Every life is built of a lineage of teachers and mentors, I am beyond lucky to have had so many brilliant minds and hearts in my corner. Thank you to Greenie, Mr. Stone, Mr. Fuder, Ms. Dilg, Mr. Moos who dealt with my love for words and lifelong war on punctuation with eyes towards a future I could have never imagined for myself. Thank you Perry “Vision” DiVirgilio who took a sad freshman poet under his wing, every intersection of my poetic life rings with your voice. Thank you Thomas Devaney and Natalie Anderson who watched my first tentative steps toward the page with a warmth I may never again experience. Thank you Diane Anderson who said yes, over and over a Yes I could scarcely whisper to myself. Thank you to Rowan Ricardo Phillips, my predecessor in so many ways, my friend in so many others. There is perhaps no one who has been more instrumental in my work demanding honesty of myself than Greg Pardlo who taught me how to celebrate the superpower and how to write less boring poems. Words cannot describe the joy and luck I feel to be working with Aimee Nezhukumatatil every day, thank you for the gift of your time and making somewhere far from home feel far less so. And boundless gratitude to my big brother, Derrick Harriell who took a tremendous risk to bring me to his table, I can only hope that I can one day make you as proud of me as I am every day to work with you.