Refugee with Cherry Seeds

The poetry and translations in this collection weave together themes of loss and survival. Some poems in the first section deal with political violence in Guatemala. In these, I am less interested in reporting horrors than in exploring how to continue living in the aftermath, and with the possibility of future catastrophes. While many of the Guatemala poems recount what I learn as I interact with survivors of such atrocities, others focus on communication about loss or the silence that surrounds it--how loss can be a cause for unity or isolation. Poems about these issues within my family and other relationships round out this exploration. Translations of work by Cuban poet Francisco de Oraa further examine the theme of life's fragility and how to accept and live with it. The collection ends with an embrace of life, in spite of its uncertainty, and of beauty, despite its transience.