The blazer that left me feeling threadbared. The yellow hoodie that compelled me to pick up the phone. The slip that brought me back to barefoot summer sidewalks.

Who knew that cleaning a closet could make you a time traveler?

What began as a Marie Kondo-inspired quest for minimalism evolved into a collection of 22 poems. In every poem, Janet Navarro invites us to examine the emotions sparked while cleaning out her closet– joy and so many more. Each item launches us into a memory ripe with emotion and extends an offer for us to sit with the stories that shaped us–or clothed us.

Uniquely woven, all-encompassing, imaginative, keenly observed, and deeply provocative, Scent of Dust is solace for what has been lost, mirth in mischief, and a rallying cry for justice in the world around us–all inspired by a deep dive into a closet.