Mary Oishi's two-year term as Albuquerque's fifth Poet Laureate from 2020 to 2022 marked a significant period in history. COVID-19 had just become a household term, public gatherings were dwindling, and virtual events became the primary mode of interaction. Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, Oishi's tenure saw a surge in creativity and community engagement as she utilized virtual platforms to bring poets together for her project, Poets in the Libraries.
Oishi, now affectionately referred to as the "Pandemic Poet Laureate," will launch her latest collection, Sidewalk Cruiseship, at Bookworks on Wednesday, June 5 at 6 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. Sidewalk Cruiseship is also the latest book in the Albuquerque Poet Laureate Series published by the City of Albuquerque's Department of Arts & Culture in partnership with University of New Mexico Press.
Sidewalk Cruiseship draws on Oishi’s ability to illustrate the world around her and its people. Separated into 11 short sections by traditional Japanese tankas, the poems in Oishi’s newest collection address both macro and micro themes. They respond to the pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and the contentious political climate while drawing readers into intimate moments within Oishi’s beloved city of Albuquerque.
The poems explore themes such as mental illness, motherhood's joys and sorrows, womanhood, aging, and death. Readers will gain a better sense of Albuquerque and its inhabitants while getting an intimate look at one of its most passionate citizens—a Japanese American longtime justice activist and mentor for queer youth who embraces both the best and worst that Albuquerque has to offer.
Oishi is also known for Spirit Birds They Told Me; she coauthored Rock Paper Scissors and edited One Albuquerque, One Hundred Poets commemorating her Poets in the Libraries project.
Sidewalk Cruiseship is available at bookstores or directly from University of New Mexico Press via Longleaf Services Inc. To order, please call 800-848-6224 or visit www.unmpress.com.
