A compressed sestina in The Crank

A variation on the sestina that I wrote a few years ago has found a home with a new UK literary journal, The Crank.

‘Lost in the Woods’ is the first in a series of poems I wrote, and the most abstract of the three.

The Crank is a rare journal that looks exclusively for work that engages with established forms, something my pattern-loving mind is drawn to.

Read ‘Lost in the Woods’ in Issue 2 of The Crank.

Cover image for Issue 2 of The Crank

Poem in Sky Island Journal

My poem ‘November’ is third in an amazing line-up in Issue #15 of Sky Island Journal. It’s a gorgeous collection of work from diverse authors — poetry, flash fiction, and creative nonfiction. Very grateful to be part of it.

I’ve had wonderful experiences with a growing number of literary journals, but the editors of Sky Island Journal have a passion for supporting their writers that has been next-level-incredible to discover. From the thoughtfully detailed feedback on the poem they selected and why they were so excited to choose it, through the whole process of preparing for publication, and then right before publication day I received a handwritten postcard from the editorial team with thanks for being a part of it. Wow!

Thank you Jeff and Jason, and Sky Island Journal!To other writers out there: do check out this digital journal with a truly global readership. It’s gorgeously curated and full of excellent writing. If it feels like a good fit, go for it — the whole experience is just exceptional.

Essay published by Paper Dragon

I’m quite bowled over to have my first essay appear in the very first edition of Paper Dragon, with its theme of Recovery & Resilience.

Suspension, Issue One, Paper Dragon

When I picked up writing again four years ago, I leaned hard into poetry, but my mentor, the amazing Jason Schneiderman, spotted right away that a short piece I sent him to read last winter was the beginnings of a short memoir.

For that, and much else, I’m so very thankful.

Twitter @DrexPaperDragon