CAZENOVIA — In December 2024, Bottlecap Press published Cazenovia author Katherine “Kitty” Leonard’s first poetry chapbook, “Requiem for the Beekeeper.” A chapbook is a small poetry collection, generally no more than 40 pages, often centered on a specific theme. Leonard’s work features 23 poems, some very short and several two pages long, arranged into three sections. According to the author, the poems in the first section offer a broad exploration of the deep interweaving of humans and nature. The second section narrows the focus to individuals through a blend of narrative and lyrical works. The third section becomes more personal while still maintaining an intricate appreciation of the complexity of the lives people weave together within their environments. “The poems are intimately involved with a deep appreciation for nature and its influences and our influences on our environments; how circumstances shape our actions and perceptions; and the diversity of ways in which our lives intersect with world and local events,” Leonard said. The chapbook, featuring cover art by Inlet, NY, artist Misty Townsend, was edited and arranged by Connecticut’s 8th State Poet Laureate, Antoinette Brim-Bell. “[This collection] considers the individual’s relationship to the natural world, juxtaposing notions of ownership with that of stewardship, while maintaining a poetic grace in language and form that invites the reader into its deferential meditative imagery,” Brim-Bell’s cover blurb states. “Leonard’s evocative conversations with historical figures, both real and imagined, challenge the reader’s expectations of what is personal and yet becomes political, even so understanding that ultimately, what matters most is love.” Leonard’s work has been published in literary journals such as “Sonora Review,” “Querencia Press Anthologies,” “Hole in the Head Review,” “Speckled Trout Review,” “FERAL,” “Allium,” and “Stone Canoe.” Her writing has been deeply influenced by her experiences living and spending time in diverse locations across the country and abroad. She has resided in Cazenovia since 1989. Growing up, however, her father was in the Navy, and she moved every two to three years, living in Massachusetts, Virginia, California, and Naples, Italy. When her father retired from service, the family relocated from suburban Boston to a small farm town in Texas. “The schools and parks and town were integrated the year after we moved there under threat of losing federal funds for the schools,” Leonard recalled. After high school, she attended college in Colorado and spent 12 years there before moving to Maine, then Vermont. She also lived in Washington, DC, and has strong ties to New Mexico. “While I have never lived in New Mexico, I have visited frequently,” she said. “The land of New Mexico lives in my blood.” According to a press release announcing the publication of “Requiem for the Beekeeper,” her writing also draws from her years in academic research in chemistry and cell biology, her experiences as a geologist/project manager for hazardous waste site investigations, and her work as a registered nurse and nurse practitioner. Leonard traces her interest in poetry back to the third grade. “When I was eight years old, I won third place in a poetry contest,” she said. “[I] have been entranced with poetry as a way of communicating through imagery — a distillation that allows diverse and even seemingly unrelated ideas to be shown in relationship, thereby creating moments of realization.” She recalled that although she wrote briefly in college, her poetry classes extinguished her appreciation for the medium for many years. While pursuing a master’s degree in geology and, much later, bachelor’s and master’s degrees in the nursing/nurse practitioner discipline, Leonard had the opportunity to dive into technical writing. Her connection with poetry, however, was not rekindled until she was asked to submit her writing for a SUNY Upstate nursing and medical student contest and tied for first place in the poetry category. “Working as a nurse practitioner was so consuming that I waited until after I retired to devote more time to writing,” she said. “Through the YMCA’s Downtown Writers Center classes, I have had the opportunity to study and write with a fantastic cohort of poets and teachers. Prior to that, my publications were limited to professional journals.” The author described the publication of her first chapbook as many years in the making. “I am so proud that this group of poems is out in the world at last,” she said. To learn more about “Requiem for the Beekeeper” and purchase a copy, visit bottlecap.press/products/beekeeper?keyword=requiem%20. ...read more read less