Shows
Vita Poetica JournalPoems by Riv Wren & Maxim D. ShrayerRiv Wren reads his poem, "The Lead Pastor's Visit," and Maxim D. Shrayer reads his poem, "The Conductor from Zion Square."
Riv Wren lives in Loveland, Ohio. That is a real place. Wren's most recent poems appear in Pensive Journal and Cathexis Northwest.
Maxim D. Shrayer, a Professor of Russian, English, and Jewish Studies at Boston College and a bilingual writer, has authored and edited almost thirty books of nonfiction, criticism, fiction, poetry, and translations. Shrayer’s newest book is Kinship, a collection of poetry.
...2025-01-1009 min
Vita Poetica JournalReview of Museum Exhibit "The Art of Knowing"Cheryl Sadowski reads her essay, "Teachers, Sages, and Serpents," a review of the Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art's ongoing exhibit, The Art of Knowing in South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Himalayas, which is on view in Washington, DC.
Cheryl Sadowski writes about art, books, landscape, and nature. Her essays, reviews, and short fiction have been published in Vita Poetica, The Ekphrastic Review, After the Art, and other publications. She is a 2023 Pushcart nominee and winner of a Grantchester Award by The Orchards Poetry Journal. Cheryl holds a Master of Liberal Arts from Johns Hopkins University...2024-05-2809 min
Vita Poetica JournalReaders RespondContemplative Practices Editor Samir Knego shares readers' responses to the theme of "Light" in the Winter 2024 issue.
The "Readers Respond" series features reflections and practices on a current theme, shared by Vita Poetica readers. Currently, we're accepting responses to the theme of "Breaking," which will be shared in the upcoming Spring issue. What traditions do you have around breaking bread? How have you broken a fast? What experiences have you had with heartbreak? How can we respond to the brokenness in the world around us? Share your responses with us through this quick form. 2024-03-0804 min
Vita Poetica JournalPoem by Edward A. Dougherty and Art by Michelle J. ChunEdward A. Dougherty reads his poem, "Between Slaughter and Exile," and Michelle J. Chun shares her artwork, "Annunciation" and "Relics of Annunciation."
Edward A. Dougherty has lived and worked in the Finger Lakes region of upstate New York for nearly 30 years. He is the author of 11 collections of poetry, including Grace Street and 10048. Vita Poetica's Interviews Editor, Emily Chambers Sharpe, discussed the spiritual wanderings he writes about in his book of essays, Journey Work: Crafting a Life of Poetry & Spirit. Find the interview in the Summer 2021 issue.
Michelle Chun...2023-11-0710 min
Vita Poetica JournalPractices from Our Community: An Invitation from Samir KnegoContemplative Practices Editor Samir Knego introduces a new feature coming up in future issues. We want to hear from you, Vita Poetica readers, about the spiritual practices that sustain and inspire you. This is also a place for your questions and concerns about the world and a chance to find new practices to incorporate into your spiritual life. Email your responses to samir@vitapoetica.org by Dec. 15, 2023 for inclusion in the Winter 2024 issue in January. More details in this episode and on our website.2023-10-2704 min
Vita Poetica JournalSummer 2023 TrailerThe Summer 2023 issue of Vita Poetica is here! Tune in for a preview of new works at the intersection of art, faith, and spirit.
Cover Art: Untitled (flame 1) by Lucy Bell
Intro Music: "A Gentle Invitation" by Dawn, Dawn, Dawn
Outro Music: John Morris2023-07-1705 min
Vita Poetica JournalPoems by Zachary DankertZachary Dankert reads his poems "Matthew 2:13-23 (Olives)" and "The Gospel of Mary Magdalene II."
Zachary Dankert is a writer living on unceded Miami territory known as Indianapolis, IN. Published work can be found in Breakbread Literary Magazine, Tofu Ink Arts Press, and West Trade Review, among others. His goal in life is to write a single funny poem.2023-05-2305 min
Vita Poetica JournalPoems by Jesse Caverly & Jonathan McGregorJesse Caverly reads his poem "Orphanage," and Jonathan McGregor reads his poems "Nebuchadnezzer" and "Catch for Us the Foxes."
