The Murmuring Grief of the Americas

Three award-winning poets read from their latest collections grappling with landscapes of grief. National Book-winning Chicago poet Daniel Borzutzky’s The Murmuring Grief of the Americas exhumes the necrophilic underbelly of carceral capitalism and authoritarianism in the hemispheric Americas. Pulitzer Prize-winning language poet Rae Armantrout’s Go Figure tries to find humor and consolation in a disaster-ridden world.  Pulitzer Prize-winning author Forrest Gander’s novel-poem Mojave Ghost takes grief on a memory-ridden pilgrimage home, walking 800 miles across the Mojave Desert.

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Murmurs from the poets:

“We ask the murmurers what they want to do with themselves now that they don’t get to live anymore. They say they want to love all the things they could not love when they were alive.”
—Daniel Borzutzy, from The Murmuring Grief of the Americas

“A sentimental journey
through a doomsday scenario”
—Rae Armantrout, from Go Figure 

“Walking the rift, they keep their voices
small. Shallow vibrations
scuttle along the fracture zone.”
—Forrest Ganders, from Mojave Ghost 

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In-Person Attendance: Masks are strongly encouraged and available at check-in for those who would like to wear one. The Foundation reserves the right to update this policy if community levels of COVID-19 increase significantly. Read our full COVID-19 Health & Safety Guidelines. Guests are encouraged to register in advance.

Livestream Attendance: The livestream link will be shared with registered guests on the day of the event. In order to receive the livestream details, please register in advance.

This program is part of the Poetry Foundation’s fall 2024 season, Murmuring Americas. All Poetry Foundation events are completely free of charge and open to the public. Guests are encouraged to register in advance. The performance space is ADA compliant and wheelchair accessible, and the program will feature CART captioning and ASL interpretation. Masks are strongly encouraged and available at check-in. For more information about accessibility at the Poetry Foundation, please visit our Accessibility Guide.