Dendron, A Collection of Poems

Abstract

“Dendron” is the Greek word for “tree.” “Dendrochronology” is the study of a tree’s rings. “Dendrites” are the neural projections that grow like a tree’s branches in our brains so we can learn and respond to stimuli. This collection of poems, Dendron, is a poetic exploration of my growth. The collection—twenty-one poems, one for each year of my life—is a living, poetic memoir. Presented in chronological order, each of the poems is meant to capture a specific year of my life. The poems—of varying styles and sentiments—are not without quick moments of fiction, but for the most part, they coalesce into a poetic autobiography. The poems at the start of the collection are strange and abstract. There aren’t memories to pull from for those years, so those poems capture the indescribable, mysterious early stages of human existence. A sense of place is established as the collection moves on from those first poems, and as it grows, it primarily addresses themes of belonging, family, and trust. Along the way, it makes room for tradition, God, romance, travel, loss, masculinity, and art. Each of the poems features an original, accompanying illustration drawn by Veronica Rosenberger. The cover art for the collection is also an illustration of hers. The drawings were created with the poems in mind, so while the poems are meant to stand alone, the illustrations provide vivid exclamation marks. Each year, I will add a poem to the collection, and like the rings that form as a tree grows, this collection will grow as I do