Jesse Caverly was born an hour outside of Boston, but he and his mother quickly became nomads. He doesn't remember much about Tucson and everything about Hawaii. There, he had a small white terrier as a pet. There, he collected comic books and ate guavas fresh off the branch. Then they moved to California, high school was all right, college didn’t happen, but life did. He is now a storyteller, proud father of a wilding, and an oc...2023-05-1910 min
Vita Poetica JournalA Blessing for Your Face by Rebekah VickeryOn the podcast today, Rebekah Vickery guides us in "A Blessing for Your Face" from our current Spring issue.
Rebekah Vickery is a trauma therapist, group facilitator, and acrylic artist located in the beautiful and wild Pacific Northwest. In all of her work with people, art, and words, she loves engaging themes of grief, transition, and hope.2023-05-1603 min
Vita Poetica JournalPoems by Ace Boggess and Mark MansfieldAce Boggess reads his poem "Anybody Raptured Yet?" and Mark Mansfield reads his poem "The Tryst."
Ace Boggess is author of six books of poetry, most recently Escape Envy. His writing has appeared in Michigan Quarterly Review, Notre Dame Review, Harvard Review, Mid-American Review, and other journals. An ex-con, he lives in Charleston, West Virginia, where he writes and tries to stay out of trouble.
Mark Mansfield is the author of three full-length collections of poetry, Strangers Like You, Soul Barker, and Greygolden, and one chapbook, Notes from the Isle of Exiled Imaginary Playmates (all...2023-05-1207 min
Vita Poetica JournalKolya Braun-Greiner's Book Review of This Here Flesh by Cole Arthur RileyKolya Braun-Greiner reads her book review, "An Enfleshed Spirit: Reflections on Cole Arthur Riley's This Here Flesh: Spirituality, Liberation, and the Stories that Make Us."
Kolya Braun-Greiner is a member of Seekers Church and former program coordinator with Interfaith Partners for the Chesapeake. She has created curricula and facilitated trainings for people of many faiths to explore connections of their tradition with care for the environment. She is currently working on a book about contemplating nature as a way to foster reverence and healing for Earth.2023-05-0918 min
Vita Poetica JournalPoems by Paula M. Rodriguez & James HannonPaula M. Rodriguez reads her poem "Stamps," and James Hannon reads his poem "Sinai."
Paula M. Rodriguez is an educator in greater Los Angeles. Her first poem in the United States appeared in The Blind Man's Rainbow in 2006. Since then, her poems have been featured in multiple anthologies and journals, including Scintilla, Bacopa Review, New Note Poetry, Mercury Retrograde, and Humble Pie to name a few. Her first book of poems, The Joy of Seasons. A Treasure of Haiku, appeared last November and has received great reviews.
James Hannon is a psychotherapist in Massachusetts where...2023-05-0506 min
Vita Poetica JournalA Wolf's Heart by O Thiam ChinO Thiam Chin's short story, "A Wolf's Heart," is published in our current Spring issue. Vita Poetica's Managing Editor Julie Wan reads the story in today's episode.
O Thiam Chin is the author of four novels, including We Are Not Alone Here (PRH SEA, 2022) and six short-fiction collections. His debut novel, Now That It’s Over, won the inaugural Epigram Books Fiction Prize in 2015. His work has appeared in Granta, The Cincinnati Review, Mānoa, The Brooklyn Rail, World Literature Today, and elsewhere.2023-05-0229 min
Vita Poetica JournalPoems by Will Neuenfeldt & Eric Machan HowdWill Neuenfeldt reads his poem, "Ritual," and Eric Machan Howd reads his poems, "Initiation" and "Personal Theology," from our Spring 2023 issue.
Will Neuenfeldt studied English at Gustavus Adolphus College and his poems are published in Capsule Stories, Months to Years, and Red Flag Poetry. He lives in Cottage Grove, MN, home of the dude who played Steven Stifler in those American Pie movies and a house Teddy Roosevelt slept in.
