My poem “Letter to Moorman from Advancement” is live at The Glass Post. I am grateful to editor and founder Kay for taking this piece.
Poem Live at The Glass Post
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Tag Archives: relationships
Poem Up at Verse Daily
My poem “The Starlings Were You,” which won the Shō Poetry Prize earlier this year, is live at Verse Daily. Many thanks to editor J.P. Dancing Bear for featuring this piece, and to Shō Poetry editors Dominique Ahkong and Johnny Cordova for their kindness and support.
Poem Live at the Imagist
My poem “In Another Life” is live at The Imagist. Many thanks to editor Holly Ponce and The Imagist team for taking this piece.
Recording of January 21st Zoom Poetry Reading
A video of the January 2025 Black Dog Poetry Open Mic may be found here. The passcode is: M51?8Ht0
The last character of the passcode is a zero. I’m grateful for having had the opportunity to celebrate the publication of my first full-length collection, Our Loveliest Bruises, among the company of so many friends and readersI. Thank you!
Reminder for January 21st Zoom Poetry Reading
I’m thrilled to announce that I am the featured poet for the January 2025 Black Dog Poetry Open Mic. Many thanks to Sandy Coomer, co-host of the reading and the founding editor of the Rockvale Review. I am especially grateful for this online venue, as my health prevents me from participating in the numerous in-person readings traditionally required to launch and celebrate the publication of one’s first full-length collection. Our Loveliest Bruises is the culmination of much labor, exasperation, love, encouragement, luck and persistence, and I cannot adequately express my gratitude for this opportunity. Thank you!
Please note that an open reading follows my presentation. Poets are requested to present one brief poem. If you’re interested (and I’m talking to you, poet friends), please let me know and I’ll provide contact information. Black Dog Poetry Open MIc has a FaceBook page, where details can also be found.
Two Poems at Lucky Lizard Journal
My apologies to Caidan Walker and the Lucky Lizard Journal team. I somehow neglected last month to acknowledge their fine publication, in which two of my poems appear. Thanks very much for taking my pieces!
Shō Poetry Prize Winner
I’m thrilled and honored to have received the inaugural Shō Poetry Prize for my poem “The Starlings Were You.” Persistence is key—this poem was rejected 28 times prior to winning the prize. If you believe in your work, keep sending it out!
Shō Poetry Journal is a print journal, but they’ve authorized me to post a photo of the poem:
Many thanks and much appreciation to Dominique Ahkong and Johnny Cordova for selecting this piece.
Announcing January 21st Zoom Poetry Reading
I’m thrilled to announce that I am the featured poet for the January 2025 Black Dog Poetry Open Mic. Many thanks to Sandy Coomer, co-host of the reading and the founding editor of the Rockvale Review. I am especially grateful for this online venue, as my health prevents me from participating in the numerous in-person readings traditionally required to launch and celebrate the publication of one’s first full-length collection. Our Loveliest Bruises is the culmination of much labor, exasperation, love, encouragement, luck and persistence, and I cannot adequately express my gratitude for this opportunity. Thank you!
Please note that an open reading follows my presentation. Poets are requested to present one brief poem. If you’re interested (and I’m talking to you, poet friends), please let me know and I’ll provide contact information. Black Dog Poetry Open MIc has a FaceBook page, where details can also be found.
Our Loveliest Bruises is Now Available from 3: A Taos Press
I am thrilled to announce that my first full-length collection, Our Loveliest Bruises, is now available at 3: A Taos Press. Many thanks to publisher Andrea Watson for taking this book and seeing it through, and to Veronica Golos, whose wisdom and encouragement helped make a nebulous dream come true. I am also deeply grateful for the thoughtful and generous blurbs provided by Veronica, David Wevill, Anna Marie Sewell and Michael Simms. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Ode to Bacon (with recording)
Ode to Bacon
How you lend
yourself
to others,
enhancing even
the sweetest fig
in your embrace
over coals,
or consider
your rendered
self, how it
deepens flavor
with piggish
essence, coating
or absorbed,
blended or
sopped. O belly
of delight, o wonder
of tongues,
how could I not
love you
and your infinite
charms, even
when you resist
my efforts and
shoot sizzling bits
of yourself
onto my naked
hands? I pay
this toll
gladly,
today and
next year
and all those
days to follow,
till the last piece
is swallowed
and our sun
goes dark.
Hyperbole
becomes you,
smoked beauty,
salted love,
and I shall never
put you down
or leave you
behind
on a plate
to be discarded
or forgotten,
unloved.
“Ode to Bacon” first appeared here in July 2017, thanks to T.S. Wright’s challenge. Chemotherapy has wrecked (temporarily, I hope) my sense of taste. The other day I fried a few pieces of bacon because I wanted a bacon and egg sandwich. The egg was fine, but alas, the bacon was off. Still, I love the thought of munching on a crisp piece…
O at the Edges 