In this latest collection of poems, Kansas Vortex poet Roxie Powell explores two themes, quiet and values. Quiet, an "antidote to noise," can bring clarity about who you are, but also dread about what comes next. When we close off avenues to quiet, it may be because we are "afraid to be seen without the cover of worldly noise, without the buffer of equipment and 'things.'" We need moments of silence to look up and see the patterns among stars, to find ourselves, the part of ourselves which isn't just defending against noise, or the product of noise. In 2025, it seems many Americans have lost touch with their values. The leader of our country is "empty of principle," eroding the original values we assumed were part of our heritage. We have lost touch with who we are. Without guiding principles that include integrity and compassion for our fellow beings, our relationships become diminished and our lives bleak and lonely. Powell's poems invite us to pull back into quiet and reconnect with the values we have held dear.