Eric Machan Howd (Ithaca, NY) is a poet, musician, and educator. His fifth collection of poetry, Universal Monsters, was published by The Orchard Street Press...2023-04-2806 min
Vita Poetica JournalHouse of Worship by Heidie (Raine) SensemanHeidie (Raine) Senseman reads her essay, "House of Worship," published in our Spring 2023 issue.
Heidie (Raine) Senseman is an Ohio-based writer who works primarily in the realm of creative nonfiction. She dreams of becoming a master pie-baker and being able to do 20 push-ups in a row. Heidie's work has previously appeared in Chapter House Journal, Marathon Literary Review, Still Point Arts Quarterly, and others.2023-04-2504 min
Vita Poetica JournalSpring 2023 TrailerThe Spring 2023 issue of Vita Poetica Journal is here! Tune in for a preview of new works at the intersection of art, faith, beauty, and spirit.
Cover Art: David A. Goodrum
Music: John Morris2023-04-1705 min
Vita Poetica JournalPoems by Lila Robinett & Charm ChandlerLila Robinett reads her poem, "Watching the Pastor's Daughter," and Charm Chandler reads his poem, "As a Form of Great Immensity and Understanding."
Lila Robinett is a native East Texan living in Hattiesburg, Mississippi where she attends the University of Southern Mississippi as a Ph.D. student in Creative Writing. Her work can be found in Five South magazine, Ekstasis, and Impostor magazine.
Charm Chandler (he/it) is a lover of words and lives in the Sunset Reality. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in English. When he is no...2023-03-2406 min
Vita Poetica JournalPoems by Chris VrountasChris Vrountas reads his poems "Lenten Eve, 2021" and "Meadow Aers" from our Winter 2023 issue.
Chris Vrountas is a writer and lawyer. He lives in Essex County, MA, with his wife, who still laughs at his jokes after 32 years. He has practiced law for just as long and serves as a mediator of discrimination disputes for the Human Rights Commission. He grew up in an immigrant faith tradition that has evolved over the years, and he writes about impermanence, hope, and rebirth.2023-03-2105 min
Vita Poetica JournalPoems by Jen Schneider and Kath HigginsJen Schneider reads her poem "on time & quiet passings :: fly monarch(s), fly," and Kath Higgins reads her poem "Owl Spotting."
Jen Schneider is an educator who lives, writes, and works in small spaces throughout Pennsylvania. Recent works include A Collection of Recollections, Invisible Ink, On Habits & Habitats, On Always Being an Outsider, and Blindfolds, Bruises, and Breakups.
Originally from the UK and now living in South Africa via Cameroon, Kath Higgens is a retired field linguist. Her love of poetry and her spiritual path sometimes spills out into writing.
2023-03-1704 min
Vita Poetica JournalTwo Poems by Michael SandlerMichael Sandler reads his two poems, "A Jetty Stone's Hymn" and "Recipe for Marinara."
Michael Sandler is the author of a poetry collection, The Lamps of History (FutureCycle Press 2021). His work has appeared in scores of journals, including recently in THINK, Literary Imagination, and Smartish Pace. Michael lives near Seattle; his website is www.sandlerpoetry.com.2023-03-1405 min
Vita Poetica JournalPoems by Sharon Scholl and Natalie M. SchubertSharon Scholl reads her poem "Soliloquy," and Natalie M. Schubert reads her poem "On the Shore of Lake Ontario."
Sharon Scholl is a retired college professor (humanities) who convenes a poetry critique group and maintains a website (freeprintmusic.com) that donates her original music to small churches. Her poetry chapbooks (Seasons, Remains) are available via Amazon Books. Individual poems are current in Third Wednesday and Agapanthus Weekly.
Natalie M. Schubert is currently an English and secondary education double major at Oklahoma State University. She is a three-time alumni of the Oklahoma Summer Arts Institute in...2023-03-1006 min
Vita Poetica JournalTwo Poems by Hilary SallickHilary Sallick reads her two poems, "The Brink" and "A Bit of Earth."
