Finding Solace in “Obscurity”

October 20, 2023

A glowing ring of light, known as the ring of fire, encircles the moon during a solar eclipse against a dark sky. The moon covers most of the sun, leaving only the bright outer rim visible.

By Julia Caulfield

Photo: Michael Mowery Media

In times of difficulty, San Miguel County Poet Laureate Joanna Yonder often turns to the written word.

With reports of violence in Israel and Palestine flooding news outlets and social media, she says poetry has been a space to feel and breathe.

Yonder stopped by KOTO to share a poem reflecting on Southwest Colorado’s recent eclipse and its juxtaposition against violence in other parts of the world.

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