WEDNESDAYS WITH DENISE: August 7, 2024

Even the Least of These by Anita Skeen was published last month by Michigan State University Press and includes a series of stunning linocuts by artist Laura B. DeLind. The poems are situated during the covid-19 pandemic, a time in which Skeen deepened her relationship with the ten-line poem and wrote one a day, selecting the best for her collection. Committed to this form, she has taught workshops on such and was open, in this book, to the twenty-line poem as well. Many of the poems are observations of the natural world and its creatures—birds, cats, bats, ants, termites, beetles, woodchucks and chickens. “No Wheelbarrow, No Rain” gives a sly nod to William Carlos Williams. In another poem it is a banana popsicle that is “so sweet and so cold.” Skeen turned 74 during the pandemic and writes a poem about it, as well as her grandchildren with the urgency of capturing her life, her own mother, and her childhood. There’s even a how-to poem called “Ten Lines,’ which begins “In the first one set the scene….” There’s a charm and ease to these poems while not shying away from the trauma of the pandemic or the lives lost.

During the days of Covid lockdown in Michigan, poet Anita Skeen challenged herself to write a ten line poem every single day. Her poems focus on observing the little scenes and creatures in nature nearby, as well as reflecting on her small moments, memories, and realizations while kept at home. The poems themselves bring pictures to the mind, and artist Laura B. DeLind’s expressive illustrations often add enjoyment and meaning for the reader. I liked this quiet, peaceful volume.

I loved this collection of ten-line poems about nature, life and death, and the changing seasons. Poetry is a very personal thing, and this collection certainly spoke to me. Scattered throughout are over 25 lovely prints by Laura B. DeLind.

Thank you so much to the author and Netgalley for opportunity to read and review this work!

I am always ecstatic to see collaborations of poetry and illustrations. The balancing act of one enhancing without overpowering the other is delicate and I feel this was achieved in this collection. I do think there were a handful of poems though that distracted from the flow of a relaxing and gentle feeling of nature. Upon reflection with the thought in mind that this is covid-19 inspired, perhaps that feeling is intentional. Overall it was certainly a perspective that kept me considering a point of view apart from my own lived experience of that time.

‘Even the Least of These’ is a collaboration between poet Anita Skeen and printmaker Laura B. DeLind. During lockdown, Skeen challenged herself to write a ten line poem every single day. This book consist of the poems written during that period, along with beautiful prints made by DeLind.

I thought this was a very nice poetry collection. I liked a bunch of the poems, and I jotted down pretty lines and the names of the poems that I wanted to remember. As with any collection there’s going to be poems you like and poems that don’t resonate, but I would say that the majority of the poems here are very enjoyable. I appreciated the writing a lot, and the prints match the feeling of them very well! If you like poetry and art I would definitely recommend.

A collection of poems paired with ink prints that focus on the covid-19 pandemic, being a parent, and nostalgia. I was left underwhelmed by the collection. I wasn't really able to connect with the poems and some even came off quite rude and out of touch. Specifically "Fashion Update" felt like it was shaming women who wear clothes that make them comfortable. There were a few that stood out that had deep introspection and lovely prose but ultimately it fell flat for me. Those more interested in nature poetry and the past will relish this read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Michigan State University Press for this ARC.

I have been hesitant to read works that specifically mention COVID from 2020. That year was so different than subsiquent COVID years. There was so much unknown that we known now, and I haven't wanted to delve into that. With that said, I enjoyed this short collection of poems.

Many of these poems felt like a window into something small, a thought, an animal, a walk. I was reminded of that time and the things I did. During isolation I spend a lot of time outside, going on walks to stay away from other people. Life felt different and these poems gave me that same feeling.

I also really enjoyed the prints that accompanied many of the poems. I was grateful that the poems were kept light for the most part. In a time when the world was flipped upside-down, these poems help to show the small things of significance.

You know that poetry is working when it pulls up memories and contexts from your own life, things the poet can't possibly know but somehow elicited with 10-line poems on, for example, friends, popsicles, bird nests on porch lights, bats, drunk chickadees, noisy woodpeckers, and painfully finishing the last puzzle or caring for figurines left behind by beloved late relatives. This book juxtaposes the poems with art prints from the poet's best friend, and was created during pandemic lockdown as the two women began noticing small but important observations in their own lives and surroundings. Worth multiple readings. Highly recommended.

This is a collection of poetry and illustrations. Beautiful compilation, focused on 10-20 line poems about nature, birds, family, quarantine, relationships. As an artist myself and partially a printer as well, I absolutely adored these imprints. I do have to say that I, personally, didn’t resonate much with lines in this book, but someone definitely will!

