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Writing about Margaret DeRitter’s new book of poetry for this issue gave Elizabeth the opportunity to ask her friend some nosy questions. After their interview, Elizabeth, who is also a poet, says she went home and, inspired by Margaret’s work, spent two days putting her own book together instead of writing her article. “I wanted the book to be as straightforward and honest as Margaret’s,” she says. Elizabeth’s poems and flash fiction have appeared most recently in Novelty, KYSO Flash, McQuinterly’s, Harbor Review, Pudding and New Verse News. Elizabeth Kerlikowske

When Chris stumbled upon an Instagram video showing artist Aaron Shafer’s pyrography, he knew there was a story there. “Knowing about his visual impairment, I was taken by the uniqueness of what he was doing and impressed by his skill as a fine artist,” says Chris. “I felt the greater community needed to know about this great young man and what he is doing.” Chris is a travel-loving freelance writer whose work has appeared in The Christian Science Monitor, Detroit Free Press, Grand Rapids Press and Kalamazoo Gazette and on radio station WMUK. Chris Killian

Evaluation & Care of Trees and Shrubs

Donna McClurkan

Donna is a Kalamazoo mother, garden farmer and climate activist who says she is “never not thinking about climate change,” which is why she wanted to write about local efforts to deal with the “climate emergency.”

“In just six months in 2019, there occurred a groundswell of energy within our community around climate change: the formation of a coalition to unite local climate action groups, the youthled Global Climate Strike, and climate emergency declarations passed by three municipalities,” she says. “These initiatives, plus the Kalamazoo Public Library’s choice of a book on the climate crisis for Reading Together 2020 felt like a story that had to be told. The unprecedented collaborations being formed among organizations and community members around these issues speak volumes about our capacity and potential for resiliency and adaptation.”

CONTENTS M a r c h 2020

FEATURE

‘My Imagination Is 20/20’ 20 From photography to pyrography, Aaron Shafer creates amazing art despite visual impairment

On the cover: Artist Aaron Shafer works in his studio. Photo by Eric J. Schaeffer

DEPARTMENTS

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38 From the Editor

Contributors

Up Front First Things — A round-up of happenings in SW Michigan

Five Faves — Curator names favorite new artworks at the KIA

Good Works Heating Up — Local efforts to combat climate change are gaining momentum

Back Story Meet Jessica Mallow — This professional opera singer is taking the helm of the KSO

ARTS

26 Siren Songs — Margaret DeRitter’s new poetry book explores life, love and loss

29 Poetry

30 Events of Note