Impspired Title

INVOCATION FOR AMERICA

by Lisa Kinney & Majel Gardzelewski

Two sisters, two bards, one in film, the other in words, have brought us pictures and poems that remind us that, no matter an abundance of turmoil and travail, living in this world can be a delight. The gift these two gifted artists have brought us will brighten the lives of those lucky enough to hold this book in their hands. Charlie Brice, Author of Tragedy in the Arugula Aisle (Arroyo Seco Press, 2025) What if you and your sister were given different creative gifts? What if, for example, she were a dancer and you were a woodcarver? And what if you decided to produce something together? What would that look like? Juxtaposed, the two art forms would begin to coalesce, to inform each other, and then to strip away trope and ornament until a common, creative spark is revealed. In this book, Invocation for America, Lisa and Majel, photographer and poet, give us a heady mixture that is at once muscular and ethereal. Tim Pelton, Author of Skating with Shirley and Headfirst: The Novel. The photos and poems in this book are a unique collaboration between two sisters who explore the mysteries, delights and sadness of time and family. Majel’s writing is full of clever turns of phrase—“mourners will find comfort in the morning”—while Lisa’s photos capture the beauty of nature and the incongruities of human behavior. Together, Lisa and Majel create a heartfelt and stirring search for meaning, which will leave you thinking about your own life and family, your own love and loss, and your own quest to make peace with it all. Mary Schmich won the 2012 Pulitzer Prize for her columns in the Chicago Tribune. She also wrote the “Brenda Starr” comic strip and the popular mock graduation speech, “Wear Sunscreen.”