Half-Life of Empathy

Poetry. Women's Studies. Art. HALF-LIFE OF EMPATHY interrogates the complex human/non-human relationship in the Anthropocene. Rooted in the author's deep fascination and scientific knowledge of ecology, these poems take literal experiences and explore/distort them with language. Moving away from the traditional nature poem, this work enacts an ecology where a human speaker is decentered and earth regains agency.

"What a beautiful use of the words of water and geology and all things living. Durham writes a new ecological poetry, resonant, rich, and also very aware of what it means to be writing when this never-ending industrial revolution is putting all at risk."--Juliana Spahr

"Rebecca A. Durham's debut collection HALF-LIFE OF EMPATHY builds its lyricism with 'ears that] make an I, ' asking 'What does the sky call you?' The natural world--through Durham's poems--calls on the reader to engage with lush tones, rhythms and senses that are part of Durham's exquisite botanist world-sense. Each poem deepens its quest with analysis and provocation. With lines holding forth as we move into Durham's dream life 'All night I dream I hold clouds. With every movement I sense the edges. I'm water, diving towards the center while my body streams out, encircling.' I'm in deep admiration of how these poems invite, encircle, and imagine. A gorgeous and thought-provoking collection of poems."--Prageeta Sharma