If you’re looking for some artistic/interactive Stations of the Cross online today, I helped build these for my church. They’ve got some thought-provoking visual art throughout, and Stations 11 and 13 will give you prompts for writing your own poems. Station 11 also includes one of my own poems, “The Flesh Made Word” from The Gospel of the Bleeding Woman.
Blessings on you this Holy Week!
I recorded my poem “Hermit Crab” that was just published in Mom Egg Review, vol. 18. I wrote it two years ago, but it feels strangely timely now.
Hermit Crab
The pain in my right temple
flares awake, my lower back
aches from face-down sleep,
my sprained ankle pangs
before I take a step. I long
to crawl downstairs and out
to the beach. If I could slither
my soul from this skin, I would
find a new shell to hold me,
something shiny and solid—
no cracks—something large
enough to bring my spouse
and children in, shield us
from this violent, broken world.
You can order copies of MER’s “Home” themed issue at this link. Mom Egg Review took submissions a year ago, but this issue also feels especially timely now, so check out the order link and get yourself a copy of this wonderful literary magazine (and order copies for others too!). I’m thrilled to have a poem in here alongside so many writers I admire. Thanks, Marjorie Altman Tesser, Jennifer Colella Martelli, and company!
I read a poem each morning in my inbox from SWWIM, and this morning, the poem is mine! Here is “The Ghosts of Missing Animals.”
The title comes from a sign near the old Point Loma Lighthouse at the Cabrillo National Monument. I’ve read that sign before, but it suddenly struck me in a new way when I was there with Sarah Ann Winn on her visit to San Diego, so she’s another unnamed ghost in this ghost-filled poem. <3 As with many poems over the last few years, this one is for my parents-in-law.
The new issue of American Journal of Nursing includes my poem “Carrying,” which is the first thing I’ve written about miscarriage. ❤️
My poem “We Brought You to San Diego” was published in an anthology of San Diego poets called Bards Against Hunger. Proceeds go to a local food bank. I’m grateful to editor Chris Vannoy for including me!
I also got to participate in a release party reading at Verbatim Books on March 2. Thanks to Ellen Huang for the photo!
Since people were responding to my poem “Don’t Repeat This” in the latest issue of Thimble, the editors asked if they could publish more of my work in their newsletter. Here are “Jesus Was Not a Monkey” and “No One Beats Jesus at Chess” from Thimbletter No. 8, February 2020.
after a picket sign
I’m so happy for these poems to be published alongside work by Shawnte Orion, who is awesome and also went to my high school. You can subscribe to Thimble’s newsletter yourself at this link.
River Glass Books is going to publish my chapbook of prose poems, “28,065 Nights,” in August 2020! This collection is especially dear to me. It explores storytelling and grief in poems that I wrote about/to my Granny after she died. When I got the publication news, I jumped up in excitement, ran upstairs to tell my spouse, and then sat down and cried. I’m so honored that River Glass wants to share this chapbook!
I’m honored that The Lascaux Review wanted to reprint my poem “Nevermore.”
Check out this great online journal!
I’ve been slow to post this poem, partially because it was released while I was traveling for Christmas and partially because it feels so vulnerable. I’m grateful to Nadia Arioli and Thimble for publishing my work. Check out their whole new issue, including pieces by Dayna Kidd Patterson, Margaret Rozga, Juliet Cook, and Shawnte Orion!
My poem “Post-Partum Jenga” is published in the new issue of Lunch Ticket.
Check out the rest of this issue too, especially the incredible poem by Albert Abonado. Thanks, Lunch Ticket!