Aurora is one of the most perceptive and keenest poetic mentors I know. In a year-long independent study, she taught me not to be reductive—to reach for & wrestle with the complexities of the human experience. On the one hand, week after week, she dispensed gifts—e.g. objective corollaries, the depth of characterization, etc.—to stow away in my craft toolkit.

But, on the other, more important hand, Aurora always said, “What’s the story behind this line? ... That’s what you really want to write about; that’s what you want this poem to actually be about. Send me a poem by next week about this instead.” Aurora always unearthed the emotional significance of my work, its psychological skull, before I even could.

Nurturing a growth-oriented environment, Aurora consistently challenged me. In a tender manner, she always told me what I needed instead of what I wanted to hear; for instance, she once said, “So, sensory imagery is your crutch. You can always come back to it. How about you write a poem without it to hone your other skills?” She always found a way to balance feedback with flourishing, gentle nudges with gratitude—with warmth & softness. Aurora is simply the best: there is no other poet—& mentor—like her!