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...

Short Reading from said the Frog to the scorpion

I read two poems from said the Frog to the scorpion at the open mic of the Pour Me a Poem gathering in Mansfield, MA hosted by Wayne-Daniel Berard and Sara Letourneau on the second Thursday of each month.

Listen to “hevel” and “when asked what it’s like to love Her.”

Being Present published in Porcupine Literary

My creative nonfiction piece “Being Present” was just published in Porcupine Literary. It stands on the shoulders, pays homage to Jamaica Kincaid (and Maurice Carlos Ruffin).

Functionally, it’s a love letter to my kids: past, present, future.

Origin Stories: on the beginnings of The Third Renunciation

After a reading in Minneapolis today, someone opened a copy of The Third Renunciation and asked about the dedication, which reads:

I was asked, “who was Chase to you?”

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One of the first theological sonnets I wrote came out of processing his death. The sonnet, every draft, was terrible. Eventually, a decade later, I realized it was because some stories can't be told in 14 lines.

“Out of My Hands” was published by Zone 3 and is that story, and also is the beginnings of The Third Renunciation.

You can read it here.

"The Questions They Ask" (CNF) published in Emerge Literary Journal

my story “The Questions They Ask” has been published by Emerge Literary Journal.

Interview with My Bad Poetry Podcast

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A podcast where I (painfully) discussed some of the very first poems I wrote in college. Heaven help us all.

You can read the poems discussed —"musing,” “she says it’s only in my head,” & “(at) fireworks on the 7th" — below.

As I mention in the podcast, there is a good chance that some people reading these are mentioned in the poems. Sorry about that.

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Two Poems at Fahmidan Journal

Proud to have these two poems—“when my colleagues hear our employer confused me with the only other black teacher in the district” and “practice makes perfect”— in issue 11 of Fahmidan Journal.

“a final assay” in The Florida Review

This was a hard poem to write. Almost impossible to read out loud. But I'm happy it found a home in The Florida Review.

Two poems in Wizards in Space

I'm pleased to have two poems in Issue 7 of Wizards in Space.

A love poem, “on parables” (originally published in Autofocus),

and

a school poem “when asked why I don't volunteer.”

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"an open letter for back to school night" at Second Chance Lit

Due to the pandemic, I was unable to read this poem to a variety of classrooms packed with parents feigning attention. In part, this is why I am still gainfully employed.

Biological Creatures found my poem "an open letter for back to school night" worthy to be included in their inaugural issue. But then they went under. Thankfully, the good folks at Second Chance Lit gave it new life You can read it here.

And as always, if you see yourself within its lines, you get no apologies from me (esp. if you’re a parent of one of my kids).

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Addendum

What it might have looked like if I had actually read this at back to school night in the middle of a pandemic…