Poet Allison Titus on fostering pugs, veganism, and writing with conviction.
Read moreGretchen Marquette: The Last Time We Were Strangers
Poet Gretchen Marquette on her life-making relationship with her dog Lucy, the creative process, Rumi's love dogs, and what animals have taught her about vulnerability.
Read moreBrandon Jordan Brown: Satan Must Love Animals
Poet Brandon Jordan Brown on his cats Wyatt and Little Bear, writing about spirituality, the absolutes that exist for him in poetry, and the one statement about poetry he can stand behind for five (or 50) years.
Read moreSusannah Nevison: Renaming the Body
Poet Susannah Nevison on her pup Ella May, how her poems aim to resist typical disability narratives, and how animals help her tell that story.
Read moreDavid Winter: A West-Facing Window in Coal Country
Photo by the exuberant Raena Shirali
Poet David Winter on his lovely cat Emily Cream McWinterson III, his hopes for what exists in the space between his lines, the best line of poetry he's ever written, the art of listening, what makes or keeps people safe, and more.
Read moreJ.P. Grasser: Wildness & The Indescribable Realm
Poet J.P. Grasser on his dog Gus: "When I’ve lost myself to the pure pleasure of writing, Gus happily reminds me of all the multitudinous joy & pain & love & suffering going on, at that very minute, in the space outside the margins."
Read moreRaena Shirali: When the Looking Hurts
Raena Shirali on her beloved pit Harley, the impetus behind her (must-read) debut book, and why she believes poetry should do the hard work of looking, of validating those who feel unseen.
Read moreRochelle Hurt: Between Place and Identity
Poet Rochelle Hurt on her cat Frida, her newest poetry collection, and the relationship between place and identity.
Read moreDaniel M. Shapiro: Rules You Never Considered Breaking
Poet Daniel M. Shapiro on his pupper Pepper, how a poem has changed his mind before, how he makes editorial decisions, and why he avoids writing about certain topics.
Read moreMegan Peak: Something Other than Myself
Poet Megan Peak on self care, bridging the gap between thesis and manuscript, and poetry's role in effecting social change.
Read moreFox Frazier-Foley: What You're Given, What You Use
Fox Frazier-Foley on rescuing her dogs, building a community as a writer, what a successful political poem doesn't do, and how editors can be more inclusive.
Read moreSandy Longhorn: Stranger Muses
Poet Sandy Longhorn on how her cats inadvertently helped her write her latest book, why caring for animals is soul-growing work, and how to be a good literary citizen.
Read moreCarrie Murphy: Big Dirty Hearts
Carrie Murphy on how to write with humor and purposeful abandon, why pop culture is a necessary touchstone in poetry, and how feminism guides her life and work.
Read moreEmilia Phillips: A Lesson in Joy
Emilia Phillips discusses the wordless bond between her and her dog Grady, the humanness of dogs, and how to find an occasion of joy.
Read moreCandace Williams: The Art of Looking
Poet Candace Williams talks about how her dog Madonna has influenced her writing, what a poet's job is, and how observation and documentation can be a radical act.
Read moreJess Feldman: Carry the Wild
Jess Feldman talks about how her cat Willicus helped buoy her through a difficult year and offers writers who work that 9-to-5 hustle some pointers on finding and maintaining creative space for poetry.
Read moreRuth Baumann: Feral Like Me
Ruth Baumann talks about the heart-opening work of caring for animals, how her two adopted cats helped her get some stability in her life, and her best advice on getting your poetry to stand out in the slush pile.
Read moreSonya Vatomsky: Hierarchify Your Love
Poet Sonya Vatomky talks about how their companion Magpie Underfoot helps them write and survive.
Read moreJames Dunlap: The Briefness of the World
James Dunlap on why art is an inevitable byproduct of dog companionship and how caring for animals taught him how to engage with his father.
Read moreRachel Mennies: Interrogating Our Animalness
Rachel Mennies talks about the subtle and dynamic ways her dog Otto has shifted her worldview, his wagging presence in and around her poems, and how animals help us understand ourselves.
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