21. February 15, 2021–March 27, 2021
Contains spoilers
Summary
- Barbara and Olivia Kingsbury have regular meetings where they discuss poetry, and every day at 9 am, Marie Duchamp signals the end of their session.
- Barbara brings a new poem to each meeting, which Olivia demands despite Barbara's self-critique.
- They read and discuss various poets, exploring themes such as the intersection of poetry and racism.
- Barbara grapples with her identity, her family's unawareness of her secret project, and the difference between her work and her brother's.
- Olivia critiques Barbara's work, emphasizing the importance of true emotional presence and the value of personal strife in writing.
- Olivia shares her experiences and opinions on the literary world, including the shutdown of a poetry workshop at Bell College.
- Barbara learns of the mysterious disappearance of Jorge Castro, a former writer-in-residence at Bell College.
- Barbara is contacted by Olivia apologizing for a potential mistake and requesting to see her, leaving the issue ambiguous but urgent.