WHY PHILLY

Because lightning struck a tree in Germantown & Sun Ra knew what to do. Because AM over OR amor. Because ancestors at the parades. Because Zoe Strauss. Because Barkley Hendricks. Because rowhouse windows are shrines. Because SEPTA’s “getting there” lol. Because you all love Questlove & he’s one of us. Because it’s one of the original 13 & the colonizing isn’t yet over. Because Giovanni’s Room. Because Philly Barbacoa. Because Ben Franklin may have loved it here more than he hearted being naked in France. Because neighborhood crossroads. Because Dirty Frank’s. Because Gritty scares away Richard Spencer. Because Malcolm Jenkins. Because some dope poet laureates. Because Octavius Catto’s got his own spotlight on Broad. Because the spirits of Sigma Sound & Little Pete’s Diner will haunt new luxury housing. Because LO over VE love. Because you’re welcome to stay as long as you come correct. Because even vegan cheesesteaks are good. Because Ars Nova Workshop. Because Philadanco. Because Ramona Africa couldn’t be killed & rides the 13 trolley. Because A.I. Because the Bowie bar. Because you might try but cannot hate on the epic Cy Twombly room. Because Schooly D. Because Bernie Parent. Because McFadden & Whitehead said we can’t be stopped. Because we’ve got Duchamp & we’ve got Cornbread. Because the Frank Rizzo mural kept on being interactive. Because the Ellen Powell Tiberino compound. Because Marc Anthony Richardson (“how deep do you want to go?”) Because there’s no such thing as vision without memory. Because a bell got cracked so this is what you get.

Who Will We Be Next

Thanks to Boog City for sharing Who Will We Be Next

Read the entire issue here

POETRY Magazine Podcast

"The Next Last One" is featured on Poetry Magazine's November podcast. Listen to it here.

The Next Last One in POETRY Magazine

I have new work in the November issue of POETRY Magazine alongside CAConrad, Jane Wong, Torrin Greathouse and many more. Check out The Next Last One here.

What Could Be the Last Day of the World & More

photo by Heather Raquel Phillips

Listen to a few pieces recorded for an upcoming podcast by Philadelphia Contemporary. Thanks to Wexler Studio at Kelly Writers House and thank you Yolanda Wisher!

New Work in The American Poetry Review

I'm honored to have new work in The American Poetry Review. Also included in the issue are Khadijah Queen, Sharon Olds, Kimiko Hahn, Dara Wier & others.

Click here to read "The Sea a Battered Dream"

An Immigrant Alphabet

April 21st was the culmination of work I've been doing with Al-Bustan Seeds of Culture that included a collaboration with Dr. Jay Fluellen, and a series of workshops with kids from Northeast High School- the most diverse immigrant student population in the Philadelphia School District. Journeys Across Imaginary Lines was a performance at the Philadelphia History Museum that featured Hafez Kotain, Trapeta Mason, Valerie Gay, Kinan Abou-afach, Jay Fluellen and me. The afternoon included a workshop that Trapeta & I led exploring movement, memory and loss. One of my favorite moments was when a Palestinian poet who published two books in Arabic wrote his first poem in English during our exercise. It's a beautiful poem. It was a beautiful day.

Frank O'Hara's Last Lover at William Way

Frank O'Hara's Last Lover is one of my favorite reading series in the city's rich poetry history. On March 14, I had the great honor of reading with two of my favorite poets anywhere- Fred Moten and Raquel Salas Rivera. Thanks so much to curator Jason Mitchell for hosting us at The William Way LGBTQ Community Center- one of my favorite poetry nights ever.

(Fred, Raquel & me at 13th & Locust)

New Work in The Wanderer

I have new poems in one of my favorite lit journals- The Wanderer (edited by Raquel Salas Rivera and Colette Arrand). Check out two new poems and an excerpt of a third right here.

("FOR A LONG TIME I USED TO GO TO BED EARLY" BY Raymond Pettibon)

Ciudad Santuario- Chilean Book Tour

Ciudad Santuario (Das Kapital Ediciones) has seen the light of day. The work is translated into Spanish by friend & comrade Carlos Soto Roman. There is also a surprise publication from Libros del Pez Espiral- a translation of my chap-length poem (also by CSR) entitled Diary of Perversities & Main Events. We toured Chile together throughout Santiago, Valparaiso, and Valdivia. The whirlwind took us to universities, high schools, bookstores, galleries and a couple of Pablo Neruda Houses- sometimes with 2 or 3 gigs a day. Nothing is better than going on the road with a good friend and a great poet. Thanks for everything Carlos! 

