The Treasures That Prevail

That ominous sloshing sound Jen Karetnick hears in her sleep is the warmer, ever-fatter Atlantic spilling over the brim of her Miami hometown. Denial be damned, this collection confronts climate change and poetically spotlights the damage awaiting low-lying coastal areas if meaningful action isn’t taken now. An MFA holder from the University of Miami, her work has appeared in numerous top journals.

The Opposite of Mecca

Oh, the darkness of it all—black cat, black dog,
black monkey on the black-eyed woman’s shoulder,

rocking on a boat dock over water so absent of light
even our dreams have lost their shadows. In this house

made of books and planks, under the art of thatch
and weave, we are birds nesting together who have closed

our throats to song. This is where, without definition, we pin
the horizon as the center on a map of our always new world.

Reviewed by Matt Sutherland

Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. No fee was paid by the publisher for this review. Foreword Reviews only recommends books that we love. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

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