John Wall Barger
@johnwallbarger.bsky.social
Poet, editor, translator. He/him. Vermont. johnwallbarger.com
The Elephant of Silence (essays on poetics & film, LSU Press, 2024)
Contract editor, Frontenac House
Lecturer, Dartmouth
The Elephant of Silence (essays on poetics & film, LSU Press, 2024)
Contract editor, Frontenac House
Lecturer, Dartmouth
Pinned
I’ve got a cover! My new book of poetry is coming out with @lsupress.bsky.social early in 2026. 🥳🥳🥳🥳
Grateful to the designers who made this spiraling metallic (anti-pie) cover-vibe. And to my editor James W. Long for his guidance and encouragement. 🥳
Preorder info: lsupress.org/978080718606...
Grateful to the designers who made this spiraling metallic (anti-pie) cover-vibe. And to my editor James W. Long for his guidance and encouragement. 🥳
Preorder info: lsupress.org/978080718606...
I’ve got a cover! My new book of poetry is coming out with @lsupress.bsky.social early in 2026. 🥳🥳🥳🥳
Grateful to the designers who made this spiraling metallic (anti-pie) cover-vibe. And to my editor James W. Long for his guidance and encouragement. 🥳
Preorder info: lsupress.org/978080718606...
Grateful to the designers who made this spiraling metallic (anti-pie) cover-vibe. And to my editor James W. Long for his guidance and encouragement. 🥳
Preorder info: lsupress.org/978080718606...
November 11, 2025 at 1:25 PM
I’ve got a cover! My new book of poetry is coming out with @lsupress.bsky.social early in 2026. 🥳🥳🥳🥳
Grateful to the designers who made this spiraling metallic (anti-pie) cover-vibe. And to my editor James W. Long for his guidance and encouragement. 🥳
Preorder info: lsupress.org/978080718606...
Grateful to the designers who made this spiraling metallic (anti-pie) cover-vibe. And to my editor James W. Long for his guidance and encouragement. 🥳
Preorder info: lsupress.org/978080718606...
I've got a new essay on Hiroshima -- via the poet Tōge Sankichi, the director Ishirō Honda, David Lynch, and others -- in the great journal @fullstopmag.bsky.social 🥳
www.full-stop.net/2025/10/30/f...
www.full-stop.net/2025/10/30/f...
Original Child Bomb Threnody
It would be tempting, if you were a theoretical physicist working on the first atomic bomb, to imagine yourself as a demiurge. To frame the process as spiritual longing for God’s wrath . . .
www.full-stop.net
October 31, 2025 at 1:51 PM
I've got a new essay on Hiroshima -- via the poet Tōge Sankichi, the director Ishirō Honda, David Lynch, and others -- in the great journal @fullstopmag.bsky.social 🥳
www.full-stop.net/2025/10/30/f...
www.full-stop.net/2025/10/30/f...
How to write about memories of being bullied? I have no idea!
Anyway, thanks Prairie Fire Magazine for including this little poem in their new issue!
Anyway, thanks Prairie Fire Magazine for including this little poem in their new issue!
October 29, 2025 at 12:14 PM
How to write about memories of being bullied? I have no idea!
Anyway, thanks Prairie Fire Magazine for including this little poem in their new issue!
Anyway, thanks Prairie Fire Magazine for including this little poem in their new issue!
"When a poem has an ideological mission, it knows where it wants to go, and turns its back on all the other possible destinations" -- Chase Twichell
Thanks to Chase Twichell for talking to me about Zen & wasps & the limits of language. & to Guernica!
www.guernicamag.com/things-as-it...
Thanks to Chase Twichell for talking to me about Zen & wasps & the limits of language. & to Guernica!
www.guernicamag.com/things-as-it...
Things as It is: An Interview with Chase Twichell
Chase Twichell on poetry, Zen, and the luminous attention that begins where the self ends.
www.guernicamag.com
October 24, 2025 at 11:55 AM
"When a poem has an ideological mission, it knows where it wants to go, and turns its back on all the other possible destinations" -- Chase Twichell
Thanks to Chase Twichell for talking to me about Zen & wasps & the limits of language. & to Guernica!
www.guernicamag.com/things-as-it...
