,

“when asked what it’s like being a poet” in Whale Road Review & Nominated for a Pushcart

,

My poem “when asked what it’s like being a poet” is is based on one of my favorite poems to teach, “The Art of Disappearing” by Naomi Shihab Nye. It is published in the latest issue of Whale Road Review, and have been nominated for a Pushcart Prize!

"Explaining 'the patron saint of suicide'" published in Nixes Mate

My creative nonfiction piece “Explaining ‘the patron saint of suicide’” was published in Nixes Mate Review.

As the title suggests, this is an essay that braids the stories of

  1. writing the poem “the patron saint of suicide” (originally published in Cola Literary Review, but also appearing in said the Frog to the scorpion),

  2. how well I disassociate while doing poetry readings, and

  3. a night when I didn’t disassociate while reading “the patron saint of suicide.”

"Perspective" published in After the Art

I wrote a poem entitled “notice five things” (which is currently a finalist for the 2024 Beals Prize for Poetry (more on that later) based on my visits to art museums while composing a manuscript in progress. I also wrote a creative nonfiction version of the events (sort of, kind of), which was just published in After the Art.

“Perspective” is now out in the world.

, ,

Award (almost) announcements

, ,

Two close but no cigar announcements:

I.

Selections from Selling the World (my ekphrastic manuscript in progress") was longlisted for the Kinsman Avenue Publishing African Diaspora Award. My poems “Adoration of the Magi,” “Bust of Akhenaten,” “homegoing,” “The Moorish Chief,” & “Quilt” will all published in a forthcoming anthology.

II.

The Third Renunciation was a finalist for the New England Poetry Club Sheila Margaret Motton Book Prize. This is the second time I’ve been a finalist for this prize.

“memo from the principal of Antonin Scalia High School, Charity, Ok RE: amended Course of Study for the 2024-2025 academic year,” in The New Verse News 

I don’t flex my academic accomplishments, but it’s relevant to understand where this poem comes from.

  • BA in English and Secondary Education (double major), with a minor in Philosophy

  • Master of Fine Arts in Poetry

  • Master of Theological Studies in Hebrew Bible and Theology and the Arts

  • PhD in Educational Leadership, dissertation focused on the history of how the Religion Clauses of the First Amendment are/aren’t taught to pre-service teachers and apply to public school settings

That said, I how could I not write a poem about the biblical nonsense happening in Oklahoma right now?

“memo from the principal of Antonin Scalia High School, Charity, Ok RE: amended Course of Study for the 2024-2025 academic year”  was just published in The New Verse News.

Be sure to check the footnotes at the bottom of the poem…

"across the table" published in Rituals

My weird, astronomical, fantasy, love poem “across the table” was published in Rituals (2024) from Anomaly Poetry. You can read/download the entire issue here, or purchase a print copy here.

,

The poems I never read in public (a virtual reading from said the Frog to the scorpion)

,

I don’t read longer poems at poetry readings. However, I composed some of my longest poems in said the Frog to the scorpion. Months ago, I made an intention to record these poems because I slaved over them and wanted my physical voice attached to them as they are to the poems I read aloud regularly.

So here is a 13 min reading of longer poems from said the Frog to the scorpion

Poems:

1. "when asked why I believed Her"

2. "who She is" (I screwed up the title in the video)

3. “when asked about toxic amnesia”

4. “take your pick”

5. “when asked why I won't”

And yes, there are a lot of squirrels behind me...