Maine writers’ anthology offers ‘nuggets of hope’ for these troubled times | Column

Maine’s New Anthology “Ground Truth: Writing Towards Justice” Opens on 250th‑Anniversary

In celebration of the United States’ 250th birthday, a group of Maine writers and poets will bring a new voice to the nation’s conversation. Gulf of Maine Books is hosting a launch for Ground Truth: Writing Towards Justice on Saturday, Oct. 10, at 2:30 p.m. in the Curtis Memorial Library, Brunswick. The event is free to the public, and the anthology will sell for $20 through Huntress Press.

The book is a collection of poems, essays and visual art by 47 Maine artists, edited by four poets—Claire Milliken, Mihku Paul, Karin Spitfire and Maya Williams. In the foreword the co‑editors write, “We are all in this together, this America. It is up to us to do what we can to create a nation that is ethical, fair, responsible and, if we’re brave and lucky, a place to live peacefully, generously, and with joy.”

“Ground Truth” was assembled to provide both hope and a realistic view of contemporary challenges. “We are all in this together,” the editors add, “and it is up to us to do what we can to create a nation that is ethical, fair, responsible and, if we’re brave and lucky, a place to live peacefully, generously, and with joy.”

Voices from the Edge of the Landscape

The anthology pulls in perspectives that are often invisible in mainstream narratives. Ekhlas Ahmed, a Sudanese refugee who settled in Portland in the 1990s, offers a poem that has resonated with readers. Ahmed, who now lives in Windham with her family, earned a bachelor’s degree in international relations and a master’s in education from the University of Southern Maine. She has taught English in public schools and works as a policy analyst for the Office of New Americans, helping other refugees settle in Maine.

Her poem “Ground Truth” ends with the lines:

the truest nation / is not the one imagined / from a distance / but the one assembled daily / by people who choose care.

Lawless, co‑owner of Gulf of Maine Books, writes an essay about the importance of giving a platform to those whose voices are often unheard. “The conversation of the community is not in balance, in health, unless all voices are encouraged to speak, to have their stories honored,” he says. “And as we listen, we learn how much connection our hearts have with each other.”

Penobscot elder Donna Loring brings a First Nations perspective that stretches back more than ten thousand years. In her poem “It is Up to Us,” she urges, “It is up to us to overcome our own invisibility. It is up to us to use our voices to tell our stories. It is up to us to rise from the ashes of genocide and proclaim that We Are Still Here!” Her longer piece, “We are the First People and the First Nations of this Country,” calls out the broken treaties and the loss of land that the U.S. government promised to the First Nations.

Mihku Paul, a Wolastoqey writer and visual artist, contributes a poem in the “Come to Your Senses” section that reads: “It is a fact. In every corner of the world, something blooms.” The piece serves as a reminder of resilience amid hardship.

A Celebration of Community and Justice

The anthology is not merely a literary showcase; it is an invitation to confront the country’s past and work toward a more just future. The co‑editors emphasize that the collection “resists a political landscape which attempts to steal souls” and urges readers to “ground themselves in the wonders of daily life, to be found both in community and in the bountiful natural world on which all life depends.”

The book launch will feature readings by the four editors and selected contributors, including Linda Aldrich, Steve Luttrell, Steve Miller, Doug Rawlings, Sampson Spadafore, and Panagoiti Tsolkas. The event is open to all, and attendees will be able to purchase the anthology at the library or from Gulf of Maine Books.

For more details, contact Gary Lawless or Beth Leonard at Gulf of Maine Books (134 Maine St., Brunswick) or call 729‑5083.

The anthology arrives just as Maine marks a milestone in national history, offering a fresh lens through which to view the nation’s past and present. Whether you’re a resident of Brunswick or a reader across the state, Ground Truth: Writing Towards Justice invites you to join in a conversation about belonging, resilience, and the collective pursuit of a more equitable America.