Appalachian Emotion

Emerging poet Katie Kaltenbach's debut full-length collection of poems, Appalachian Emotion, serves as a portrait of what it is and what it means to live in Appalachia today. With a modern, yet timeless sensibility about them, these forty-eight poems celebrate struggle and adversity, as well as the simple joys of existence. Complemented by a lighthearted vignette, this book of verse marks a bold new literary voice. With thoughtful pieces such as "Ancient Vulnerability," "For Being from Appalachia," and "Angry Bees," the poet struggles with the isolation and utter loneliness that a life in Appalachian repose affords young women. Often distant to her own emotions and desires, Kaltenbach seeks to fuse two worlds, one that is fiercely loyal to days of lore and one that is forward thinking. While there is also an earthy, coming-of-age feel to many of her poems, this very personal collection speaks often of how she loves and lives.