Day after day, I sweep leaves off the streets and wipe windows. They say people's hands were freed when they learned to walk upright. Why do all the flowers around here bloom from trash?
Booker Prize winner Marlon James humorously connects his rebellious persona with the lifeblood of Jamaica's literary heritage, infusing the event with humor and energy. The Calabash festival showcases a majority-Black audience, underscoring its cultural significance.
Natalie Diaz's poetry delves into identity and cultural heritage, using her Native roots to explore broader social issues through powerful language.
cummings' love poetry reflects a complex interplay between passion, loss, and the ineffability of emotion, encapsulated in his famous lines on love's deeper meanings.
Jacek Dehnel reflects on the state of LGBT rights in Poland, noting that the PiS government stoked animosity against these communities, leading to widespread discrimination. He concluded that Poland was "not a safe place for LGBT people" during their rule. With LGBT-free zones declared in almost a third of municipalities, Dehnel and his husband relocated to Berlin to escape state-organized agitation and persecution. Although they have returned now, he acknowledges ongoing issues.
