Richard St. John "That Nothing Be Lost" w/Nancy Krygowski & Jane McCafferty

We are grateful to host local poet, Richard St. John, to celebrate the publication of his fourth poetry collection, That Nothing Be Lost. We are very grateful to celebrate local poet, Richard St. John, to celebrate the publication of his fourth poetry collection, That Nothing Be Lost! Richard will be joined by local poets Nancy Krygowski and Jane McCafferty. Richard, Nancy, and Jane are dear friends of White Whale. We are honored to host this phenomanal trio in celebration of That Nothing Be Lost! That Nothing Be Lost is a book of sacred witness: to our wounded companions, our personal histories and the shared challenges that shape our lives. What can we hold in our hearts amidst the transience of all things? What might shed light as we bravely make our way? “This is an astounding piece of literary work. Each poem feels like a warm personal embrace, yet as a collection they become our collective memory. These poems’ power is matched only by the poet’s dexterity and deep humanity.” — Sony Ton-Aime, Executive Director, Pittsburgh Arts & Lectures and author of Konbit. “These exquisitely observed poems are acts of deep human sympathy, that seek to both break the heart and heal it. Richard St. John engages our historical moment with the rhythms and warm humanity of writers from Christopher Smart to the Psalmist to Aeschylus, reminding us of the long tradition of human empathy.” – Kim Garcia, author of DRONE and The Brighter House “St. John’s latest collection sees recollection and witness as poetic practices, as ‘a sacrament for us.’ That Nothing Be Lost aims to do what its title commands—to marry memory of daily existence with the eternal. These poems confront the difficulty of this practice in the face of loss in its many forms. Yet even for the child who lives a single day, life is something cherished: ‘In the beginning: darkness, / heartbeat, blood. And it was good.’ “ — Jake Grefenstette, President, International Poetry Forum & Editor, Carnegie Mellon University Press Poetry Series NANCY KRYGOWSKI is the author of The Woman in the Corner and Velocity, winner of the Agnes Lynch Starrett Prize. She is Co-Editor of the Pitt Poetry Series, an instructor in the Madwomen in the Attic writing program at Carlow University, and a Democratic Committee member. (PLEASE vote!) JANE MCCAFFERTY is author of two books of stories, two novels, and a book of poems. Her work has received several awards, including two Pushcarts, an NEA, and The Drue Heinz award. Stories are forthcoming in Alaska Quarterly Review and The Sun. She lives and works in Pittsburgh where much of her recent fiction is set. RICHARD ST. JOHN's newest collection of poetry, That Nothing Be Lost, is scheduled for publication in the fall of 2026 from Broadstone Books. He is also the author of Book of Entangled Souls (Broadstone Books, 2022), Each Perfected Name (Truman State University Press, 2015), The Pure Inconstancy of Grace (published in 2005 by Truman State University Press, as first runner-up for the T. S. Eliot Prize for Poetry) and Shrine (a long poem released as a chapbook in 2011). He enjoys connecting with readers and listeners in university and literary settings and, especially, with people who might be newer to poetry in community spaces, congregations, online book groups, and welcoming homes. For more information, please visit his website: richardstjohnpoet.com. Sign up for the livestream!