Toby Altman
browatch.bsky.social
Toby Altman
@browatch.bsky.social
I teach at MSU and run the RCAH Center for Poetry. Recently: Discipline Park (Wendy's Subway, 2023). Soon: Jewel Box (Essay Press, 2025). Not very online.
We are thrilled to welcome the new Michigan Poet Laureate, Melba Joyce Boyd, to Lansing next week. She'll give a reading on Friday, November 14th at 7pm at the East Lansing Public Library, and a workshop the following morning at the Library of Michigan as part of the Poet's Roundtable conference.
November 5, 2025 at 8:13 PM
This week at the RCAH Center for Poetry! Join us for readings from Esther Belin and Jo Troxell, and help us welcome Esther to town!
October 6, 2025 at 8:37 PM
The RCAH Center for Poetry at MSU is BACK! With old friends and new laureates, mathematicians and performance artists, we are here to demand, to insist, that poetry is a living thing! (See the following posts for a complete rundown of events)
September 4, 2025 at 8:33 PM
Summer Series is back this week—w/readings from Suban Nur Cooley, Korey Deans, Bianca Rae Messinger, and Adam Mitt!
August 18, 2025 at 1:43 PM
excuse me...wat
July 8, 2025 at 11:03 AM
INTRODUCING: Summer Series, a set of relaxed, off-campus readings from the The RCAH Center for Poetry at MSU, featuring local and national poetic luminaries. Summer Series I, featuring Sarah Carson and Tari Muñiz will be July 12th at 7pm at Hooked Lansing!
June 30, 2025 at 10:27 AM
George Oppen, with news that stays news
June 13, 2025 at 6:54 AM
huge thanks to phil kostov for this elegant and thoughtful review of Discipline Park: rhinopoetry.org/reviews/toby...
June 2, 2025 at 11:39 AM
"Music is simply trying things"—Alice Notley, from the first poem of her Iowa MFA Thesis, 1970. Thinking of her, and all of those who were lifted by her—
May 20, 2025 at 2:38 PM
some ppl are really still living in the 20th century
May 14, 2025 at 1:38 PM
the pope is from chicago
May 9, 2025 at 2:38 PM
This Saturday! Our spring festival concludes with Summer Slam 5, curated by Masaki Takahashi. This lineup is STACKED
April 15, 2025 at 1:06 PM
This week at MSU! We are thrilled to welcome Kenzie Allen to campus for a reading and a workshop:
April 7, 2025 at 1:39 PM
My poem "To Feel Things and Their Names," modeled on the entryway to Merchant's National Bank in Grinnell, Iowa is now available as a beautiful and enormous broadside, thanks to Margaret Yapp and Rampage Party Press! rampagepartypress.com/toby-altman-...
April 6, 2025 at 11:05 AM
🚨 Airea D. Matthews is at MSU this week! 🚨
March 31, 2025 at 3:01 PM
Thom Gunn's "At the Barriers!" Hard to find online bc there's an edited collection with the same title, but I can send you a PDF if you'd like. Here's the opening stanza:
March 28, 2025 at 6:20 PM
This week at MSU! Carolyn Forché and Brad Johnson join us for a reading on Wednesday night and a workshop on Thursday. You don't want to miss this! See all the events from our spring festival here: poetry.rcah.msu.edu/index.html
March 24, 2025 at 6:52 PM
ANNOUNCING! Witness Remember Resist: A Spring Poetry Festival at The RCAH Center for Poetry at MSU!

We have some truly extraordinary readings coming up in the next month with Carolyn Forché, Brad Johnson, Airea D. Matthews, and Kenzie Allen, topped off by a slam organized by Masaki Takahashi
March 10, 2025 at 4:03 PM