Jane Hicks – författare

Appalachia is no stranger to loss. The region suffers regular ecological devastation wrought by strip mining, fracking, and deforestation as well as personal tragedy brought on by enduring poverty and drug addiction. In Driving with the Dead, Appalachian poet, teacher, and artist Jane Hicks weaves an earnest and impassioned elegy for an imperiled yet doggedly optimistic people and place. Exploring the roles that war, environment, culture, and violence play in Appalachian society, the hard-hitting collection is visceral and unflinchingly honest, mourning a land and people devastated by economic hardship, farm foreclosures, and mountaintop removal.With empathy and a voice of experience, Hicks offers readers a poignant collection of poems that addresses themes of grief and death while also illustrating the beauty, grace, and resilience of the Appalachian people. Invoking personal memories, she explores how the loss of physical landscape has also devastated the region's psychological landscape.Graphic, bold, and heartfelt, Driving with the Dead is an honest and compelling call to arms. Hicks laments the irreplaceable treasures that we have lost but also offers wisdom for healing and reconciliation.

“The Southern Poetry Anthology, Volume III, second edition, edited with passion and precision, in collaboration with Texas Review Press, transcends the stereotypes surrounding Appalachia, revealing the true diversity and complexity of Appalachia’s poetic voices. Commitment to showcasing the rich and rewarding literary landscape reflects the evolving spirit of this beautiful region. This anthology serves as a testament to the resilience and beauty found in the works of Appalachian poets, painting a vivid picture of a culture that defies easy categorization. Through carefully selected poems, this edition weaves a tapestry that is as vibrant as it is complicated, offering readers a deeper understanding of Appalachia’s multifaceted identity: nuances, complexities, and sheer beauty that define Contemporary Appalachia. Embark on a literary journey that honors tradition while embracing the contemporary, as The Southern Poetry Anthology, Volume III, invites readers to explore the heart and soul of a region that defies stereotypes and resonates with authenticity.” - William Wright, Series Editor

The Safety of Small Things meditates on mortality from a revealing perspective. Images of stark examination rooms, the ravages of chemotherapy, biopsies, and gel-soaked towels entwine with remembrance to reveal grace and even beauty where they are least expected. Jane Hicks captures contemporary Appalachia in all of its complexities: the world she presents constantly demonstrates how the past and the present (and even the future) mingle unexpectedly. The poems in this powerful collection juxtapose the splendor and revelation of nature and science, the circle of life, how family and memory give honor to those we've lost, and how they can all fit together. This lyrical and contemplative yet provocative collection sings a song of lucidity, redemption, and celebration.