Thanks to Chase Twichell for talking to me about Zen & wasps & the limits of language. & to Guernica!
www.guernicamag.com/things-as-it...
Here is a picture my mother Jean took of my parents' gorgeous desi dog Ruthie beside the marvelous literary journal The Dalhousie Review which was good enough to publish one of my poems. Little pockets of love and light
October 2, 2025 at 1:53 PM
Here is a picture my mother Jean took of my parents' gorgeous desi dog Ruthie beside the marvelous literary journal The Dalhousie Review which was good enough to publish one of my poems. Little pockets of love and light
Grateful to have a new poem in the latest Tampa Review.
September 18, 2025 at 2:32 PM
Grateful to have a new poem in the latest Tampa Review.
I'm working hard this summer on translating the powerful and puzzling poems of Marina Pizzi from Italian. I hope to have a draft of her book, Intimate Distances, finished before long.
Pleased to have a few of these translations published in Beltway Poetry.
www.beltwaypoetry.com/three-poems-...
Pleased to have a few of these translations published in Beltway Poetry.
www.beltwaypoetry.com/three-poems-...
Three poems by Marina Pizzi, translated by John Wall Barger - Beltway Poetry Quarterly
1. Nelle carezze delle rondini l’addio L’erta tregua che guerra ne fu Fidanza di un amore senza taglio Nonostante la morte in data certa. Venture di alambicco sopportare Il cuore con le fermezze del s...
www.beltwaypoetry.com
August 5, 2025 at 1:13 PM
I'm working hard this summer on translating the powerful and puzzling poems of Marina Pizzi from Italian. I hope to have a draft of her book, Intimate Distances, finished before long.
Pleased to have a few of these translations published in Beltway Poetry.
www.beltwaypoetry.com/three-poems-...
Pleased to have a few of these translations published in Beltway Poetry.
www.beltwaypoetry.com/three-poems-...
Excited to share some good news in my life, with big gratitude to LSU Press @lsupress.bsky.social & editor James W. Long, and others I'll thank soon, my next poetry collection, RESURRECTION PIE, is coming out in early 2026. 🥳🥳(second pic is me fiddling with pages of the ms in an empty classroom) ❤
June 3, 2025 at 12:43 PM
Excited to share some good news in my life, with big gratitude to LSU Press @lsupress.bsky.social & editor James W. Long, and others I'll thank soon, my next poetry collection, RESURRECTION PIE, is coming out in early 2026. 🥳🥳(second pic is me fiddling with pages of the ms in an empty classroom) ❤
Just got some good news! Mary Dalton chose my poem “Darwin Awards Song” for Best Canadian Poetry 2026, which will come out in a few months. Big thanks to Event for originally publishing the poem in 2024. And to Mary Dalton!
May 22, 2025 at 12:58 PM
Just got some good news! Mary Dalton chose my poem “Darwin Awards Song” for Best Canadian Poetry 2026, which will come out in a few months. Big thanks to Event for originally publishing the poem in 2024. And to Mary Dalton!
Very grateful to @riverstyxmag.bsky.social for publishing four flash fiction pieces of mine!
www.riverstyx.org/fiction/hist...
www.riverstyx.org/fiction/hist...
“History of the Miserable Octopus” and Three Other Shorts — River Styx Magazine
“Once, an octopus—many-hearted, hive-brained, boneless, muscular as a cloud—constructed a human form out of cheap materials that he knew would fall apart after eighty years at the most. He floated dow...
www.riverstyx.org
May 14, 2025 at 1:24 PM
Very grateful to @riverstyxmag.bsky.social for publishing four flash fiction pieces of mine!
www.riverstyx.org/fiction/hist...
www.riverstyx.org/fiction/hist...