Hilary Sallick is the author of two full-length collections, Love Is A Shore (forthcoming from Lily Poetry Review Books) and Asking the Form (Cervena Barva Press, 2020). Her poems appear or are forthcoming in Notre Dame Review, Small Orange Journal, Autumn Sky Poetry Daily, The Inflectionist Review, Empty House Press, Ibbetson Street, and other journals. She teaches reading and writing to adult learners in Somerville, MA, and is vice president of the New England Poetry Club.2023-03-0707 min
Vita Poetica JournalPoems by Daniel Thomas & Sean O'NeillDaniel Thomas reads his poem, "Snow," and Sean O'Neill reads his poems, "Bookshelf" and "Weekend Cottage."
Daniel Thomas’s second collection of poetry, Leaving the Base Camp at Dawn, was published in 2022. His first book, Deep Pockets, won a 2018 Catholic Press Award. He has published poems in many journals, including Southern Poetry Review, Nimrod, Poetry Ireland Review, The Bitter Oleander, Atlanta Review, and others. More info at danielthomaspoetry.com.
Sean O'Neill was born in Scotland, but has lived in the USA for the past 15 years. He has published 17 collections of poetry and is the author of...2023-03-0306 min
Vita Poetica JournalA Blessing for Your Skin by Rebekah VickeryRebekah Vickery offers a guided meditation in honoring our skin, a boundary for our bodies. Here is "A Blessing for Your Skin" from our Winter issue.
Rebekah Vickery is a trauma therapist, group facilitator, and acrylic artist located in the beautiful and wild Pacific Northwest. In all of her work with people, art, and words, she loves engaging themes of grief, transition, and hope.2023-02-2804 min
Vita Poetica JournalPoems by Maxim D. Shrayer & Alea PeisterMaxim D. Shrayer reads his poem, "For My Daughters, on Yom Kippur," and Alea Peister reads her poems, "Want" and "Compline."
Maxim D. Shrayer, a bilingual author and translator, teaches at Boston College. His recent books of poetry include Of Politics and Pandemics, in English, and Stikhi iz aipada, in Russian. Shrayer’s new memoir, Immigrant Baggage, is forthcoming in 2023.
Alea's writing has been featured in Whale Road Review, Relief, Ekstasis, The Curator, and Art for the Isolated. She lives among the palm trees, bustle, and sunshine just south of Los Angeles. You can follow he...2023-02-2407 min
Vita Poetica JournalThe Calculus of Awe by Elizabeth Jarrett AndrewElizabeth Jarrett Andrew reads her essay, "The Calculus of Awe," from our current Winter issue.
Elizabeth Jarrett Andrew is the author of Swinging on the Garden Gate: A Memoir of Bisexuality & Spirit; the collection of personal essays, On the Threshold: Home, Hardwood, & Holiness; and two books on writing: Living Revision: A Writer’s Craft as Spiritual Practice, winner of the 2019 Silver Nautilus Award, and Writing the Sacred Journey: The Art & Practice of Spiritual Memoir. You can connect with her at www.spiritualmemoir.com and www.elizabethjarrettandrew.com.
2023-02-2110 min
Vita Poetica JournalPoems by Alina Gharabegian & Kathy NelsonAlina Gharabegian reads her poem, "Out of Place," and Kathy Nelson reads her two poems, "Our Lady of the Locked Unit" and "Chaplain."
Alina Gharabegian is an American Armenian raised in Los Angeles, living in New York City. Trained as a Victorianist, she is an associate professor of English, teaching in New Jersey. Her passions include poetry and the tango.
Kathy Nelson, 2019 recipient of the James Dickey Prize (Five Points), is a graduate of the Warren Wilson Program for Writers. Find her work in her chapbooks, Cattails and Whose Names Have Slipped Away, and in LEON L...2023-02-1707 min
Vita Poetica JournalHer Brother's Keeper by David C. MetzDavid C. Metz reads his short story, "Her Brother's Keeper," from our Winter 2023 issue.
