NEW MEXICO POET LAUREATE LAUREN CAMP WAS IN THE STUDIO THIS WEEK TO TALK ABOUT HER NEW BOOK AND A PROJECT OF HERS THAT BUILDS POETRY ACROSS NEW MEXICO'S COMMUNITIES.

IN CONVERSATION WITH OUR LAND'S LAURA PASKUS, CAMP ALSO TALKS ABOUT POETRY FOR A WORLD IN CRISIS, AND HOW POETRY CAN TEACH US TO BE PATIENT AND TO SLOW DOWN IN A WORLD THAT'S MOVING FASTER ALL THE TIME.

>> Laura: LAUREN CAMP, NEW MEXICO POET LAUREATE, WELCOME.

>> Lauren: THANK YOU.

IT'S WONDERFUL TO BE HERE WITH YOU.

>> Laura: THANK YOU.

IT IS ALWAYS SO SWEET TO HAVE A POET IN THE STUDIO.

SO THANKS FOR BEING HERE.

SO, YOU HAVE A NEW BOOK OUT, 'WORN SMOOTH BETWEEN DEVOURINGS.'

WHAT CHARACTERIZES THIS COLLECTION FROM MAYBE YOUR PAST BOOKS?

>> Lauren: I THINK OF THIS BOOK AS VERY MUCH A LOVE LETTER TO NEW MEXICO, WHICH ISN'T REALLY DIFFERENT FROM MY OTHER BOOKS, BECAUSE I'M VERY MUCH IN LOVE WITH NEW MEXICO.

BUT THIS HAS POEMS BOTH ABOUT, LIKE, THE WONDER, THE AWE OF NEW MEXICO, AND WITNESSING.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF ENVIRONMENTAL ATTENTION HERE, A LOT OF ATTENTION TO THE BIOSPHERE, TO THE FIRES, TO THE INTENSE HEAT, INTENSIFYING HEAT, AND THE DROUGHT.

SO IT'S A COMBINATION OF THINGS.

>> Laura: SO ONE OF YOUR POEMS IS CALLED, 'I'M ALWAYS NOW STUDYING THE URGENCY.'

AND I'D REALLY LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THAT POEM SPECIFICALLY, AND WHAT YOU'RE WITNESSING AND EXPRESSING THROUGH THE WORDS OF THAT POEM.

>> Lauren: SO IT'S THE LONG POEM THAT BASICALLY ANCHORS THE COLLECTION.

IT COMES ABOUT TWO-THIRDS OF THE WAY THROUGH.

AND IT WAS MY WAY OF, I GUESS, OF HAVING SOME KIND OF AGENCY OR SOME KIND OF ACTION AS I WAS WATCHING ALL THE FIRES THAT WERE CONSISTENTLY, YEAR AFTER YEAR, GROWING AND COMING ACROSS NEW MEXICO.

AND SO SHAPING THAT POEM, WRITING THE POEM, WITH ITS REPETITIONS AND ITS INCREASING SONNETS AND EVERYTHING GAVE ME A CHANCE BOTH TO SHAPE IT, TO PLAY IN THE LANGUAGE OF IT, AND TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE GRIEF OF IT.

>> Laura: LIKE YOU MENTIONED, IT IS A LONG POEM, BUT I WAS HOPING YOU WOULD READ A BIT ON PAGE 49.

>> Lauren: SURE.

>> Laura: STARTING WITH: "WE MOVED HERE TO A LAND WROUGHT TO HURTS."

STARTING THERE AND READING THAT STANZA.

>> Lauren: ABSOLUTELY.

"WE MOVED HERE TO A LAND WROUGHT TO HURTS.

INSIDE THE WARPED FOREST, I TOOK ONE PICTURE OF WORSHIP, ONE PICTURE OF THE BRINK, ONE PICTURE TO PICTURE IT UNTUCKED IN LONG SPASM, SHINY VEHEMENTS.

THIS WASN'T A PILGRIMAGE, BUT A WAY TO REMEMBER CONDUCTIVE PULSES, READ SCARS, AND RECURRENCE."

>> Laura: THANK YOU.

I THINK ANYONE IN NEW MEXICO CAN JUST REALLY RESONATE WITH THOSE WORDS, THE SCARS, THE RECURRENCE, THE FIRES OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

SO THANK YOU FOR READING THAT BIT.

I ALSO WANTED TO JUST TALK BRIEFLY ABOUT THIS NEW PUBLICATION OUT.

CAN YOU TALK A BIT ABOUT THIS, WHERE IT COMES OUT OF, WHAT IT'S A PART OF, WHERE PEOPLE CAN GET IT?

>> Lauren: SURE.

IT'S A COLORING BOOK AND ACTIVITY KIT.

