Grief Speak: Poetry on Loss & Healing

Beyond Baroque presents Grief Speak, a poetry reading with authors Diana Khoi Nguyen, Crystal AC Salas, Nicholas Reiner, and Cynthia Guardado. This event is inspired by the Poetry Coalition’s programming initiative “and so much lost you’d think / beauty had left a lesson: Poetry & Grief." Following this line, taken from Ed Roberson's poem "once the magnolia has blossomed," the authors will collectively touch on how poetry can invite and inspire conversations about loss and resilience in the midst of tragedy; from losing loved ones due to mental health crises, the COVID-19 pandemic, or the harsh realities of the current political climate and the disruption of natural environments leading to the displacement and exile of communities all over the world. We invite audiences to come and hear poetry that inspires transformation in the multiple phases of grief, understanding the process of loss and what can be done to heal the human spirit through the spoken word. After the readings, a brief Q&A will follow with authors and audience members present. There will be a potluck-style reception with light refreshments before and after the program.