poetry as praxis
facilitation as liberatory pedagogy
creative practice as community care
dani austin
dani austin (they/them) is a queer, disabled, anti-Zionist Jew, poet, ceramicist, multi-media artist, and facilitator with Eastern European, German, Cherokee, and Irish ancestral lineages. From Northern Arizona originally, they have lived in Appalachia the last several years.
They love inter-creativity using words, images, and feelings to ask, witness, and collaborate in relationship with other humans and non-humans. They are interested in exploring the complexity of big joys, griefs, and experiences beyond those binaries.
dani has a MA in Sustainable Communities, a BA in Women’s and Gender Studies, and a background in facilitating, teaching, and community organizing. Their poetry has been published in MAYDAY, and they have received support from Brooklyn Poets.
poems
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poems *
boxes and boxes hadn’t been forgotten
a poet once said, I died a hundred times
heartwarming gesture, mystery.
I’m drawn to the relationship between climate migrations
the horror of loss, my spells and rituals -
a place where encounters with, and feelings,
might coexist peaceably with the spiders.
Of course, this takes more than than if
we all become wild and fearless.
kindly requesting a drink
Every intimacy is early!
Cowboy struggles ahead.
To calm down in, especially near, water
is a chance to effect their spells,
in empty juice cartons.
Forgiveness awakens time of renewal.
Let’s talk as if we might very essence
our way through the storm.