David C. Metz is a writer and a member of the Writer’s Center in Bethesda, Maryland. His stories have appeared in several publications, including The MacGuffin, New Plains Review, Bull, Valparaiso Fiction Review, and Perceptions. Originally from Illinois, he lives with his wife in Damascus, Maryland.2023-02-1429 min
Vita Poetica JournalPoems by Zachary Sholem Berger & Mildred Kiconco BaryaZachary Sholem Berger reads his poem, "On Simple Meaning," and Mildred Kiconco Barya reads her poem, "Bewilderment," both published in our Winter 2023 issue.
Zackary Sholem Berger is a poet and translator in Baltimore working in English, Hebrew, and Yiddish. By day he is a mild-mannered primary care physician.
Mildred Kiconco Barya is a writer from Uganda now living in North Carolina. Her publications include three poetry books, as well as prose, hybrids, and poems published in Shenandoah, Joyland, The Cincinnati Review, Tin House, Prairie Schooner, and elsewhere. Her fourth full-length poetry collection, The Animals of...2023-02-1005 min
Vita Poetica JournalBoth / And: Two Museum Exhibition Reviews by Cheryl SadowskiIn "Both / And," Cheryl Sadowski reviews two museum exhibitions:
A Marriage of Arts and Crafts: Evelyn and William De Morgan, running through February 19, 2023, at the Delaware Art Museum, Wilmington, DE
and
Discovery and Revelation: Religion, Science, and Making Sense of Things, ongoing at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, Washington, DC
Cheryl Sadowski writes essays, reviews, and short fiction. Her writing explores the plain weave of everyday life with literature, art, and the natural world. Cheryl’s lyric poem “Tenants” was awarded a first place Grantchester Prize by The Orchards Poetry...2023-02-0714 min
Vita Poetica JournalWinter 2023 TrailerThe journal's Winter 2023 issue is here! Tune in for a preview of new works at the intersection of art, faith, beauty, and spirit.2023-01-3106 min
Vita Poetica JournalDevil in the Details: Cheryl Sadowski's Review of Crossroads by Jonathan FranzenCheryl Sadowski reviews Jonathan Franzen's latest novel, Crossroads. Her review is published in our current Autumn issue.
Cheryl Sadowski writes essays, reviews, and short fiction from Northern Virginia, where she works in nonprofit management. Her writing explores the plain weave of everyday life with philosophy, art, literature, and the natural world. Cheryl’s lyrical poem “Tenants” was recently awarded a First Place Grantchester Prize from The Orchards Poetry Journal. Other works have appeared in the Bay to Ocean Journal, The Broadkill Review, EcoTheo, and After the Art.
We could use your help! To assist us in inc...2022-11-2506 min
Vita Poetica JournalBeauty for Ashes: Interview with Author David ZahlInterviews Editor Emily Chambers Sharpe speaks with David Zahl, author of Low Anthropology and editor of the website Mockingbird. A transcript of the interview can be found online in our current Autumn issue.
David Zahl is the director of Mockingbird Ministries and editor-in-chief of the Mockingbird website. Born in New York City and brought up elsewhere, David graduated from Georgetown University in 2001 and then worked for several years as a youth minister in New England. In 2007 he founded Mockingbird in NYC. Today David and his wife Cate reside in Charlottesville, VA, with their three boys, where David...2022-11-2251 min
Vita Poetica JournalPoems by Adrian Harte & Shae KrispinskyAdrian Harte reads his poem "Red Rite Hand," and Shae Krispinsky reads her poem "This Is How You End Up Remembering Him."
Adrian Harte is from Monaghan, Ireland, but has lived in Switzerland for twenty years. He has recently had work accepted by the Peregrine Journal, Vita Poetica, Embryo Concepts Zine, Roi Fainéant Press, and Abridged. He has also written Small Victories: The True Story of Faith No More, published in 2018.
Shae Krispinsky lives in Tampa, FL, where she fronts the band, Navin Avenue, whose sound she describes as Southern Gothic 70s-arena indie rock w...2022-11-1805 min
Vita Poetica JournalMoon Meditation by Ame KitchenerAme Kitchener leads a meditation on the current season and phase of the moon. The text and audio for this meditation can also be found in our Autumn 2022 issue.
