I’m still amazed every day at the two Americas we live in. I was raised in the other one, the one I escaped. My entire biological family, minus a few, are Trump supporters. I grew up hearing racist things spoken by caregivers every single day. My mother, a...
My poem “Lost,” a poem about hiking alone and facing one’s demons while doing so, is currently available in issue 37.2 of Louisiana Literature. Louisiana Literature has featured some of the finest writing published in America. The journal has...
My poem “Disorder” is currently available in issue 27.3 of The Sow’s Ear Poetry Review. Sow’s Ear is a distinctive venue linking poetry and kindred arts in print. Based in Winchester, Virginia, The Sow’s Ear Poetry Review has been...
My poem “Vanishing Point” is currently available in Issue 16.1 of Harpur Palate. Harpur Palate is the acclaimed national literary journal published twice each year by the English Department at Binghamton University. They print poetry, fiction, and creative...
Poetry about suffering can be difficult to write. Many of us want to forget our darkest moments, not remember them, or even worse: immortalize them in published form. And writing about painful subjects does bring up more pain. There’s no doubt about that. Why...
It is easy to neglect the importance of art in difficult times. During times when we are under threat, especially when the threat is greatest, it is easy to neglect art. Our focus during these times is outward, not inward. We are outraged, shocked, and saddened. We...
Many poets, including myself, struggle to find inspiration. What kinds of situations produce the best poems? Are there certain topics that are naturally more poetic than others? What conditions are best for writing poetry? As I explain below: the answers to such...
Three of my latest poems, “Surely Some Revelation Is at Hand,” “Intergothic,” and “Hunger Signification,” are currently available in the Fall 2016 issue of The Adirondack Review. The Adirondack Review has published poetry, fiction,...
I am excited to publish a new poem in Pif Magazine, an online literary magazine that has featured fiction, poetry, and author interviews since 1995. My latest poem “Letter From a Dead Girl” is currently available in the Fall 2016 issue of the journal. What...
In Part 1 of this post, I explained that writing good poetry is hard, and that the best ways to get good at it are to read a lot of contemporary poets, hone your craft, be your own worst critic, and consider taking some classes in it. In Part 2 I will explain some of...
