Date of Award

11-2020

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Fine Arts

Department

English

Program

Creative Writing (MFA)

First Advisor/Chairperson

Monica McFawn

Abstract

This collection of poetry and flash non-fiction is a full-length hybrid collection that focuses on themes of grief, inheritance, memory, and sexuality. Genetic inheritance, inherited trauma, and the tangible inheritance of physical objects are all explored throughout the work. The project was inspired by the loss of my mother, and my subsequent diagnosis with a BRCA2 mutation. The fractured form was inspired by the gaps in memory that are created as a result of grief. The Illuminated Empty Spaces aims to define the space that grief leaves behind, and ultimately define what that space creates room for.

Access Type

Open Access

Justification for Restricting Access

Most of the work is not yet published

Available for download on Monday, April 13, 2026

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