A Letter to Loris, by Bethany Mae Ward

Poetry, chapbook, 32 pages, from Bottlecap Features.

A Letter to Loris is the first collection of poetry and vignettes from New England writer Bethany Mae Ward. Written in the years since her grandmother’s passing, it is a poignant exploration of loss, grief, generational legacy, familial ties, and the comfort we find in fond memories. It’s a message from someone you’ve lost in the form of a scent caught in a crowd, a license plate glimpsed by chance, a meal shared with loved ones.

With natural imagery that will be familiar to anyone who’s spent time in Maine, A Letter to Loris is a last ode to someone lost, written in salt water. The collection reminds us that despite the wheels of time turning against our will, the tracks they’ve left behind live on within us, and heartbreakingly, beautifully, they leave imprints that will never wash away in the rain.

Bethany Mae Ward is a Maine-based writer, veterinary CSR, and burrata fiend. She lives in a small city with her partner and their three mischievous cats. She has previously had work featured in Honeyfire Literary Magazine. She hopes one day to rescue more animals and live in a little house by the sea, writing poetry in the garden. You can find more of her work (and the occasional video of her cats) on Instagram or TikTok at @bmaewrites.