Category: Poetry


Poetry: “Maternal Instinct” by Nayara Noor

The structure of Naraya Noor’s “Maternal Instinct,” feels repetitive, but as the reader looks closer, the heartbeat of the poem—a ghazal—brings out the physical language of the body, and the intimacy that the relationship between mother and daughter is invoked…

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LINE LEVEL #12 BEST OF LINE LEVEL

Welcome to LINE LEVEL: Craft Lessons from Poets of Color, a monthly column in which writer, editor, and educator Joanna Acevedo zooms in on an element of craft from the work of BIPOC poets. LINE LEVEL unfolds in three parts:…

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Poetry: “Begin Again” by Lisa L. Moore

The surreal nature and repetitive language in Lisa L. Moore’s “Begin Again,” echoes the desperation that many marginalized communities feel in this current moment. The repeating sonic element of “Let me,” asks for a permission in a way that many…

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Poetry: “Object Permanence” by Zephyr Zhang

There’s a surreal element to Zephyr Zhang’s “Object Permanence.” The poem begins somewhat innocuously with, “I am a lock,” but quickly it escalates to, “I am an insecure lock.” Zhang drags us into their emotional world without permission, and while…

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LINE LEVEL #11

Welcome to LINE LEVEL: Craft Lessons from Poets of Color, a monthly column in which writer, editor, and educator Joanna Acevedo zooms in on an element of craft from the work of BIPOC poets. LINE LEVEL unfolds in three parts:…

Read More


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