Former WA State poet laureate and WWU alumna Rena Priest publishes first essay collection

Gratitude is a red thread throughout Priest’s writing, even (and especially) when unpacking difficult topics. Jane Wong, editor in chief of the Bellingham Review, described Priest’s voice as “incredibly kind” and “imaginative,” yet “very exacting [in] pointing to these truths that we have to look at.” 

In “Positively Uncivilized,” Priest challenges readers to investigate their own relationship with the natural world, though her overarching message is one of resilience. Priest believes “community, and working within your own personal strengths” are crucial to addressing injustice — and her own strength lies in telling stories.

“Poets tend to be types of people who are incredibly curious,” Wong continued. “If Rena writes poetry, if Rena writes nonfiction … she’ll be amazing at everything she does. Because the genre is just a vessel through which the storytelling comes through. And at her core, she’s a storyteller.”