Dendrochronology

Review
In her debut poetic collection, Dendrochronology, multi-talented artist and writer Bethanie Humphreys paints her struggle against a life almost suffocated by lack of acceptance. The “rings” on the raw, exposed face of this body of work track the course of an intense, introspective, emotional life told in aching verse. We bear witness to the shedding of outdated societal norms; a journey of beatific, sometimes tragic, maturation.
—Indigo Moor, In the Room of Thirsts and Hungers
 
In Dendrochronology, fusion is foremost. Personal mythologies merge with natural histories where “Native, undomesticated desire / Likely co-evolved with now extinct megafauna.” Human consciousnesses intermingle with animal minds (often with erotic results: one speaker describes “Lift[ing] the canopy’s skirt with my tongue”). Trees become sites at which what’s remembered marries what’s present—where heartwood and sapwood touch—and grief and loss can be healed “by compartmentalizing / the damage.” Bethanie Humphreys skillfully blends hard science and soulful music this collection–and it’s not to be missed!
—Kate Asche, Our Day in the Labyrinth
About the Author
Bethanie Humphreys is a writer, editor, and mixed-media visual artist. Her poetry, short fiction, and art have appeared in various publications in the U.S. and U.K. She serves as board member for the Sacramento Poetry Center and curator for the SPC Art Gallery. She was Editor-in-Chief of the 2015 American River Review, and is currently an Associate Editor for Tule Review. Her goal is to further the cross-pollination of literary and visual arts.