Ame Kitchener is a feline-loving, intuitive introvert, listener, circle leader, and Jesus Lover. She is a spiritual wellness life coach and space holder for Moon Celebrations, a community of Christ lovers that experience God through the rhythms and rituals of nature. She leads moon circles for Jesus lovers in her FB community, Moon Celebrations. You can also follow her on IG @mooncelebrations.2022-11-1510 min
Vita Poetica JournalPoems by Blake Kilgore and Joanne M. ClarksonBlake Kilgore reads his poem, "The Parade of Death Requires Labor," and Joanne M. Clarkson reads her poem, "The Beads of War."
Blake Kilgore is the author of Leviathan (2021), a collection of poetry. His writing has appeared in Barely South Review, Flint Hills Review, Lunch Ticket, and other fine journals.
Joanne M. Clarkson’s 6th poetry collection, Hospice House, is forthcoming from MoonPath Press in 2023. Her poems have appeared in such journals as Alaska Quarterly Review, Poetry Northwest, Beloit Poetry Journal, and Nimrod. For many years she worked as a RN specializing in hospice care.2022-11-1106 min
Vita Poetica JournalCradles by Connor WaldenConnor Walden shares about two of his sculptures, (yearn) and Verbunden: 4+6, which are part of a larger series called Cradles. Click on the link to see the sculptures featured in our current Autumn issue.
Raised with a twin brother in a conservative Christian suburb of Dallas, Connor Walden is an artist currently based in Los Angeles. After spending his formative years as an adult in the liberal, secular cities of Austin and Seattle, Connor finds himself in a state of ambivalence, holding a complex of feelings, ideologies, and communities. Steeped in this current ambivalence and a longing...2022-11-0811 min
Vita Poetica JournalPoem by Christopher Honey & Visual Art by Serrah RussellChristopher Honey reads his poem, "I Pray to You, Saint Peter, Whom No One Loves," and Serrah Russell talks about her visual art series, With Child, which can be viewed in our current Autumn issue.
Christopher Honey is an MFA candidate at the University of Saint Thomas. His poetry, essays, and articles have appeared in numerous publications, including the Pomona Valley Review, the Building Trades News, and Montgomery Living Magazine. He lives in Washington, DC, with his wife and daughter.
Serrah Russell is a visual artist and independent curator. Through collage and appropriation, her practice a...2022-11-0411 min
Vita Poetica JournalWoman by Sandra MillerSandra Miller shares about her sculpture, Woman, featured in our Autumn 2022 issue.
Sandra Miller is a transplant to the DMV from California, drawn by the community of Seekers Church, which provides a loving and encouraging community in support of her call to co-creation with the Holy One through art-making and working for a just world. She is a paper artist, gardener, the founder of of the Interfaith Sacred Conversation on Race & Diversity, and a pen pal to six incarcerated artists.2022-11-0111 min
Vita Poetica JournalPoems by Glenn ArmstrongGlenn Armstrong reads his poems, "One Step from Madness" and "Sunyata," in our Autumn issue.
Glenn Armstrong has been a journalist, art model, and monk. While attending Bates College he studied with Grace Paley. He lives in San Diego.2022-10-2804 min
Vita Poetica JournalThere Should Be Angels by Ruth FarmerRuth Farmer reads her short story, "There Should Be Angels," from our current Autumn issue.
Ruth Farmer is a poet, essayist, and fiction writer. Her prose and poetry appear in journals and anthologies, and she is a regular contributor to the Addison Independent (VT). Ruth's most recent publication is a collection of poems titled Snapshots in the Wind.2022-10-2509 min
Vita Poetica JournalAutumn 2022 TrailerThe Autumn 2022 issue is here! Tune in to hear new works at the intersection of art, faith, beauty, and spirit.2022-10-1805 min
Vita Poetica JournalPoems by E.V. NoechelE.V. Noechel reads her poems, "A Nick, to the Heart, Is a Fatal Wound" and "A Desperate Plea from Your Buddhist Serial Killer."
E.V. Noechel lives with OCD, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, severe chronic pain, and an assortment of delightful rescued animals. Her work has received multiple Pushcart nominations and generous support from the North Carolina Arts Council, Vermont Studio Center, Headlands Center for the Arts, United Arts, Culture and Animals Foundation, and I-Park.
