Ordinary

According to the Pew Research Center, over 44 million people in the United States are classified as immigrants.In Ordinary: A poetic anthology of culture, immigration, and identity, we view the world through Laura Hyppolite's eyes. Hyppolite is a Haitian immigrant learning to navigate life in the United States. This work transcends the personal and draws on connections with history and society. She poetically weaves a tale that travels from the beaches and colors of Haiti to the slate and rough edges of city life in the United States. We see her navigate her relationship with language and body image as she ponders what it means to be a Haitian American and whether location truly impacts our identity as we embody and embrace our cultures. To Hyppolite, in poetry there are no imposters, only personal truths which sing throughout one's work. Through Hyppolite's view of herself, we learn more about the beauty within each of us.