Thanks A Dozen Nothing! @adnpoetry.bsky.social You guys rock
Every month is #nationalpoetrymonth at ADN, and we've really enjoyed bringing you some terrific new work by @johnwallbarger.bsky.social. John's feature will remain archived at www.ADozenNothing.com, where you can also print it as a free PDF. Thanks for reading, reader! And thank you, John!
April 30, 2025 at 12:12 PM
Thanks A Dozen Nothing! @adnpoetry.bsky.social You guys rock
Thank you to David Romanda for taking the time to interview me about poetry and teaching. It was a thoughtful and rewarding conversation.
www.romandapoetry.com/john-wall-ba...
www.romandapoetry.com/john-wall-ba...
An Interview with John Wall Barger
www.romandapoetry.com
April 26, 2025 at 1:57 PM
Thank you to David Romanda for taking the time to interview me about poetry and teaching. It was a thoughtful and rewarding conversation.
www.romandapoetry.com/john-wall-ba...
www.romandapoetry.com/john-wall-ba...
Reposted by John Wall Barger
One last Q & A with our featured poet for April, @johnwallbarger.bsky.social:
Q: Hey John, do you own anything unique?
A: 1989 R100RT BMW motorcycle!
Enjoy some great new poems by John at www.ADozenNothing.com!
Q: Hey John, do you own anything unique?
A: 1989 R100RT BMW motorcycle!
Enjoy some great new poems by John at www.ADozenNothing.com!
April 25, 2025 at 12:15 PM
One last Q & A with our featured poet for April, @johnwallbarger.bsky.social:
Q: Hey John, do you own anything unique?
A: 1989 R100RT BMW motorcycle!
Enjoy some great new poems by John at www.ADozenNothing.com!
Q: Hey John, do you own anything unique?
A: 1989 R100RT BMW motorcycle!
Enjoy some great new poems by John at www.ADozenNothing.com!
Reposted by John Wall Barger
Wanting to write a poem? Here's a fun prompt from our April featured poet @johnwallbarger.bsky.social.
April 23, 2025 at 11:56 AM
Wanting to write a poem? Here's a fun prompt from our April featured poet @johnwallbarger.bsky.social.
Reposted by John Wall Barger
Happy Friday! For all his talk of unlearning, our April poet @johnwallbarger.bsky.social also clearly learned a thing or two along the way:
April 18, 2025 at 12:07 PM
Happy Friday! For all his talk of unlearning, our April poet @johnwallbarger.bsky.social also clearly learned a thing or two along the way:
Reposted by John Wall Barger
Q: Hey John, if you could teach a semester-length class about a single poem, what would you choose?
A: “It Happens Like This,” by James Tate. The goat that becomes (maybe) Christ!
Definitely read that poem. It's great. And check out great work by @johnwallbarger.bsky.social at ADozenNothing.com!
A: “It Happens Like This,” by James Tate. The goat that becomes (maybe) Christ!
Definitely read that poem. It's great. And check out great work by @johnwallbarger.bsky.social at ADozenNothing.com!
April 16, 2025 at 12:02 PM
Q: Hey John, if you could teach a semester-length class about a single poem, what would you choose?
A: “It Happens Like This,” by James Tate. The goat that becomes (maybe) Christ!
Definitely read that poem. It's great. And check out great work by @johnwallbarger.bsky.social at ADozenNothing.com!
A: “It Happens Like This,” by James Tate. The goat that becomes (maybe) Christ!
Definitely read that poem. It's great. And check out great work by @johnwallbarger.bsky.social at ADozenNothing.com!
Reposted by John Wall Barger
Happy Friday! We love this poem by @johnwallbarger.bsky.social. You can read it along with five others at www.ADozenNothing.com.
Q: Hey John, is there anything you’d like to tell us about the poems we’re featuring this month at ADN?
Q: Hey John, is there anything you’d like to tell us about the poems we’re featuring this month at ADN?
April 11, 2025 at 12:10 PM
Happy Friday! We love this poem by @johnwallbarger.bsky.social. You can read it along with five others at www.ADozenNothing.com.
Q: Hey John, is there anything you’d like to tell us about the poems we’re featuring this month at ADN?
