Laura E. Garrard

In Paddling the Sweet Spot, Laura Garrard’s poetry reminds us to be present in our own lives. Even in the wake of a life-disorienting diagnosis, we still maintain choices in how we navigate forward. As Garrard recounts her own challenges in steering through a cancer diagnosis, she uses keen imagery and word choice, as well as straightforward diction to confront several waves of loss. “Starting with deep powerful strokes” she shows us how to ultimately resist despair. Her impactful poems transport us through the dark and “between the edges of waves.”