Into Each Room We Enter Without Knowing

Placeholder author icon
By Charif Shanahan ’05

Published March 30, 2017

In his debut book of poetry, Into Each Room We Enter Without Knowing (Southern Illinois University Press), Charif Shanahan ’05 explores what it means to be fully human in our wounded and divided world. In these lyric poems, Shanahan confronts the challenges of a complex cultural inheritance, informed by colonialism and his mother’s immigration to the United States from Morocco, navigating racial constructs, sexuality, family, and the globe.

Paw in print

Image
The February 2026 cover of PAW, featuring a photo of Joseph Nye.
The Latest Issue

February 2026

Lives Lived & Lost in 2025, Saying ’yes’ to more housing; AI startup stars