I am very proud that two of my ekphrastic poems were published in the latest issue of Lily Poetry Review , guest edited by Anthony Walton and Heather Treseler.
"The Most Dangerous Game" is after a poem by Candice Kelsey (and the short story) of the same name
“La Voix du Silence" is after a painting by Rene Magritte of the same name.
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!
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
writing the poem “the patron saint of suicide” (originally published in Cola Literary Review, but also appearing in said the Frog to the scorpion),
how well I disassociate while doing poetry readings, and
a night when I didn’t disassociate while reading “the patron saint of suicide.”
A dialogue-driven piece of creative nonfiction was published by Porcupine Literary.
“Theme & Variation” is ready for your eyes.
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.
I wrote a eulogy for Matthew E. Henry (Not me. Another one. Sort of.) and it has been published in Had. “Matthew E. Henry of Ohio” can be read through the link below.
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.
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.
My poem “…could abash the little Bird” was published in the inaugural issue of The New Verse Review.
It’s an ekphrastic poem based on Emily Dickinson’s '“‘Hope’ is the thing with feathers…”., with a MEH twist.
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?
Be sure to check the footnotes at the bottom of the poem…
After writing and revising for well over a decade, I am happy that my poem “Paulie’s War” has been published in Mid-Atlantic Review.
I don’t watch or read the news as much as I should. Probably because this is my mind goes when I do. That said, my poem “the Blue Envelope Program” was just published by The New Verse News
For those who want the footnotes I cut out of the poem:
I keep writing creative nonfiction and (for some reason) people publish it. “How to Tell a Pure Rage Story” pays homage to Tim O’Brien's “How to Tell a True War Story,” but is a tale all its own.
It's now published in Mayday Magazine.
In seminary, I wrote a narrative about a modern prophet through poems. Hopefully, some version of that collection will see the light of day. Until then, one of those poems— “YHWH breaks the forth wall”— has found at home in the latest issue of The Windhover.
I have a guest blog post for A Game for Good Christians’ Card Talk series entitled “God Planning Your Pain to Make A Point.” It employs one of my theological sonnets that appears in The Third Renunciation.
I previously had the privilege of editing AGFGC’s literary anthology This Present Former Glory: An Anthology of Honest Spiritual Literature.
If you don’t know A Game for Good Christians, imagine what you get if you crossed Cards Against Humanity with the Bible.
I was honored to have Kai Coggin and Maya Williams read their amazing poetry as a part of the night. You can watch the recording through the link below.
“the Prophet confronts his attacker” was published in New York Quarterly latest issue. This is one of my theological sonnets that also appears The Third Renunciation (from New York Quarterly Books, 2023).
CW: themes of sexual assault.
I am working on a series of poems I am calling midrash qatan, or “a little story/exposition.” They are expositions, retellings, and reimagings of stories from the Hebrew Bible and Christian New Testament. The name pays homage to Rabbinic genre of Midrash Rabbah (“a great midrash”).
Two of these poems have just been published in Vita Poetica Journal:
“found” (a midrash qatan on Luke 15)
and
“subtlety: an assay” (a midrash qatan on Genesis 3)
Both pages include an audio recording of me reading these poems.
