Taylor Franson-Thiel
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taylorfthiel.bsky.social
Taylor Franson-Thiel
@taylorfthiel.bsky.social
1.3K followers 1.1K following 100 posts
POET | she/her
Bone Valley Hymnal 2025 ELJ Editions
EIC of BRAWL
Asst. Poetry Editor of phoebe
GMU MFA Poetry
taylorfranson-thiel.com
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taylorfthiel.bsky.social
Alyse Knorr's blurb of Bone Valley Hymnal

elj-editions.com/bone-valley-...
March 17, 2025 at 12:11 PM
taylorfthiel.bsky.social
The poet 🤝 the cover 🤝 the poems

As of yesterday my debut poetry collection is officially out in the world! I took the day to eat cake and be with my amazing husband BUT Bone Valley Hymnal is here and I hope if you haven’t already, you’ll consider ordering it. (link in comms!)
Cover of "Bone Valley Hymnal" with four green dinosaurs set against the backdrop of Southern Utah Photo of Taylor Franson-Thiel in a black jacket, white knit top, and blue jeans, blowing a kiss at the camera Photo of Taylor in a white knit top and light blue jeans Text of the poem "Excommunication" I allowed my wrists on the blade of his yoke. His vow to me a preordained severance that taught me there are many ways to love a millstone. Take its fingers and press tender to neck. My pulse, a swirling fish hood-hungry. Hole in lip like a holy text only he could read. I hope his new wife finds my poetry and loves it. I hope he tells here I was a dog he had to put down.
March 15, 2025 at 8:22 PM
taylorfthiel.bsky.social
If you've never met Regie, you are missing out on one of the coolest literary citizens out there. He selected my poem as a runner up for a contest last year and immediately became an ardent supporter of my work. Read his stuff then go buy my book (;

elj-editions.com/bone-valley-...
March 13, 2025 at 4:15 PM
taylorfthiel.bsky.social
New poem alert from @exposedbonemag.bsky.social

www.exposedbonemag.com/pieces/excom...

you can also read all the other stunning poems in this issue!!!!!
March 12, 2025 at 2:46 PM
taylorfthiel.bsky.social
My debut releases in TWO DAYS so for the next couple of weeks I'm gonna be sharing blurbs/poems from it.

1) sorry ahead of time and 2) pls buy my book?

preorder link in the comments (:
March 12, 2025 at 2:44 PM
taylorfthiel.bsky.social
Happy Valentines Day lovers 🩷

My book comes out next month so I made a little vibes playlist full of songs I think get at the heart of my work (ha, get it?)

If you ~love~ these songs you might ~love~ my book (;

(Link for Spotify, Apple Music, and preorder in the comments)
February 14, 2025 at 7:34 PM
taylorfthiel.bsky.social
To be dramatic:

I would die for Brenda Hillman.
Actually, I’d live for her.
Lisa has asked me to write you a note in case you are feeling discouraged about some public aspects of your poetry. It’s hard not to be discouraged when there’s so much ignorance helplessly displayed toward our art. It is not surprising when you feel overly sensitive when poetry—or your poetry—is ignored. Books of poetry are left off “best-of” lists; they are rarely reviewed in major venues & when they are mentioned, it might only be for some perceived aspect of marketable content. Try to get past this. You are bringing your rare imagination & love of language to the culture that needs those things. Poetry is not a “specialised field.” It has universal & eternal value. It is something that most people start writing when they are children. It is what humans read to each other at weddings & funerals. It takes us into vast spiritual adventures. It enacts original dreams. You do not need to dumb down your art or ignore a century of modernist practice to please what is sometimes called a larger audience. It is not a poet’s job to simplify the mystery of existence or its lexicon. Is the life of the soul ever easy? When you feel downcast, keep in mind those who have encouraged you along the way & write for them; imagine a stranger who may be reading one of your poems in secret someday. Try not to think about the people who are writing facile things on the internet. Remember the radical ancestor poets who have gone before, especially those who received less acknowledgement than they should have, those whose genius was insufficiently recognised. Their poetry provides excellent company, as does the work of great living poets who offer inspiration & consolation. Read across aesthetic lines & identity groups, assembling a varied canon. When you feel paralysed by the pointlessness of temporary fashion, or when dull and predictable work is lauded, try new things that will surprise you as you work for the joy of the process…out of alt text space
December 28, 2024 at 11:16 PM
taylorfthiel.bsky.social
Cover reveal AND it’s available for preorder!

You know the drillllll folks. Please share this, preorder if you are able, request at your local library, or local bookstore, add it on Goodreads (once I get it up), etc etc.

I hope y’all like it!

elj-editions.com/bone-valley-...
December 17, 2024 at 2:10 PM
taylorfthiel.bsky.social
Solmaz Sharif - CUSTOMS

#poetry #poem
Planetarium sign reading CHOOSE LIFE sign reading SOLVE THE WATER CRISIS sign reading WARNING: UNEXPLODED SHELLS sign reading DATE SHAKES which does not mean as we guess shaking the palm trees until the dates fall but what comes out of a blender We are like aliens we say and can you believe our luck when out to watch the stars the Joshua Tree dark interrupted by a boom that is not thunder a flash that is not lightning from over the low nearby mountain but is of course the air force base running tests or training or regardless I wanted to write about stars for once and looking at them thought My God thought This is just like a planetarium thought of the glow in the dark stars I stuck all over my bedroom when between the explosions it was dark enough
November 20, 2024 at 3:01 PM
taylorfthiel.bsky.social
Still on my Brenda Hillman grind. This one from Extra Hidden Life, Among the Days

#poem #poetry #poet
This photo is a section of a page from Brenda Hellman’s book “Extra Hidden Life, Among the Days” It is page 24. The text reads: When people ask why we need poetry they know They know what is it We don't read recipes at the graves We don't read tracts & theories at the graves The little countries turn in the sand & the death of each woman is the death of a century sand-sound bleating Where are you now? which news is true? i open your sisterly books
November 19, 2024 at 4:21 PM
taylorfthiel.bsky.social
I know mistakes happen, but as someone who spends a LOT of time on the back side of submittable sending rejections and acceptances, this is so…lame.
Photo of a submittable rejection where the editor failed to input the name of the submitter. So it says “dear [submitterfirstname] instead of my actual name.
November 13, 2024 at 12:07 PM
taylorfthiel.bsky.social
This is so blurry but this poem from Lorca is just stunning
November 11, 2024 at 5:52 PM
taylorfthiel.bsky.social
Todays poetry read:

Brenda Hillman’s “Bright Existence” featuring the poem “Old Ice”.

#poetry #poem
This photo is a picture of Brenda Hillman’s poem Old Ice which ends with the lines: Once it seemed, the function of poetry was to redeem our lives. But it was not. It was to become distinguishable from them. The cover of the poetry collection “Bright Existence” by Brenda Hillman. Red toned cover with a blurred woman figure resting on a couch.
November 11, 2024 at 4:56 PM