When was the last time you allowed yourself to listen to birdsong? Sat with it in your heart, and truly took it in? In this dazzling and stirring collection of eco-poetry, written by Hillary Gonzalez, Wild, Unfelt World bridges the connection between the physical and spiritual, urging readers to reconnect with the natural world, and begging the question: why haven’t you listened to birds lately? Written by an autistic, queer, and disabled birder, this collection of poems is rooted with the changing seasons, the rising and setting of the sun, and the heartbeat of the world around us.
Written during bird walks in the early morning hours, Gonzalez invites the reader to come on a journey with them. Smell the salt of the marshes, feel the roughness of tree bark beneath your hands, and listen to the call of the owl as evening nears. Exploring themes of conservation, neurodivergence, spirituality, and a deep love for the environment, the reader will be transported with Gonzalez. Each carefully crafted poem serves as not only a meditative reflection, but a rallying cry to celebrate our ecosystems and confront the urgent need to protect them.
Wild, Unfelt World combines lyrical language with vivid imagery, to inspire the reader to, as Mary Oliver would say, “find your place in the family of things.”
Whether you’re a lifelong lover of poetry, conservation, birding, or are discovering your love for the first time, Wild, Unfelt World will help you find your place. It’s been waiting for you here all along.
In the first poem of this collection, poet Hillary Gonzalez posits the question 'am I a heathen?' That question sets a joyful pace for the rest of Wild Unfelt World. Gonzalez introduces us to the manifold layers of the human condition by inviting us on a nature walk. Each poem – each a story in its own right – is a look into nature’s role as a teacher of man. As we encounter flora and fauna, as we converse with deer flies and herons, we grow ever wiser about who we are as humans. You will return to this collection again and again.
This sophomore collection is a tender love letter to the many natures surrounding us. Wild Unfelt World is a lovely addition to the expansive world of ecopoetics. Through the motif of birds, the author offers such rare empathy in our capitalistic hellscape. Amidst the many questions and few answers, Hillary Gonzalez grounds us in the beauty of the mundane and the grief of paying attention.
In Wild Unfelt World, Gonzalez picks you up with her talons and teaches you how to fly. This collection brings clarity to the smallest of birds and the biggest threats to their existence. Upon reading these poems, you’ll realize that looking toward the sky is perhaps the most important thing you can do.
Meet the Author
You can follow Hillary on Instagram and Threads, at @hillarygonzalezpoetry. On Facebook, at www.facebook.com/hillarygonzalezpoetry.
If you would like to experience the music Hillary listened to while writing Wild, Unfelt World, search for the “Wild, Unfelt World” playlist on Quobuz (an alternative to Spotify).
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