An Evening with Basma Kavanagh and special guest Ariel Gordon

Winnipeg launch of Basma Kavanagh’s Niche (Frontenac House) featuring readings and a conversation between Kavanagh and guest Ariel Gordon. Hosted by Charlene Diehl and co-presented by the Winnipeg International Writers Festival as part of our Fall Literary Series.

Compelled by loss of knowledge, species, habitat and traditions, Basma Kavanagh’s intention with this collection is to elucidate the endurance of what is no longer physically apparent. Extinctions and an exploration of the Red List (the endangered species list for Nova Scotia) are important to this work. The poems grapple with human culpability, but also ask: What will happen as human relationships with non-human animals and other living things diminish? What will happen if we become extinct? Is this a moment to be both patient and visionary, to see beyond destruction to whatever natural renewal will occur without more intervention, or should we cautiously explore the “re-animations” and “de-extinctions” proposed by the scientific community?