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The Lost Words
“Once upon a time, words began to vanish from the language of children”—literally. This fairytale-like opening to The Lost Words (2017) alludes to the real-life removal of nature words like “kingfisher” and “bluebell” from a children’s dictionary. As a response to this erasure, The Lost Words presents an alternative dictionary of sorts with poems from “acorn” to “wren.” Described as spells, these poems not only preserve the names of nature but also conjure up these creatures and plants: they insist on nature’s place in our imagination and in our world. The Lost Words has been followed up by The Lost Spells and a musical ensemble called Spell Songs that has adapted some of the poems into songs. Between the poetry, the illustrations, and the music, The Lost Words invites considerations into the ways different artistic forms and media can engage with the environment.
-NK