With her debut poetry collection, Odes to the Ordinary, Emily Benson-Scott crafts a striking tribute to the beauty hidden in plain sight. Released by Green Writers Press in April 2023, the collection breathes new life into the classical ode, transforming the mundane into the extraordinary.
The collection has garnered critical acclaim, including a glowing review from Kirkus, which lauds it as a “perceptive set of poems that find the extraordinary in the ordinary.” This review led to Kirkus naming it among the top 40 Indies worth discovering in 2024. The Midwest Book Review praised Benson-Scott’s decade of wanderings abroad, writing: “Whether describing history in 'After Pompeii' or reflecting on strong women in 'Ode to a Topless Woman in France,' these poems celebrate nature, travel, and small moments that reveal deeper connections between self and world.”
Divided into six thematic sections—Inclement Weather, Trees, Abandoned Things, Animals, Travel, and Strong Women—Benson-Scott’s poetry transforms everyday moments into something magical. Her dense, sensual language and layered imagery invites readers to pause and reflect on the wonder of ordinary life. From the gritty charm of a Queens subway ride to the quiet dignity of a Vermont Quaking Aspen, her work elevates overlooked details to profound significance.
Acclaimed poet Dan Beachy-Quick notes, “It takes a poet of genuine gentleness and real humility to understand that our truest wonders hardly seem like wonders at all. These poems give us back as gifts what we’d easily otherwise take for granted.” Dean Smith, Director of Duke University Press, describes the poems as “lush displays of language, joy, and hope that shimmer and sear with a master’s stroke.”
The journey to this debut has been a long one for Benson-Scott, whose work has appeared in journals such as Atlanta Review, Colorado Review, Nimrod International Journal, and Southern Poetry Review. A Cornell University graduate with a BA in international relations and an MFA in creative writing from Goddard College, she blends intellectual rigor with heartfelt exploration.
Odes to the Ordinary is more than a poetry collection; it’s a reminder to embrace life’s overlooked beauty. Readers will encounter odes to strong women, abandoned objects, and nature’s resilience—all infused with enduring hope.
Contact
Odes to the Ordinary is available now through Green Writers Press. Having spent the last decade traveling on a shoestring budget and writing about her European sojourns—from Iceland to the South of France to the Greek Isles—Emily Benson-Scott is now based in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, finishing a novel.
Visit www.emilybensonscott.com for more on the author and her work. For interviews or agent representation, contact her at emilyjbenson@gmail.com.
Media Contact
Company Name: Green Writers Press
Contact Person: Emily Benson-Scott
Email: Send Email
City: New York
State: NY
Country: United States
Website: www.emilybensonscott.com
