Poems in the Aftermath: An Anthology from the 2016 Presidential Transition Period

This anthology includes 73 poems by 73 poets, written over the 73 days between President Donald Trump’s election and inauguration. It remains as relevant in today as it was during the transition. That’s no cause for celebration, of course–a clear majority of Americans never wanted this transition to happen in the first place. Most of us wanted a different result. But we got what we got. As an entire nation, in different ways, to different extents, we did this to ourselves. And so here we are. If, as Santayana argued, those of us who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it, then Poems in the Aftermath and other books like it stand as invaluable reminders. For me, however, the questions remain: Do enough people want enough change badly enough to make it happen? Do enough people love justice enough to finally complete the bending of Dr. King’s arc? Can those of us who do love justice overcome enough of our differences to work together and realize the visions of our most inspired dreamers? So much remains to be seen.