Q: Hey John, is there anything you’d like to tell us about the poems we’re featuring this month at ADN?
Reposted by John Wall Barger
Solid advice from our April poet @johnwallbarger.bsky.social:
Q: Hey John, what’s something you’ve learned from your students?
A: To stay open and also to let go of my ideas quickly when need be.
Painting: "Untitled" by Atsuko Tanka, 1956, MOMA
Check out new poems by John at ADozenNothing.com!
Q: Hey John, what’s something you’ve learned from your students?
A: To stay open and also to let go of my ideas quickly when need be.
Painting: "Untitled" by Atsuko Tanka, 1956, MOMA
Check out new poems by John at ADozenNothing.com!
April 9, 2025 at 12:19 PM
Solid advice from our April poet @johnwallbarger.bsky.social:
Q: Hey John, what’s something you’ve learned from your students?
A: To stay open and also to let go of my ideas quickly when need be.
Painting: "Untitled" by Atsuko Tanka, 1956, MOMA
Check out new poems by John at ADozenNothing.com!
Q: Hey John, what’s something you’ve learned from your students?
A: To stay open and also to let go of my ideas quickly when need be.
Painting: "Untitled" by Atsuko Tanka, 1956, MOMA
Check out new poems by John at ADozenNothing.com!
Reposted by John Wall Barger
Here, our April poet @johnwallbarger.bsky.social makes us pine for his beautiful state:
Q: Hey John, what’s something you consider “poetic” about your part of Vermont?
Q: Hey John, what’s something you consider “poetic” about your part of Vermont?
April 7, 2025 at 12:01 PM
Here, our April poet @johnwallbarger.bsky.social makes us pine for his beautiful state:
Q: Hey John, what’s something you consider “poetic” about your part of Vermont?
Q: Hey John, what’s something you consider “poetic” about your part of Vermont?
Reposted by John Wall Barger
From our April featured poet @johnwallbarger.bsky.social, some advice we're definitely going to take:
Q: Hey John, you’ve written some great long poems. Any advice for poets hesitant to try composing longer work?
Q: Hey John, you’ve written some great long poems. Any advice for poets hesitant to try composing longer work?
April 3, 2025 at 11:55 AM
From our April featured poet @johnwallbarger.bsky.social, some advice we're definitely going to take:
Q: Hey John, you’ve written some great long poems. Any advice for poets hesitant to try composing longer work?
Q: Hey John, you’ve written some great long poems. Any advice for poets hesitant to try composing longer work?
I'm thrilled to have six new poems out with A Dozen Nothing (@adnpoetry.bsky.social) ❤️
Happy April! Every month, ADN brings you fresh work by one poet. We're thrilled to celebrate National Poetry Month (and our tenth year) with six great new poems by @johnwallbarger.bsky.social. Check them out at adozennothing.com!
April 1, 2025 at 2:08 PM
I'm thrilled to have six new poems out with A Dozen Nothing (@adnpoetry.bsky.social) ❤️
After a super-chaotic morning, I'm psyched to be at my gate in Boston on my way to AWP in L.A.!
March 26, 2025 at 5:30 PM
After a super-chaotic morning, I'm psyched to be at my gate in Boston on my way to AWP in L.A.!
I'm still (living in Vermont) haunted by the dogs of Himachal Pradesh, India
March 10, 2025 at 2:00 PM
I'm still (living in Vermont) haunted by the dogs of Himachal Pradesh, India
I'm so grateful to the terrific journal I-70 Review for making me a feature poet in their new issue, and publishing six new poems of mine.
They also submitted one of the poems, The Great Cooling (pic below), for a Pushcart prize!
They also submitted one of the poems, The Great Cooling (pic below), for a Pushcart prize!
February 4, 2025 at 1:05 PM
I'm so grateful to the terrific journal I-70 Review for making me a feature poet in their new issue, and publishing six new poems of mine.
They also submitted one of the poems, The Great Cooling (pic below), for a Pushcart prize!
They also submitted one of the poems, The Great Cooling (pic below), for a Pushcart prize!