Thank you to the author, artist, publisher and NetGalley for having such a nice opportunity to explore this work.

#eventheleastofthese #NetGalley

I don't always understand poetry but this sounded like a fun project. The theme is neat and the poems are all relatable. The artwork is also really cool. This would be fun for everyone from teenage up, because it's easy to understand and the language is smart. Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this

Thanks to NetGalley and Michigan State University Press for the ARC!

Anita Skeen & Laura B. DeLind’s "Even the Least of These" is a comfort food collection of poems and prints rooted in the interiority of COVID lockdowns.

I am skeptical of “COVID art” because it’s often ambitious in a way that simply doesn’t reflect how 2020 and 2021 were experienced. Let’s be real—most of us were withering, not learning to be our best selves or recognizing the power of the indomitable human spirit.

It was just an awful time.

That said, the smallness many of us retreated to had its moments—sourdough starters gone awry and then aright, gardens tended to in the early hours of the day, and endless weeks poured into Animal Crossing interior design. It’s a squeamish reality that a global trauma could still invite glimpses of joy, and that’s the space that "Even the Least of These" lives in.

These poems are ten-line routines. Normally, labeling a poem “routine” would be among the worst insults imaginable, but here it’s a strength. These are written and read as ritual, with the poet turning her gaze to the world that normally exists just outside our frenetic rhythms. These are celebrations of animal noises and seasonal textures and everything at its most alive. While reading, I was reminded of Simone Weil’s quote that absolutely unmixed attention is prayer—these poems feel like a prayer either to the world or for the world or both. They may not necessarily burrow into a reader’s mind, but they will almost certainly wash pleasantly over them.

Similarly, the artwork is simply gorgeous, showcasing all of the craftsmanship and care that printmaking requires. I always admire the medium because it’s precise but very human. One gets the sense that the artist is responding to the woodcut rather than controlling it, and that feels appropriate for this book and its themes. In conversation, these poems and their corresponding artwork offer a portrait of that singular—sorry, “unprecedented”—moment where contentment became the first priority after survival.

This book is a delight, and it's one that made me a little misty-eyed.

I love the concept behind this book. It’s important to learn to notice and appreciate life’s small pleasures. There is beauty in the mundane if you’re willing to look for it.

I always love to see collaborations between artists and poets, and Anita Skeen’s “even the least of these” poetry collection, along Laura B. DeLind’s prints make a good example. Observing the everyday during the COVID lockdowns and corresponding by sending a poem and getting a print back, the volume is a soft acknowledgement of the daily. The poems, usually ten lines, are acts of attention towards the rest of nature, as are the prints: cut lines, more often in black and white, pointing to the essential (a cloth hung to dry, a cat snuggling, a beak looking for an insect, a chicken). Words welcome April and its spring “it’s noisy underground, / roots and tubers squabbling / for prime time, shoving up shoots.” (p. 41) while the prints focus on a single being or act (a frog, a sunset). It’s a sweet collection meditating on the passing of time, the power of poems and their form, the presence of chickens and tulips, life and death at its mundane scale.

Thanks to Net-Galley for the E-arc!

Very sweet collection of nature poetry. The illustrations worked with the poems as well and kept the mood light and sweet. I will certainly be checking out more by Anita Skeen.

Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read and review this!

I read this within 24 hours. The poems were lovely and had such interesting rhyming schemes going. The print were bold and really grabbed your attention. They complimented each other really well. I hope they will make more visual poetry like this.

There is a simple peace to this collection of poems, which draws you in with illustrations that tell the story. Simple peace is what we all need from time to time, an innocence of childhood. It lets us catch our breath. This beautiful book will be upon my shelf upon publication. I thank NetGalley and Michigan State University Press for the advance read.

The poems and prints are so beautiful that I seek out a bigger screen. I want to read and see beyond my phone's limits.

When your attention is becoming unfocused or blurring by overload, grab a copy - it will help you to see what is right in front of you: food, laundry, work, nature, and more. You'll be surprised how the word and prints bring you back to yourself when you need a breather.

Recommended for artists, poetry lovers, and those going blind and tone-deaf to the beauty of this world.

This was a beautiful poetry book with gorgeous artwork. A short read but deep poems. Coming out of covid-19, we all have been in a position to look at ourselves and life in a way we had not before. These poems lean into that self and life introspection.

This is an intimate collection on thoughts and observations that stem from a difficult time in which the world was collectively experiencing. The keen eye on the immediate world around us is explored in each poem. Some of these are heartfelt and pull at memories from those years that many can resonate with. A lovely collection.