as a Ruth Awad Poetry Pick from the Souther Indiana Review called ‘why write a love poem.’ The title is a question I’ve thought about a lot of the last several years as I’ve chipped away at this next book and the poem is one attempt at answering. I hope you’ll click through and read it and check out the poems by other poets. Much love to the editors of Southern Indiana Review, one of the most consistently excellent literary journals in the game.

Celebrating Chicago’s new Poet Laureate, Mayda Del Valle

Next up I’m shooting down to the hometown this Wednesday for an event with the newly-announced Poet Laureate of Chicago, Mayda Del Valle. I first met Mayda 20 years ago when I was a high school student and she was already a luminous professional poet. She’s always been kind, thoughtful, and a powerful poet. I’m so delighted that she is the city’s next laureate. Chicago remains a lucky girl.

Wednesday December 14 I’ll be in conversation with Mayda at her launch event for the laureateship at the Chicago Cultural Center downtown. Doors open at 5:30 and the event starts at 6. There will be light refreshments and you can RSVP here.

(As an addendum a deep shoutout to my dear teacher avery r. young, the first Chicago Poet Laureate who set an admirable example for Mayda to reach toward. Chicago has gone 2 for 2 with laureates who are solid folk, no small feat.)

Some Loose Thoughts

We are living in a full blown fascist moment, which of course you know. Many would say that this moment is just a continuation of the long fascist moment that is the American project. The thing that I’m sitting with for myself is that I want to be useful to the people and communities that I care about and I want to build community and connection after many years of constant motion, dislocations, and disruptions. I’m trying to be intentional about reaching out to folks and also hosting more gatherings big and small. So holler at me if you know me like that or if you’re in Madison, WI and want to be cool.

Take care of yourself and your people.

with love,

Nate

PS. My wife Alison recently showed me a video I didn’t know she had of me dancing to house music with our little one when she was only a few weeks old. Here’s the link to the mix I was playing, by the legend Frankie Knuckles. In November I went to the National Book Awards and got to see Patricia Smith’s much deserved win for her most recent collection The Intentions of Thunder. Before the ceremony started I got to talk briefly with Patricia and she told me about when she was young and would sneak out to hear Frankie spin at The Warehouse.

Chicago Over Everything. :)