Writer, Explorer, Perpetual Student
My poems “Self-Portrait as Infinite and Infinitesimal” and “Why I Won’t Yet Say I Love You” appear in the forthcoming issue of Blotterature, and they’re having a release party on March 19 at 6:00 pm (Central time) in Highland, Indiana. And I get to read! Here are the details – hope to see you there!
The second issue of Pittsburgh Poetry Review dropped today (that’s fancy official publishing language. Or I’m confusing publishing with childbearing), and my poem “The Perpetual Artist Lays Down Her Tools” is between its pretty covers.
It is chock full of poems, including several by artists I know and admire like Donna Vorreyer, Darren C. Demaree, Sally Rosen Kindred, and Ariana D. Den Bleyker. Pick up a copy or a 2016 subscription today!
I’m thrilled to announce that I’m joining the staff of Stirring: A Literary Collection as an Associate Poetry Editor.
Stirring is one of the oldest continually-publishing literary journals on the internet, with monthly issues dating all the way back to October 1999 (when I was still a wayward art history major at Lawrence University). It was founded by Erin Elizabeth Smith, who is a major force in the literary world (being the founder and managing editor of Sundress Publications, the Creative Director of Sundress Academy for the Arts, a talented poet, a shockingly skilled and adventurous cook, and a really fucking fantastic person. I’ll be working under managing editors Luci Brown, Andrew Koch, and Sarah Einstein. You can see the full masthead here.
Now: send us your work!!
Issue #2 of the beautiful Loveliest Magazine went live recently, and they were gracious enough to include three of my older poems, which I wrote for a class a couple years ago: “Connection,” “Overly Sentimental Poem,” and “Steam.”
I’m honored and humbled to say that I was invited to guest edit for the December issue of Stirring: A Literary Collection, which went live yesterday. It was a great experience, and I got to read a wide variety of really interesting work. The team over at Stirring is an absolute pleasure to work with, and I’ve always admired their journal. I think this issue turned out to be pretty lovely, so I hope you’ll give it a read!
The issue features poetry by Benjamin Balthaser, Nancy Bevilaqua, Lanette Cadle, Maggie Smith, Donna Vorreyer, and Lauren Yates, fiction by William Bradley, and nonfiction by Liz Prato.
A hundred men bear one girl’s bones
to catacombs. In her sarcophagus,
loose legs clink against a halfling pelvis,
pebble hard. Through cobbled tributaries,
bearers flow along a riverbed last lapped
by her red waters. . . .
Read the whole breathtaking poem at Waccamaw, and all the other lovely work they have in this issue.
B-Story Books will be holding its second Open Mic this Sunday, November 15 from 3-5 pm Central time at Pokro Brewing in Griffith, Indiana. This time they’re featuring widely-published poet Bill Yarrow, who read at the This is Poetry Vol. II launch party last weekend and whom I really enjoyed. I’ll be reading, too. Bring something to read or play!
Here’s a poem of Bill’s that originally appeared in DIAGRAM:
SHE WHO MISUNDERSTOOD LOVE
Once in a fit of pique, she poured
vinegar on the anniversary roses
which withered in his seeing. In
retribution, he became incontinent.
That made her, she who misunder-
stood love, love him more, and him,
he who misunderstood marriage,
respect her less. Is there a recipe for
lasting happiness? Look, perhaps, to
applesauce. The apples of attraction.
The sugar of indulgence. The water of
conduction. Everything improves over
time. Everything in the world. Except
the consolidated body. Except the
orphan garden. Except ripe fruit.
News! I’ll be reading at the Blue Heron Inn in LaPorte, Indiana on November 7 at the release party for Volume 2 of This Is Poetry. The party is from 6-9, involves drinking, poeming, AND some brave souls (probably including me) will be in costume. I’ll be reading some new, never-before-been-heard stuff! Huzzah! Please come support This Is Poetry and costumed drunkenness.
Guys! I was interviewed by lovely poety Donna Vorreyer for her site Put Words Together. Make Meaning. She does a super fun fill-in-the-blanks interview format. I had a great time responding. And if you check it out, you’ll be rewarded with an old video of me being ridiculous and my instructions on how to not be a dick. What more could you want?!
Please give it a look, and poke around her site for the other amazing posts, too.
On October 1, IU South Bend’s literary journal, Analecta, is opening (to students) for submissions. I’ve been asked to read at the open mic launch party, and I’ll be kicking things off right at 6. I hope those of you in the area will stop by and say hello.
For more info, click the thing:
