Let’s be honest: these are turbulent times for us all. No matter who you are and what your personal circumstances are, it’s likely that you may be in need of some remedies or poetry—or both! Santa Fe Poet Laureate Tommy Archuleta offers both in his new collection, Susto.
The book of poems weaves poetry about love and loss with meditations on the New Mexican landscape. Threaded between the poems are remedios for a broken heart. No matter your ailment, these remedios are bound to offer some relief.
“With each evolution of each draft, there’s just this beauty that was coming out,” Archuleta says. “Because being asked, ‘Why the heck do you write about death so much? My God, all of you guys–all the way back to Dante.’ … I don’t know what his excuse is, but I think the reason is because it’s a way of embracing the present life that you do have.”
ENCOUNTER CULTURE EPISODES TO CATCH UP ON
From Goatheads to Grand Canyons with Laura Camp
MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
Learn more about Tommy Archuleta’s readings and poetry workshops
Request a reading or workshop from Tommy Archuleta
Susto, poetry collection written by Tommy Archuleta, Santa Fe Poet Laureate
CulturePass
New Mexico State Library
FURTHER READING
New Mexico Poet Laureate Lauren Camp
Poet Dana Levin
Poet Louise Glück
Poet Charles Simic
Poet and short story writer, Raymond Carver
Chinese poet and philosopher, Lao Tsu
Japanese poet, Issa
Chinese poet, Li Bai
Center for Literary Publishing
“Curanderismo Thrives in New Mexico,” New Mexico Magazine article written by Molly Boyle
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Encounter Culture, a production of the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs, is produced and edited by Andrea Klunder at The Creative Impostor Studios.
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