I wrote this poem for a project about bodies and vulnerability. You can learn more about this project in the post “The Self in Study.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Etched in Bark (@etchedbark) on Jan 13, 2019 at 11:55am PST The main inspiration was genetic inheritance. My dad was in the middle of his treatment for leukemia at the time and I was reflecting on the amount of cancer that occurs in my family. I’m sharing this poem with you as I return to my family home for the first time since my dad passed away a year ago.

This poem was originally supposed to be a haiku. It wasn’t until I hit publish that I noticed the formatting had changed. Whoops!

The juxtaposition of “from the top of the world” and looking up at something taller makes me a bit dizzy. I think it really hits on the point that even when we feel big, grand, and strong we are still just an ant in the grand scheme of things.

I started an Instagram account to explore the connection between word and image that I began on Sitting in the Stacks. I’ve always been interested in possibly publishing a book of poetry that is paired or placed on top of my photography. Etched in Bark is where I’m testing out this dream.