If Your Heart Is Burning

"You are but a creature -
a brave, thinking creature -
I believe in you"
This debut collection, consisting of 50 poems and 22 illustrations by Felix Vanasse, grapples with themes of personal transformation and psychological healing in spite of environmental degradation and institutionally driven injustices. With chapters organized into "Seasons," it begins energetically in Summer so that it can end on a hopeful note, in Spring. The poems and illustrations it contains were created over the course of a decade, during which time the author has observed dramatic changes in the world and in himself. Nevertheless, those things that are timeless are highlighted with a mix of traditional and novel poetic styles and subtle or explicit nods to great poets.
"I want to quote these poems in my own writing. They do such a lovely job of evoking very specific emotions. I can't read them without wanting to engage with them, stroke them gently, and begin to think of variations of each theme." - Nicola Kapron