Kinship: An exchange

A brief introduction

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we are kin - art by kbwinship

Kinship

This week, you will have a newsletter in your inbox every day as I launch the second Exchange hosted on Poetry & Process. For those new to the format, An Exchange is an artistic exploration of a topic chosen by two artists. Once the topic is in hand, it is probed through poetry, essays, photography, and art. One participant completes a piece, then the other responds with a work of their own, and this exchange continues until the exploration is complete.  

I am pleased to introduce my partner in this exchange, Katharine Beckett Winship. Katharine has been a supporter of Poetry & Process since the newsletter launched in May of 2023. I am beyond grateful for her support and the encouragement she has extended me throughout my poetic journey.

Together, we decided to address Kinship, the idea that Katharine explores in her newsletter, Matters of Kinship. There, she writes about the reciprocal relationship in nature and advocates for rights of nature, the view that natural communities are not just property that can be owned, but should have legal rights that protect their autonomy, in the same way that humans have rights that protect theirs.

We began this exchange over the summer but were interrupted when Hurricane Helene ripped through the southeastern United States, decimating the area of North Carolina that Katharine calls home. Much of Katharine’s work appears now as a foretelling of this event, and with that in mind, brings a different level of power and affirmation to the writing. For those personally impacted by Helene, particularly the Swannanoa River area of North Carolina, Katharine and I wish to express deep compassion for you.

When it comes to our human relationship to the natural world, there is a bravery that is needed at this time more than ever. The idea that kin is not just our blood relatives, but all our ancestors both human and nonhuman alike, is a truth that is paramount to the health of this world. Forgetting who is kin is the poison that ruins our environment, our politics, our homes, and our relationships with those who live next door. This forgetting is the root of a society’s downfall as it breeds desperation, greed, and hate. Those that remember our interconnectedness (in this case, the non-human society), while impacted, will live on past the downfall of those that forget. The question is, will we act from this view in a way where we are our own savior?

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Final thought

I hope you enjoy this series on Kinship. Part 1 from Katharine will be released on Monday, November 18, with a new part each day this week, wrapping up on Saturday. But more than just enjoyment, I hope these writings (and Katharine’s art) settle deep into your being, helping to open your eyes to just one additional kin in your world this week. See them, introduce yourself to them, and love them. We, the big collective we, need each other now more than ever.

As always, I’d love to chat in the chat!

Brian

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For a flavor of Katharine’s writing, I recommend spending a few minutes on The River Within the Watershed.

The River Within the Watershed

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