Outbound Poetry Festival Launch

It was a blast to help debut the Outbound Poetry Festival during Poetry Month. Powerhouse Poet Laureate Yolanda Wisher put together the week-long festival that was kicked off at Ulises by Philly Youth Poet Laureates Otter Jung-Allen, David Jones, Yolanda & myself. Also, I needed to leave soon after so as not to spend all my money. There's so many amazing art books in an innovatively curated space. Discover Ulises some weekend soon.

(L to R: unknown, Sydney Coffin, Jessica Johnson, Frank Sherlock, Yolanda Wisher, Li'l Theo, David Jones, Kerwyn Sutherland)

Network for New Music Collaboration

What a pleasure to work with Network for New Music! Together we shaped the Germantown Poetry Project, conducting workshops with composers, musicians, singers and neighborhood folks to put together pieces about city living. Collaboration from the gatherings culminated in a performance at the Philadelphia Free Library. I provided text for the pieces below, composed by Jay Fluellen and Eric Moe. I was blown away to hear their work in person. Special thanks to the innovative singers and musician that worked on the project, and Trapeta Mason- my poetry partner in the workshops.

Trailer- History, Impact & the Magical Heartbreak

I spoke with the Pew Center for Arts & Heritage about my fellowship experience and its impact on my poetic practice. Sometimes I sit. Sometimes I walk. 

#pewfellows25years #pewcenterforartsandheritage #writeyourblock #phillymurals #poetslaureateatwork #bensherman #askance #streetsofphiladelphia

Words on a Wing: Philly Loves Bowie

                                            (w/ Zoe Strauss & Lynn Bloom- photo by Jeffrey Sidelsky)

During a great night at the Free Library, I got the chance to talk Critchley, dividualism, Celan, utopian dystopias- and of course David Bowie. I also debuted a Scary Monsters-flavored poem composed for the event. It was a real pleasure to share the stage with DJ Robert Drake, Perry Genovesi, Toby Seayand Peter Humphreys. And, as always- a treat to run into these two. Thanks to Patti Brett for putting this whole festival together. 

#davidbowie #freelibraryofphiladelphia #scarymonsters #simoncritchley #zoestrauss

The Beat Poets in the 21st Century

I joined Michelle Taransky, Maria Raha, Thomas Devaney and Chris McCreary in a conversation about the cosmic anti-fascism of the Beat poets & their restless place in the academy. I also share a Diane DiPrima poem written days after the death of Amiri Baraka. Thanks for having us, Julia Bloch & Kelly Writers House!

Dreaming in the Immaterial Age

LigoranoReese (Nora Ligorano & Marshall Reese) installed their ice sculpture on Independence Mall during the DNC Convention. On July 25, the 35 feet wide X 5feet tall ephemeral structure melted away in a matter of hours. The artists employed a writers' residence on-site to work through the experience as tourists and conventioneers looked on.

My late afternoon contribution is entitled THE AMERI___ D____ (5:35pm)

No Border No Cry en Español

                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                           
My recent piece reclaiming radical Irish solidarity with people of color is now available in Spanish. Mexico's TRANSTIERROS is featuring No Border No Cry. Thanks so much to Carlos Soto-Román for the translation.

Both the Spanish and English versions can be found here.                                                                                                                                                               

What All the Dark Cannot Extinguish- Introducing Bernie Sanders

I was honored to introduce Senator Bernie Sanders with a poem at Drexel University on Monday. I took great inspiration from the thousands of Bernie supporters that attended. Also, I talked to Susan Sarandon for a good 20 minutes- about Latin American poetry & the sad state of U.S. support for its artists. So there was that. Feel. The. Bern.

Write Your Block 2016

Write Your Block 2016 has recently featured poems representing North Philly, the Gayborhood, Kensington, Kingsessing, UC, Pennsport, Whitman and East Passyunk. Watch these incredible kids from around the city share their blocks at a Spells Writing Lab workshop- courtesy of The Philadelphia Citizen.


I’m from green trees with leaves from The Philadelphia Citizen on Vimeo.

Organize Your Own

A night of performance launched Organize Your Own: The Politics & Poetics of Self-Determination Movements. The stellar lineup included Salem Cullo-Jullin, myself, Marissa Johnson-Valenzuela, and Jennifer Kidwell & Thomas Graves.

You can read about my No Border No Cry project here.
You can listen to the piece here.

Watch the entire event here.