5 things we learned from Amiee Nezhukumatathil—Indianapolis

On Sept. 21, 2022 we hosted an INconversation with Aimee Nezhukumatathil at the Central Branch of the Indianapolis Public Library. We’re grateful to Aimee and moderator Adrian Matejka, editor of Poetry Magazine and former Indiana state poet laureate, for their light-hearted and honest exchange about fireflies, football mascots, bird calls, Earth, Wind and Fire, the Dewey Decimal System, the magic of librarians and everything in between.

As we like to do at Indiana Humanities, we’ve recapped the conversation below with “5 Things We Learned.” Here are some moments that stood out to us:

1. Bedtime stories. When Nezhukumatathil began writing what would ultimately become the essays of World of Wonders: In Praise of Fireflies, Whale Sharks, and Other Astonishments, they were intended as fun nighttime stories for her two young boys during a time in 2016 when day-to-day life was difficult. Turn off the news, let’s talk about narwhals! The more she wrote and shared, the more her sons pushed her to go deeper. And so a book about nature also became a book about race and belonging and the value of holding on to that childlike capacity for wonder, because when you make wonder a practice, you feel less alone in the world.

2. Be yourself; everyone else is taken. World of Wonders was rejected a whopping 23 times before finally being picked up by Milkweed Editions. Initially, Nezhukumatathil saw rejection as the Universe not-so-subtly telling her to stay in her poetry lane. She fielded questions about comparable authors and books: Wendell Berry? Mary Oliver? The answer was simple: She is who she is, and World of Wonders is what it is. She didn’t have to be like someone else to be valuable. Her advice to fellow writers starts with an unexpected suggestion: floss. (Dental health is connected to heart health, and without a healthy heart, you won’t be around long enough to hone your writing craft!) More conventional recommendations follow: Practice gratitude. Be kind — it costs you nothing. And most of all, be curious!

3. Poetry is an option. Nezhukumatathil was a chemistry major until junior year of college, when a fateful encounter with “Mint Snowball” by poet Naomi Shibab Nye altered the course of her life. Within a week she had changed her major to English with no backup plan in sight. Prior to that moment, poetry wasn’t a career option for her. In fact, poets were mythical creatures who existed somewhere, but not in her reality (kind of like doily makers). But just then she fell in love with poetry, and she hasn’t looked back since.

4. Librarians, booksellers & humanities councils — oh my! In 2020, just as the book was going to print, the world was falling apart. Nezhukumatathil’s publisher wasn’t hopeful about the book even being produced, furthermore any prospects for sales and distribution. Enter the dream team of librarians, independent booksellers, state humanities councils and readers who each helped spread the word about the book in their own way and propelled it to the success it ultimately enjoyed.

5. There’s no such thing as balance. When asked about a writing routine that accounts for the demands of motherhood, teaching and life in general, Nezhukumatathil refuted the concept of the perfect modern work-life balance. It doesn’t exist, so don’t strive for it! On any given day, she’s a hot mess, and that’s OK (#CapricornLife). She acknowledges and accepts there will be ebbs and flows, so do the best that you can and that’s good enough. (Remember to floss!)

Thank you again for joining us in person and via livestream! You can view photos from last night’s event here. We hope to see you again soon.

—The Indiana Humanities Team

P.S. If you enjoyed last night’s conversation and would like to see more events like it, we invite you to support Indiana Humanities in celebration of our 50th anniversary! With your help, we can continue to create more innovative programs that encourage Hoosiers to think, read and talk.

This program was held in partnership with the Indianapolis Public Library. Thanks also to Indy Reads for being our bookseller for the evening.