IT'S COMING OUT OF THE NEW MEXICO STATE LIBRARY AND NEW MEXICO ARTS, WHICH ARE THE TWO ORGANIZATIONS THAT HANDLE THE NEW MEXICO POET LAUREATE POSITION.

I WORKED OVER THE PAST 14 OR 15 MONTHS WITH DEPARTMENT OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS EDUCATORS FROM AROUND THE STATE TO BUILD THIS BOOK.

THEY ASKED FOR A HANDFUL OF POEMS FROM ME.

SO THERE ARE FIVE POEM IN THE BOOK, AND THEY BUILT -- THE BOOK IS CALLED 'IMAGINE NATURE,' AND THEY BUILT IT AROUND THOSE POEMS.

I WROTE PROMPTS, AS WELL.

AND IT IS INTENDED FOR THE YOUTH OF NEW MEXICO AROUND THE STATE.

IT'S TO INCREASE LITERACY AND ENGAGEMENT, CREATIVITY.

IT'S FOR THE KIDS AND THEIR PARENTS OR CAREGIVERS.

AND IT SHOULD BE -- I'VE BEEN TOLD I WILL FIND IT EVERYWHERE AROUND THE STATE, SO I WOULD GUESS YOU WOULD, TOO.

>> Laura: SO YOU ARE NEW MEXICO'S POET LAUREATE AND ALSO AN ACADEMY OF AMERICAN POETS LAUREATES FELLOW.

SO CONGRATULATIONS.

>> Lauren: THANK YOU.

>> Laura: AS PART OF THAT, YOU WERE AWARDED $50,000.

CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE PROGRAM THAT YOU HAVE SET UP AND ARE WORKING ON?

>> Lauren: YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

THE FELLOWSHIP FROM THE ACADEMY OF AMERICAN POETS IS FOR A PROJECT I PROPOSED, WHICH IS FOR ME TO TRAVEL AROUND THE STATE IN CONJUNCTION WITH NEW MEXICO ARTS HOSTING AND HOLDING EPIC POEM WORKSHOPS, AMONG OTHER THINGS.

SO LIKELY DOING A READING AND A CONVERSATION AROUND POETRY, BUT THEN SORT OF GRADUALLY MOVING PEOPLE TOWARD BEING ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE TO A POEM.

NOT WRITE A POEM, NECESSARILY, BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES THE AUDIENCE I'M EITHER DEALING WITH, OR WANT TO BE DEALING WITH, ARE PEOPLE WHO DON'T NECESSARILY KNOW WHAT POEM IS, OR KNOW THAT A POEM COULD BE SOMETHING THAT THEY COULD WRITE OR THAT THEY COULD ENGAGE WITH.

SO I WANT TO SORT OF COMFORTABLY AND GRADUALLY BRING THEM INTO THE WORLD OF POETRY IN A VERY SAFE WAY.

BUT THE EPIC POEM WORKSHOPS ARE FABULOUS.

THEY ARE SO MUCH FUN.

I'VE DONE PROBABLY SIX OR SO, SIX OR EIGHT SO FAR, IN VARIOUS RURAL AND UNDERSERVED PLACES AROUND THE STATE SO FAR, AND THEY ARE DESIGNED TO GET COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO CONTRIBUTE COMMUNALLY TO A POEM ABOUT THEIR AREA.

AND SO THEN THE WORDS OF THE POEM WILL BE FROM THEM, I WILL BUILD THEM INTO A POEM, AND THE HISTORIC PALACE PRESS WILL MAKE THEM INTO GORGEOUS LETTER-PRESSED BROADSIDES THAT WILL THEN BE GIFTED BACK.

ONE WILL BE GIFTED BACK TO EACH COMMUNITY, AND PROBABLY WE'LL BUILD A EXHIBIT OR TWO THAT CAN TRAVEL AROUND THE STATE.

SO IT'S AN INCREDIBLE AND EXCITING PROJECT THAT INVOLVES A LOT OF COLLABORATION FROM A LOT OF PLACES.

>> Laura: AND HOW LONG IS THAT -- LIKE, WHEN DOES THAT GO THROUGH?

>> Lauren: IT'S A YEAR.

THE ACADEMY FELLOWSHIP IS A YEAR.

THE PROJECT, ITSELF, WILL PROBABLY TAKE LONGER.

BUT I WILL GET THROUGH AT LEAST A THIRD OF THE WORKSHOPS IN THAT YEAR.

>> Laura: I LOVE IT.

SO THE WORLD IS AN OVERWHELMING PLACE, WHETHER YOU'RE WATCHING FIRES, WHETHER YOU'RE WORRIED ABOUT BEING BOMBED, FINDING YOUR NEXT MEAL, WORRIED ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE AND RISING SEA LEVELS.

EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT EXPERIENCING AN EMERGENCY, THE WORLD STILL FEELS REALLY OVERWHELMING.

AND I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE, LIKE, WHY AND HOW POETRY MATTERS IN THIS WORLD THAT FEELS CONSTANTLY IN CRISIS.

>> Lauren: YEAH, IT'S A WONDERFUL QUESTION.

FOR ME, POETRY MATTERS.

AS A WRITER, AS A POET, IT GIVES ME A WAY TO NOTICE SOMETHING PARTICULAR INSTEAD OF THE VAST SCOPE OF EVERYTHING THAT'S HAPPENING.

BECAUSE I CAN'T TAKE IT IN.

I'M A PRETTY SENSITIVE PERSON.

I CARE ABOUT A LOT OF THINGS, FROM THE INDIVIDUAL TO THE LAND.

AND SO FOR ME, IT'S A WAY TO NARROW IN, FOCUS IN ON SOMETHING.

BUT THEN POETRY AS A WHOLE, AS A READER, OR FOR READERS, IS A WAY TO BUILD EMPATHY AND A WAY TO BUILD THE HUMAN.

AND SO I THINK I GO LOOKING FOR POEMS THAT HOLD SOME OF THE EMOTION I'M FEELING.

OR PERHAPS SOMETHING THAT I NEED TO BE FEELING, EVEN.

YOU KNOW, IF I'M FEELING AN OVERWHELM FROM THE GRIEF OF THE WORLD, OR THE DANGERS OF THE WORLD, I MIGHT GO TOWARD POEMS THAT ARE ABOUT GRATITUDE, OR ABOUT, I DON'T KNOW, ABOUT JOY, EVEN.

SO I THINK EITHER WAY, FROM THE WRITING PERSPECTIVE OR THE READER PERSPECTIVE, IT'S A CHANCE TO BRING IT BACK TO THE PERSONAL, THE INDIVIDUAL, AND SOME KIND OF INTIMATE, I DON'T KNOW, LIKE KINDNESS ALMOST.

>> Laura: YEAH, I LIKE THAT.

WE ALL HAVE OUR POETS THAT WE ADMIRE AND POETS THAT WE LIKE TO READ OVER AND OVER AGAIN, BUT FOR ANYONE, WHETHER THEY CONSIDER THEMSELVES A POET OR NOT, HOW DOES THE ACT OF CREATING A POEM OR SHARING A POEM YOU LOVE CHANGE SOMEONE'S PERSPECTIVE OR CHANGE THE WORLD?

>> Lauren: FOR ME, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT POETRY TAUGHT ME, AND I'M NOT SURE THIS ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION, BUT I FEEL LIKE IT'S SO RELEVANT, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT POETRY TAUGHT ME WAS PATIENCE AND A SORT OF GENEROSITY TO MYSELF, I THINK.

NOT THAT I WAS NOT, NOT THAT I WAS PARTICULARLY HARD ON MYSELF.

I MEAN, I BEGAN CREATING THINGS, LITTLE ART PROJECTS AND WRITING THINGS, WHEN I WAS A LITTLE GIRL AND NOBODY PAID ANY ATTENTION TO THEM.

SO I WASN'T PARTICULARLY CHALLENGED ON WHETHER WHAT I DID WAS GOOD ENOUGH.

BUT POETRY, I THINK POETRY MORE THAN ALMOST ANYTHING ELSE I'VE DONE TAKES A KIND OF TIME, A KIND OF MARINATING TIME, OF SLOWING DOWN TIME.

SOME OF THE PROCESS OF CREATING IT IS WAITING.

SOME OF THE PROCESS OF CREATING IT IS LOOKING.

SOME OF THE PROCESS OF CREATING IT IS DOING NOTHING, NOTHING RELATED TO IT.

SO FOR ME, THAT'S A HUGE BENEFIT OF IT.

I MEAN, I DON'T THINK WE HAVE A CULTURE THAT IS SLOW, EVER, ANYMORE, AND I KEEP HOLDING THIS SPACE OPEN FOR POETRY, FOR MYSELF AND TRYING TO DO IT FOR ANYONE ELSE.

I THINK POEMS TAKE TWO READINGS AT A MINIMUM, SO THAT YOU MAYBE READ THROUGH IT AND YOU GET ONE THING ON FIRST COMING UP TO IT, AND THEN ON SECOND READING YOU GET SOMETHING ELSE, YOU GET SOMETHING MORE.

IF YOU READ IT FIVE MONTHS FROM NOW, YOU GET SOMETHING PERHAPS TOTALLY DIFFERENT THAT YOU NEED.

>> Laura: WELL, LAUREN CAMP, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE AND FOR HOLDING SPACE.

I APPRECIATE IT.

>> Lauren: THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.