The following version of this poem was used to create this guide: Arkenberg, Megan. “The Curator Speaks in the Department of Dead Languages”. Strange Horizons, http://strangehorizons.com/wordpress/poetry/the-curator-speaks-in-the-department-of-dead-languages/.

Note that all parenthetical citations refer to the line number from which the quotation is taken.

“The Curator Speaks in the Department of Dead Languages” is a speculative poem by sci-fi and fantasy author Megan Arkenberg. It first appeared in Strange Horizons in 2011. Although this poem seems to be rooted in a secondary sci-fi-influenced world, its concerns resonate in social discussions around archival practices and the protection of knowledge. The speaker mourns the unavoidable loss of historical information and the language that would have given them insight into its people.