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2021 OPEN Finalists: Part 1 of 3

First, a sincere thank you to all the finalists for partnering with us. All of these poems deserve high praise. For Part 1, we’re sharing work by Sneha Subramanian Kanta, Christiane Jacox, and Kelly Weber. The pieces are diverse, arresting,…

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Poetry: Song by Ernest Ògúnyẹmí

In “song,” the speaker examines, through a vibrant musicality, the most profound and enigmatic moments in life, ultimately settling for and preferring to be “damned to beauty.”   song & what did we become by all our cunning, all our…

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Poetry: My Father by Ollie Schminkey

The speaker here celebrates the unbreakable bond of a child and father and then just as quickly mourns their sudden passing. A touching tribute piece to a father gone too soon.   My Father a contrapuntal: a poem where each…

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Poetry: North Coast Chorus by Bethan Tyler

In “North Coast Chorus,” the speaker empathizes with the rampant imperfections of nature; like the poet’s flailing body, nature, waves and wind, crash and yet manage to resemble rebirth.   North Coast Chorus Somewhere near Trinidad on the coast road…

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Poet in the Mirror: Esther Vincent Xueming

We’re so proud to share some insight into the lives and hearts of today’s poets with our Poet In The Mirror series. This week, Esther Vincent Xueming— author of Red Earth (available now from Blue Cactus Press)— shares insight into…

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