Benjamin Banneker and Us
- 368 pages
- 13 hours of reading
A family reunion gives way to an unforgettable genealogical quest as relatives reconnect across lines of colour, culture, and time, putting the past into urgent conversation with the present.
Rachel Jamison Webster is a distinguished poet and writer whose works delve into the depths of the human experience. Her poetics are characterized by a hybrid approach, blending poetry and prose to create unique texts that explore complex themes. Webster is dedicated to making poetry accessible to a wider audience through her editing of international anthologies and her curation of programs that connect art with community. Her commitment to using literature for positive social change is evident in her work with youth and her contributions to arts education.



A family reunion gives way to an unforgettable genealogical quest as relatives reconnect across lines of colour, culture, and time, putting the past into urgent conversation with the present.
"Rachel Webster writes with such sensitivity about the profundity of love, the errors of history, and the precipice of death. These poems attend to the flexible borders between bodies and the natural landscape with fire, beauty, and insight. I marvel at this work." Joanne Diaz, My Favorite Tyrants "This book is so beautiful I don't even know how it was made. It feels given." Kristin LeMay, author of I Told My Soul to Sing * "I am mother and virgin," says a Gnostic goddess. "I am she whose wedding is great, and I have never taken a husband." Mary of Magdala-disciple, lover and beloved-has been called many things. Here she is called a river, flowing into and alongside the great river of the God-Man. As the swiftest stream carves the deepest canyon, her voice carves a landscape of intimate, fragile beauty. Rachel Jamison Webster has given us a mesmerizing collection of poems about love's bliss, its rage against death, and its bewildered passage through and beyond it. --Barbara Newman, author of God and the Goddesses
Exploring themes of love and connection across time, the narrative intertwines a modern romance with historical friendships and poetic reflections. Jon and Marisol's twenty-first-century relationship serves as a gateway to the sixth-century bond between Radegunde and Fortunatus. Through a blend of prose and poetry, the story delves into the intimate ties we share with others, the legacies we create, and our relationship with the Earth, offering a rich tapestry that celebrates the renewal of the soul through myth and timeless writing.