This is our last episode of the season, but don't miss these other works published in our Summer 2022 issue:
...2022-09-0208 min
Vita Poetica JournalVisual Art by Mary Jane MillerWe explore the series, On Holy Ground, by visual artist Mary Jane Miller. Four pieces from this series are published in our current Summer issue: A Sword Will Pierce Your Own Soul, Outside Space and Time, A Mary’s Love of Earth, Ideas and Progressions.
Mary Jane Miller is a self-taught Byzantine style iconographer living in Mexico for three decades. Her collections are extraordinary, with a proficient command of egg tempera, and have been exhibited in museums and churches in the United States and Mexico. Her published books include Meditation and Iconography, In Light of Women, and Lif...2022-08-3003 min
Vita Poetica JournalPoems by Linda McCullough Moore & Michael HettichLinda McCullough Moore reads her poem, "A Case for Repetition," and Michael Hettich reads his poem, "Heaven," from our current Summer issue.
Winner of the Pushcart Prize, Linda McCullough Moore, is the author of a novel, two story collections, a collection of essays, and more than 400 shorter works. Teacher and mentor, she loves helping other writers, and is hard at work on a poetry collection.
Michael Hettich has published a dozen books of poetry, most recently The Mica Mine, which won the 2020 Lena Shull Book Award from the North Carolina Poetry Society and was published...2022-08-2607 min
Vita Poetica JournalVisual Art by Rhian SwieratRhian Swierat talks about her embroidered pieces from two series published in our current Summer issue: Paper Samplers and Pressed Memories.
Rhian Swierat grew up in the Hudson Valley and is now based in Brooklyn, NY. She holds a BFA in graphic design from the Rhode Island School of Design. Her mom taught her embroidery as a child, sharing with her a love of textiles and patterns. Her work has been featured in notable shows throughout the United States, such as the Flat Rate Box Group Show, Modified Arts Gallery, Phoenix, AZ; SCALE, Deanna Evans Projects, Brooklyn...2022-08-2303 min
Vita Poetica JournalPoems by Kathleen Hellen & Marda MessickKathleen Hellen reads her poem, "compass my eyes to speed of light," and Marda Messick reads her poems, "Spiritual Exercise" and "Beachfront Prophecy," from our Summer 2022 issue.
Kathleen Hellen’s collection meet me at the bottom is forthcoming in Fall 2022 from Main Street Rag. Her credits include The Only Country Was the Color of My Skin, her award-winning collection Umberto’s Night, published by Washington Writers’ Publishing House, and two chapbooks, The Girl Who Loved Mothra and Pentimento.
Marda Messick is a poet and accidental theologian living in Tallahassee, Florida. Her work has appeared or is for...2022-08-1907 min
Vita Poetica JournalDustfully by PhocasPhocas reads his prose poem, "Dustfully," published in the current Summer issue.
Phocas lives in central Michigan.2022-08-1606 min
Vita Poetica JournalPoems by G.R. Kramer & John C. MannoneG.R. Kramer reads his poem, "Traffic Light," and John C. Mannone reads his poem, "Second Thoughts," from our current Summer issue.
G. R. Kramer grew up in Canada, Kenya and the U.S., the child of refugees from fascism and communism. A lawyer by vocation, his passion for writing poetry has rekindled in late middle-age. His first poetry chapbook is forthcoming from Finishing Line Press. Go to https://blueguitar58.wixsite.com/website-1 for more.
John C. Mannone has poems in North Dakota Quarterly, Poetry South, Windhover, Braided Way, Spirit Fire Review, Credo Espoir, Heart...2022-08-1206 min
Vita Poetica JournalSacred Invitations: Writer Patrice Gopo in Conversation with Emily Chambers Sharpe"Creativity is an invitation from God to participate in adding beauty to the world." —Patrice Gopo
Our Interviews Editor, Emily Chambers Sharpe, talks with writer Patrice Gopo about storytelling, the search for belonging, and creativity as a sacred invitation from God to participate in sacred work. A transcript of the interview is published in our current Summer issue.
