Winter in America (Still: Poets, Writers, and Artists Respond to a Fractured World
The people know, it’s winter/ Lord knows / It’s winter in America
And ain’t nobody fighting / ’Cause nobody knows what to save…
– Gil Scott-Heron, Winter in America
During the administration of the 47th President of the United States, the abrogations of the Constitution, violations of human rights, the dismantling of the U.S. Federal government, abdication of Habeas Corpus, the deportation of USAmerican citizens and the deployment of the military into cities is creating a constitutional and cultural crisis that has global implications. Sonia Sanchez said that “the poet is the creator of social values.” Ed Sanders: “the content of history will be poetry.” A group of four poets/editors represent diverse aesthetics and value the importance of providing space for conversations across difference(s) to enlarge the communities of resistance.
A Deeper Reflection
The first Winter in America anthology sought to be reflective rather than reactive, and to promote compassion in the face of division. With Winter in America (Still, we continue that spirit—calling for work that looks deeply into the aftermath of the 2024 election and its ongoing social, cultural, and personal consequences.
