A Blog About Writing Poetry

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 publishing since 1989. What Inspired This Poem that Features a Metaphor for Mental Illness As I mention in my story of … Continue reading A Metaphor for Mental Illness in The Sow’s Ear Poetry Review

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 nonfiction from all over the world. Harpur Palate is supported by the Binghamton University Creative Writing program, and run by … Continue reading A Poem About the Founding of America in Harpur Palate

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 not simply write about happier times, then? Why not avoid depressing … Continue reading Writing What Scares You: Poetry About Suffering

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 fear for our safety and for the safety … Continue reading The Importance of Art in Difficult Times: Processing the 2016 Election

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 questions might be more complex, and more simple, than you might think. Finding … Continue reading 3 Poetry Writing Tips for Finding Your “Triggering Town”

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, essays, works in translation, visual art, photography since 2000. They are especially interested in work that references the natural sciences, but are open … Continue reading Three Poems About Western Living in the The Adirondack Review

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 Inspired This Poem: The Murder of Grace Brown Grace Brown was a young garment factory … Continue reading “Letter From A Dead Girl”: A Poem About the Murder of Grace Brown in Pif Magazine

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 … Continue reading How to Get Poetry Published, Part 2: Hit the Lit Magazines Hard

I am not a well-recognized poet. But like most very minorly-recognized poets, I’ve worked my butt off over the years to publish the handful of stuff I have out there. While poetry is certainly an avocation for me at this point, over the years I’ve been approached by my fair share of aspiring poets who want to … Continue reading How to Get Poetry Published, Part 1: Read and Write Well

Two Poems About the American West: “Agricultural” and “The Zen of Death and Dying” These poems are older poems and have been with me for many years now. “Agricultural” recounts my experiences growing up on a ranch in rural Nevada. It melds the landscape with my memories of it to create a kind of impressionistic … Continue reading Hear Me Read Two Poems About the American West From My Chapbook Familiar History