Over the past few decades, the gulf coast of Louisiana has suffered its share of natural disasters. From hurricanes, to floods, to the gradual destruction caused by coastal erosion, the poems in NO BROTHER, THIS STORM serve as archives of the hope and resilience found throughout the region.
For much of his career, Jack Bedell has paid tribute to the people, landscapes, and traditions of his native South Louisiana. His poems give voice to personal and cultural histories that make up the fabric of life in his home state. NO BROTHER, THIS STORM continues this tradition, containing lyrics and narratives of hope and beauty in the face of storms, floods, and personal loss.
Poem by poem, NO BROTHER, THIS STORM explores loss, reinvention, and rebirth on personal, natural, and regional levels. More than simple inventory, though, these poems try to recognize strength and hope with every line.
Bedell's work honors South Louisiana as it gives voice to its people, places, and ways of life. His poems do their best to find the good in the day, even in the aftermaths of storm and loss.