In her poetry collection 'Smother,' Rachel Richardson reflects on her daughters' elementary school years against the backdrop of Northern California's wildfires. Interweaving personal narratives about parenting and loss, Richardson grapples with changes related to air quality, technology, and the impact of environmental disasters on family life. The collection captures a range of emotions and challenges stemming from grief and resilience, particularly as her children navigate traditional childhood experiences in an increasingly hazardous world. Set to be published on February 18 by W. W. Norton, Richardson's work portrays the complexities of love and loss amid change.
I didn't think I was writing about fire; I thought that I was writing about my friend Nina's death and parenting and technology. But then the fires rose up.
The first one that really affected us deeply was the Camp Fire in November of 2018. Smoke descended on the Bay Area and made the air quality terrible.
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