Postscript

In this postscript, the author explores what it means for her to live poetically in community. She begins by describing how she felt discouraged writing this book during the pandemic. Next, she explains how she coped with the unexpected loss of her best friend by writing poetry and creating a “constellation of memories,” a 3-dimensional arboreal mobile of words and images, as part of a musical celebration of his life. She discusses how these practices helped her process the emotions of a difficult loss and brought a community of people together to celebrate the life of a loved one. By reviewing literature about poetic inquiry and identity, the author considers how the practice of poetic inquiry can be a constant source of consolation, discovery, and renewal for teacher-scholars, as well as the members of the local–global communities in which we live and write.