Bridgette Bates, a graduate of the University of Iowa Writer’s Workshop, read from her poetry collection What Is Not Missing Is Light on Wednesday in the Center for Multicultural Education. 

In Bates’ new work, she explores the idea of historical and cultural decay as well as perseverance through statues of a museum. 

 “I think of this sort of journey of these places and these experiences kind of co lealest for me and I was really interested in exploring the idea of art and looking at statues in order to reflect on history at large,” Bates said.

The inspiration for the collection of poems in Bates’ book was drawn from her love of traveling and visiting museums.

Bates, who hails from Nashville and currently resides in Los Angeles, is kicking off the release of her book with a tour, which included a stop at UNI as well as Prairie Lights in Iowa City. Launching her book in Iowa felt like a homecoming, Bates said.Bates’ appearance on campus was made possible by the Women’s and Gender Studies program, the UNI Speakers Faculty Senate speaker series, Writer’s Talk speaker series and the North American Review.

For Amanda Husak, junior English major, Bates’ poems drew up feelings of nostalgia and relatability. 

“It was like a nostalgic feel, kind of, and a relatable feel because you can kind of relate to having a mom and looking at pictures of a mother and daughter and how relationships change over time,” Husak said. 

Rachel Morgan, professor of languages and literatures, worked to bring Bates to campus so students would know that there are contemporary poets who are getting published and doing great things. 

 “I hope that through the reading and maybe through actually reading her book, ‘What Is Not Missing Is Light,’ that the students . . . will be inspired to do their own writing, to explore projects and for the students who come just because they’re curious about poetry I hope that they’re kind of inspired by what they hear, to investigate their own pursuits,” Morgan said. 

 Bates has works published in the Boston Review, Fence, jubilat, VERSE and many others. She is also at work on another series of poems with a mythological starting point.

 “Inspire is such a strong word. I definitely want to engage with people through my poems and through these reflections of history and of the greater humanity in terms of what’s going on in the real world,” Bates said about her work inspiring others.

“It’s very empowering to see other women being successful in the field of poetry,” Husak said.