(2011) Dempsey, Jennifer Lynn; Collier, Michael; Creative Writing; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
Exploring the boundaries of relationships, A Heart in the River questions the personal connections through which we identify the self. Through poems about war, poker, and family history, the speaker delves into memory and the devolution --then renewal-- of trust. The Midwest, particularly northern Michigan, grounds the manuscript in nature; landscapes with rivers, birds, and a black walnut tree juxtapose with the artificial scenery and actions of civilization. The thesis is organized in three sections, each creating emotional and physical borders the speaker wishes to break, and it is only through sound and movement --both thematically and formally-- that any reconciliation may be reached.
