On How I Ended Up On (Another) Government Watch List...
My poem “an open letter to the school resource officer who almost shot me in my class” has been reprinted in Into the Void’s new anthology We Are Antifa: Expressions Against Fascism, Racism and Police Violence in the United States and Beyond.
Available on Amazon, 100% of the proceeds from this collection goes to Black Lives Matter Toronto.
Another Theological Sonnet up at The Windhover
“TO HE WHO GREATLY ENNOBLED HUMAN NATURE BY CREATING IT”
is published in The Windhover (24.2).
This sonnet takes its title from Soaphead Church's musings on theodicy in Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye, and wrestles with the same questions of divine justice in the face of genuine evil.
“when asked why Black people can't be racist” is up at Mineral Lit Mag
My poem “when asked why Black people can't be racist” has been published by Mineral Lit Mag.
tl:dr - If racism was a game, it'd be rigged.
"The Whitening" - Flash Fiction at The Fiction Pool
“The Whitening” is my first piece of fiction to be published. No surprise that it’s flash.
I’m grateful to the good folk at The Fiction Pool for accepting it, espcaily when I’m still not sure on the genre. Horror? Speculative? An average Tuesday?
And a special shout out to Vincent, who was there when the story began—back when it was supposed to be a joke.
How things have changed.
“first grade mural” Tweeted at Nightingale and Sparrow
My tiny poem “first grade mural” was recently Tweeted by Nightingale and Sparrow.
"Between the woods and frozen lake..." Creative Nonfiction at Barren Magazine
This story takes its title from Robert Frost’s “Stopping By The Woods On A Snowy Evening” for many, many reasons. It was first written for my kids in class a few years ago, completing a memoir assignment alongside them.
But it was more than that.
I was sharing the burden of vulnerability in writing. An exercise in revealing without revealing. Saying something at a slant, through omission, obscured, knowing only some would see the picture clearly. Knowing that those who did see at first glance were able to because of something shared. Something unspoken, but now brought to light.
Everyone else simply saw an interesting story.
This story is dedicated to those with eyes to see and is now live at Barren Magazine
Five New Poems at Rigorous Magazine
The following five (5) poems were just published at Rigorous Magazine .
“Little Africa” ~ a school poem
an open letter to the young man on the subway platform, looking back, hurt and disgusted ~ for when “whistling Vivaldi?” isn’t enough
honesty in advertising ~ exactly what the title says
the conversation with my pastor, after she posted my bail ~ midrash
exposure therapy ~ being an ally takes different forms
They seem to like me over there and I’m happy to be featured on their pages again.
"an open letter to my well-intentioned white educators: past, present, and future" at Ninth Letter
“an open letter to my well-intentioned white educators: past, present, and future”
This poem was a long time in coming and was one of the first I read, out loud, in front of my current teaching assignment. It had an impact.
And was just published by Ninth Letter.
Two (Dysfunctional) School Poems at Porcupine Literary
“an open letter to the secretary who asked how i haven’t taken to drink or schedule 1 narcotics like so many of our colleagues”
and
“an open letter to the white girls caught chanting “NIGGER” on Snapchat, again”
have just been published at Porcupine Literary: A journal by and for teachers and can be read here.
Both of these poems have one important thing in common: they are about events after which people said, “you CAN’T write about that,” while others said, “how have you NOT written about that yet?!”
Well here they are. And I’m breaking my own rule: these are 100% accurate to events in schools I’ve worked in over the years. If you know, you know.
#NoChill
"an open letter to our white friends and supposed allies" at Frontier Poetry
"an open letter to our white friends and supposed allies" rose from a frank conversation with a friend.
It is now being featured as a part of Frontier Poetry’s Types of Burns series.
Feel free to ask your Black friends how true it is if you’re prepared for their honest answer.
Tahoma Literary Review Spotlights "self-evident"
"self-evident" by Matthew E. Henry, or MEH, caught my attention with its multiple and powerful layers. Told as an adult memory, it enters the moment when a child is asked to believe their own history isn't real but to focus instead on a cleaner, more inspiring narrative. For me, Henry's poem tackles rock-hard truths with personal experience and simple questions, and in so doing reexamines what we teach our children.
~ Mare Heron Hake, Poetry Editor TLR
See the rest here.
"an open letter to the gay, racist, Christian republican I once called friend" at Rejection Letters
I wrote this poem a bit ago. Have been shopping it out for a while. Rejection Letters were the only ones brave enough to publish it. For that, they have my thanks.
Read it here.
Dust and Ashes - Chapbook Accepted for Publication by Californios
My chapbook Dust and Ashes was officially accepted for publication by Californios Press and is scheduled to be released this Fall.
This collection is a series of responses to a variety of visual and literary art, using the Jewish Torah and Christian New Testament as a (rough) backdrop.
I figured I should put my Masters of Arts in Theological Studies (concentration: Hebrew Bible and theology and the arts) to good use this time around.
More information to follow.
"an open letter to (FUCK) you": a Mirco Poem Published in Versification
Some people find my poetry offensive.
I judge them by what they find offensive.
“an open letter to (FUCK) you” is no different.
Thanks to the wonderful people at Versification for highlighting it in their inaugural issue.
“Condolences On The Passing Of Your confederate Monument”
The Writing Process
Step 1. - Be pissed off
Step 2. Write
Step 3. Submit at 12:30 am
Step 4. Have an acceptance letter by 1 am
And such is the tale of the publication of my (brand) new poem “Condolences On The Passing Of Your confederate Monument,” currently up at The New Verse News.
Finding a little bit of dark humor in the midst of utter business as usual bullshit in this country.
Two school poems in The Revolution (Relaunch)
I am happy to be a part of the historic The Revolution (Relaunch) with their acceptance of two of my poems.
I’ll let the titles speak for themselves:
“an open letter to the white teacher who threw a Black boy out of her class for wearing too much lotion”
&
“an open letter to those wondering why I’ve called this the most racist place I’ve ever worked”
#NoChill
Read them here
On the Cultural Appropriation of the Dead and a New Poem Published
I went to a writing conference shortly after Toni Morrison died. The conference was fine for the most part. Ideas were fleshed out. Writing was done. Some lovely scenery and people.
Click to read
