One of my favorite practices involves sitting in silence, listening to others read. It allows me to de-center myself as a poet and think of poetry as a way of channeling. What voices need to be heard? What is the power of a community speaking? What possibilities open up through this offering?

Now is the time for creative communities. Last week, I gave a reading that reminded me that the writing life can feel solitary and isolating but also connective and uplifting. 💫 As bell hooks taught, “Rarely, if ever, are any of us healed in isolation. Healing is an act of communion.”

The first day of workshop Dorothy Allison said, “You might be wondering what this fat lesbian has to teach you about writing.” She made space for us, for truth, for our fears, & for a sense of justice.

Thank you for your life, Dorothy. I have not been the same since I met you.✨

📸 by Country Queers