Bullets Into Bells:
Poets & Citizens Respond to Gun Violence
A powerful call to end American gun violence from celebrated poets and those most impacted
Focused intensively on the crisis of gun violence in America, this volume brings together poems by dozens of our best-known poets, including Billy Collins, Patricia Smith, Natalie Diaz, Ocean Vuong, Danez Smith, Brenda Hillman, Natasha Threthewey, Robert Hass, Naomi Shihab Nye, Juan Felipe Herrera, Mark Doty, Rita Dove, Yusef Komunyakaa, Ada Limón, and many others.
Each poem is followed by a response from a gun violence prevention activist, political figure, survivor, or concerned individual, including Nobel Peace Prize laureate Jody Williams; Senator Christopher Murphy; Moms Demand Action founder Shannon Watts; survivors of the Columbine, Sandy Hook, Charleston Emmanuel AME, and Virginia Tech shootings; and Samaria Rice, mother of Tamir, and Lucy McBath, mother of Jordan Davis.
The result is a stunning collection of poems and prose that speaks directly to the heart and a persuasive and moving testament to the urgent need for gun control.
Poets & Citizens Respond to Gun Violence
A powerful call to end American gun violence from celebrated poets and those most impacted
Focused intensively on the crisis of gun violence in America, this volume brings together poems by dozens of our best-known poets, including Billy Collins, Patricia Smith, Natalie Diaz, Ocean Vuong, Danez Smith, Brenda Hillman, Natasha Threthewey, Robert Hass, Naomi Shihab Nye, Juan Felipe Herrera, Mark Doty, Rita Dove, Yusef Komunyakaa, Ada Limón, and many others.
Each poem is followed by a response from a gun violence prevention activist, political figure, survivor, or concerned individual, including Nobel Peace Prize laureate Jody Williams; Senator Christopher Murphy; Moms Demand Action founder Shannon Watts; survivors of the Columbine, Sandy Hook, Charleston Emmanuel AME, and Virginia Tech shootings; and Samaria Rice, mother of Tamir, and Lucy McBath, mother of Jordan Davis.
The result is a stunning collection of poems and prose that speaks directly to the heart and a persuasive and moving testament to the urgent need for gun control.
with Richard Blanco, Brenda Hillman+ Sharbari Ahmed, Associated Writing Programs Conference, 2018
at the Bullets into Bells launch in Boston with Brian Clements, Helene Atwan, Alexandra Teague + Andre Dubus III
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proclamation from the City of Fayetteville, Arkansas for "Commitment to Ending Gun Violence in All its Forms Day"
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with members of Moms Demand Action, Los Angeles
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B u l l e t s i n t o B e l l s : i n t h e n e w s
Poets & Writers
Washington Post
Boston Globe
Huffington Post
Poetry Foundation
The New York Times
PBS KQED News Hour
Powell's Books.Blog
Goodreads
The Midwest Book Review
Rebecca Morgan Frank
Ploughshares at Emerson College
Literary Hub
The Newtown Bee
Beacon Broadside
Booklist
ZYZZYVA Magazine
View Boston Library reading on Bullets into Bells - C-SPAN Boston Library
5 0 S t a t e s - 5 0 E v e n t s
B U L L E T S I N T O B E L L S I N T H E P R E S S
Selected as a “Must-Read” poetry title by The Millions
“A timely, vital book that addresses gun violence in the United States.” – The Washington Post
“In an age where everyday gun violence and mass shootings have become commonplace in the United States, a new book serves to remind readers of the activist power of poetry.” – The Newtown Bee
“The keen observational eye and emotional antenna of the poet interacts with the testimonial and witness of everyday people, unfortunately made extraordinary through their often tragically intimate understanding of the gun.” – Connecticut magazine
“This collection is an overwhelmingly emotional portrait of gun violence… Because poetry, like all art, either works or doesn’t work based on the degree to which the viewer or the listener or the reader (depending on the art form) derives an emotional response. And I can tell you that you will react to these poems in strong, emotional terms. If anything, the juxtaposition of poetry with commentaries gives readers an opportunity to restore their emotional equilibrium after the powerful impact of each verse.” –The Huffington Post
“Instead of romanticizing suffering, particularly a kind that disproportionately affects marginalized groups, the book’s contributors work to “untangle” and communicate what Colum McCann describes in his introduction as “the intricate nuances of that suffering.”” – Ploughshares
B u l l e t s i n t o B e l l s : e v e n t s
DECEMBER 6, 2017: Book People of Moscow, Moscow
DECEMBER 13, 2017: Boston Public Library, (Central library location in Copley Square), Boston, MA.
Poets and Guests: Editors Brian Clements, Dean Rader, Alexandra Teague. Poets Martín Espada, Jill McDonough, and Rebecca Morgan Frank.
Scheduled Citizen Responders including: Aimee Tavares, (National Organizing Director for Moms Demand Action), Abbey Clements (Second-Grade Teacher at Sandy Hook Elementary School on December 14, 2012, and Gun Violence Prevention Activist), Clai Lasher-Sommers (Fellow of Everytown for Gun Safety), Joe Quint (Photographer and Curator of “It Takes Us” and Dr. William Begg (emergency doctor on duty at Sandy Hook shootings).
FEBRUARY 5, 2018: Washington, DC.
The anthology’s editors—Brian Clements, Alexandra Teague, and Dean Rader—and contributors, as well as those working to prevent gun violence in DC, will share readings and reflections, followed by a panel conversation with Senator Chris Murphy.
FEBRUARY 22, 2018: San Francisco, CA - West Coast Launch.
Poets Brenda Hillman, Jane Hirshfield, Robert Hass, Alexandra Teague & Dean Rader. Community advocates Catherine Stefani (SF District Supervisor and Local Director for Moms Demand Action against Gun Violence); Mike McLively (from the Giffords Law Center); Pastor Michael McBride (Live Free Campaign); and George Galvis (Executive Director, Communities United for Restorative Youth Justice).
March 6, 2018: Portland Public Library, Oregon
Panel discussion with Poet Richard Blanco, Editor Brian Clements, and Judi Richardson founder of Remembering Darien.
MARCH 9, 2018: Tampa, Florida. Reading - five poets will share work from the anthology. The panelists will also show brief video clips of their poems’ accompanying responses, and answer questions about the role of poetry in this pressing social conversation. link
MARCH 20, 2018: 6.30 pm, University of Georgia reading link Cine, 234 W Hancock Ave, Athens, GA 30601 Eidson Distinguished Professor in American Literature LeAnne Howe will host writer Brian Clements for a poetry reading and discussion on Tuesday, March 20th, 6:30 p.m. at Cine. Clements will discuss the book he co-edited, Bullets into Bells: Poets & Citizens Respond to Gun Violence. This event is free and open to the public.
April 20, 2018: Black Hills State, South Dakota
Editor: Alexandra Teague, student write-in and faculty
April 20, 2018: Missoula, Montana
Attendees:
Moms Demand Action
April 27, 2018: Chicago, Illinois
Editor: Dean Rader