Danusha Laméris

A younger woman looks at an older woman, admiring her beauty, skill, and freedom. Older now, she thinks of how hard-won such freedom is. Also: singing opera while taking off your clothes. That too.Danusha Laméris is a poet, teacher, and essayist. She is the author of The Moons of August (Autumn House, 2014), which was chosen by Naomi Shihab Nye as the winner of the Autumn House Press poetry prize, and was a finalist for the Milt Kessler Book Award. Her second book, Bonfire Opera (University of Pittsburgh Press, 2020), was a finalist for the Paterson Poetry Prize and winner of the Northern California Book Award in Poetry. The 2020 recipient of the Lucille Clifton Legacy Award, she is a Poet Laureate emeritus of Santa Cruz County, California.Find the transcript for this show at onbeing.org.We’re pleased to offer Danusha Laméris’ poem, and thank you for joining us for Season 6 of Poetry Unbound. We'll be back with Season 7 later in 2023.Order your copy of Poetry Unbound: 50 Poems to Open Your World and join us in our vibrant conversational space on Substack.

In this conversation, Danusha Laméris, a poet and essayist, shares her insights into embracing discomfort as a pathway to personal growth. She discusses the power of small acts of kindness and how they can carry us through tough times. With a blend of humor and heartfelt stories, Laméris highlights the delicate balance between joy and grief. She emphasizes the significance of being present in ordinary moments and delving deeper into our fears and desires. Ultimately, it’s about using uncertainty to fuel creativity and resilience.