Special feature by Zeynep Zuhal Arslan for the NBM Lab

Capturing how language evolves when its rules are challenged, Conor Mc Donnell, associate professor of anesthesiology at Temerty Medicine and friend of the NBM Lab, inspires us to emerge out of the constraints of writing with his third book of poetry: What We Know So Far Is…

Conor spoke with Zeynep Zuhal Arslan of the NBM Lab about this latest release, its inspiration, and the connection between language, medicine, and the conversations that stay with us.

Building on his earlier series of short vignettes, noticing a pattern in the language of media coverage, Conor joins the revival of the long form poem movement. The journey to writing for Conor started as a way to support his own wellness by enrolling in a creative writing course back in 2009. Since then, drawing from his varied experiences and identities, Conor has published several poetry and short narrative books.

Drawing from insights gained through his earlier works, Conor immersed himself in “anything and everything” and examined his “past and future selves” to shape the distinct tone of this latest release. He describes:

“For What We Know So Far Is… I suddenly needed to be expansive, all inclusive, tripping over my own words to chase down the elusive truth: If language continues to mutate the way it has, will we ever again experience silence?”

The ever-evolving nature of language is a recurring theme. His understanding of the Irish language plays a big role in his ability to look at language from a unique perspective. Conor reflects: “The Irish language is a great scaffold for such lyrical balancing acts, it’s also an exercise in thinking differently while using a familiar ‘methodology.’”

Conor’s awareness of language extends beyond his creative work. In the daily language of his medical practice, he finds that words often conceal as much as they reveal. As a paediatric anesthesiologist, he listens intently to “parents relaying their concerns over a child who cannot yet speak for themselves.”

“I rely heavily on the nuances — the pauses, the things left unsaid,” he explains. “These are often the most vital parts of a conversation.” The quiet influence of these encounters reverberates throughout the long poem.

Listen to Conor Mc Donnell read an excerpt from What We Know So Far Is…

Although language is a universal tool, it is an individual experience, and it is the perspectives, backgrounds, and motives of readers that shape its meaning. This is exemplified in the book’s cover design created by writer and graphic designer Kilby Smith-McGregor.

Reflecting on the design, Conor describes how the “overall design concept spoke to the experience of reading my book and plummeting through language, breaking it and re-arranging it simply by coming into contact with it.”

While writing and revising this work, it was the familiar music of Radiohead that provided a soundtrack to this reflection on the evolution of language. Conor recalls how “their many reinventions, side-projects, soundtrack work, and imperative to experiment as a means of moving forward, the ability to mutate” was steeped in his daily consciousness and gave What We Know So Far Is… its tone, its restlessness, and its desire to change and to always improve.”

Perhaps it is the mutability of language that drives us to optimistically look ahead, while remembering the stories that connect us to the past.

Published by Wolsak & Wynn, What We Know So Far Is… is out now and available for order online and from your local bookstore