Sparrow Envy by J. Drew Lanham

Yesterday, I shared what poetry y’all have been reading, so I thought I’d tell you what poetry I’m reading!

Now this is probably technically Southern, BUT it’s out from an Appalachian Press (hi to my favs at Hub City Press!), so I wanted to tell you about it.

These poems are a gorgeous tribute to nature. The way Lanham describes flora and fauna completely captures readers’ attention, making this poetry collection incredibly engrossing.

One of my favorite poems is one called “A Dream of Swans.” Here’s a few sentences from it:

“I saw their pale feathered forms flying through the glow of a waxing moon. I could feel their wild hearts’ murmurings; I longed as they did for other places far away but close to heart.”

The poems also often delve into Lanham’s experience as one of the only Black people at birdwatching conferences or other nature lovers’ spaces. These poems reminded me of Aimee Nezhukumatathil’s essays in World of Wonders where she discusses being one of the only people of color in spaces for nature-loving folks. I read these two books at the same time, and they often touched on similar themes but in different ways. (So I guess World of Wonders is a non-Appalachian bonus rec?)

I really enjoyed Sparrow Envy, so if you haven’t yet picked up J. Drew Lanham’s poetry, I’d definitely recommend checking it out!