by Lena Williams
On September 25th at 27th Letter Books, people gathered to celebrate the launch of Running Lights, the latest book of poetry by University of Detroit Mercy’s Poet-In-Residence, Professor Michael Lauchlan.
The event opened with Cal Freeman, the author of The Weather of Our Names, and a University of Detroit Mercy alumnus. He read several pieces of his own poetry. Some phrases and lines that stuck with me were “between illumination and violence,” “canine ghost that barked forever,” and “the body must relinquish what it knows.” Next, Alise Alousi, the author of What to Count, took to the stage. Notable lines from her reading include “butterfly people are here to teach us something” and “I traded it for a drive beneath Bagdad.” Then, Stacy Gnall, Director of Creative Writing at the University of Detroit Mercy, and author of Dogged and Heart First into the Forest read new work. My favorite lines of hers were “soon you’ll have me in tears of laughter” and “my fear rose like blush on high bone.”
All of the opening poets gave a tribute to Professor Lauchlan or mentioned Running Lights in some way. Freeman shared poetry of his that includes conversations with Lauchlan; Alousi described Lauchlan’s new collection as “[an] out of body, spiritual creative guide for how to live a meaningful life in a world not always in step with that idea”; and Gnall spoke more personally, about “Lauchlan’s ability to friend.” All of these individual tributes highlighted the ways our Poet-in-Residence connects with, and leaves a lasting impression on, every spirit he meets.
Finally, the man of the hour, Michael Lauchlan, shared poems from his highly-anticipated Running Lights. Especially memorable lines were “as you put one finger towards the sky to G-d, that sweet prayer,” “they set down cups of darkness,” and “how long it takes to stop a baby’s cry, 1,000 steps . . . we don’t have that kind of time.”
Running Lights offers a lesson to the world, as Lauchlan “wants the world to be fixed.” Through his book, he “teach[es] us how to do it ourselves.” The collection is a dedication to bearing witness, to taking the seemingly simplistic and turning it into art. It strips the human experience down to its bare, beating heart so that we can see the mechanics of living, and breathe new light into our tired beings.
Running Lights is available now on Bookshop.org.
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Bio: Lena Williams (’27) is a bookworm and a logophile. She is majoring in English. She enjoys writing poetry and spending time in nature with her family, friends, and dog.
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