Patrice Gopo is the child of Jamaican immigrants and was born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska. She is an award-winning essayist and the author of All the Colors We Will See (a Fall 2018 Barnes & Noble Discover Great Ne...2022-08-0938 min
Vita Poetica JournalPoems by Ellis Purdie & Remi RecchiaEllis Purdie reads his poem, "Praise as Acrostic," and Remi Recchia reads his two poems, "From Isaiah" and "From Psalms."
Ellis Purdie is a graduate of The Center for Writers at The University of Southern Mississippi. Along with writing and teaching, he spends a good deal of time looking for herpetofauna in east Texas, where he lives with his wife, son, and daughter.
Remi Recchia, author of Quicksand/Stargazing (Cooper Dillon Books, 2021) and Sober (Red Bird Chapbooks, 2022), is a trans poet and essayist from Kalamazoo, Michigan. A four-time Pushcart Prize nominee, Remi’s work has ap...2022-08-0508 min
Vita Poetica JournalGod Help Him by Nathan GeetingNathan Geeting reads his short story, "God Help Him," from our current Summer issue.
When Nathan Geeting can pull himself away from the kitchen (where he cooks for family and friends), the dining room (where he puzzles with his wife), or the living room (where he plays with his red-headed poodle, Brûlée), he spends his time writing. His nonfiction has been featured in the Englewood Review of Books.
2022-08-0231 min
Vita Poetica JournalPoems by Andy Oram & Gabriella BrandAndy Oram reads his poem, "Half Life," and Gabriella Brand reads her poem, "Where We Come From" -- both from our Summer 2022 issue.
Andy Oram is a writer and editor in the computer field. Print publications where his writings have appeared include The Economist, the Journal of Information Technology & Politics, and Vanguardia Dossier. He has lived in the Boston, Massachusetts, area for almost 50 years.
Gabriella Brand's short stories and poetry appear in such publications as New Lit Salon, Critical Art, and Résonance. Her travel writing can be found in The Globe and Mail and T...2022-07-2906 min
Vita Poetica JournalThe Soul a City by Sarah LawSarah Law reads her essay, "The Soul a City," from our Summer 2022 issue.
Sarah Law lives in Norwich, UK, and is an Associate Lecturer for the Open University. She has published six collections of poetry, and her novel, Sketches from a Sunlit Heaven, is forthcoming from Wipf and Stock. She edits the online journal Amethyst Review.2022-07-2622 min
Vita Poetica JournalSeason 5 Trailer: Summer 2022 IssueOur Summer 2022 issue is here! Tune in to hear new works at the intersection of art, faith, beauty, and spirit. 2022-07-1806 min
Vita Poetica JournalZen Meditation by Grace PhongGrace Phong leads a guided sitting meditation from the Zen tradition. Listen here on the podcast or watch the video in our Spring issue.
Born in Hong Kong, Grace Phong has a strong passion for body and holistic well-being. She is a spiritual director and a mental health therapist, and has been doing Zen meditation for 20 years.2022-05-2013 min
Vita Poetica JournalThe Visceral Experience of Faith: Poet Libby Kurz in Conversation with Emily Chambers SharpeOur Interviews Editor Emily Chambers Sharpe speaks with poet Libby Kurz about her poetry, her experiences as a cardiothoracic nurse, and other influences in her writing. You can find the transcript to this interview in our Spring 2022 issue.
Libby Kurz is a writer, poet, registered nurse, and US Air Force veteran. She holds a BS in Nursing from UNC-Charlotte and an MFA in Creative Writing from National University. Her work has appeared in Ruminate, Relief Journal, Driftwood Press, and Literary Mama, among others. Her poetry was awarded first prize in the New Voices category of the Poetry...2022-05-1749 min
Vita Poetica JournalPoems by Libby Kurz & Barbara SabolLibby Kurz reads her poems, "Joy" and "Born Blind. And Barbara Sabol reads her poem, "Flare."
Libby Kurz is a writer, poet, registered nurse, and US Air Force veteran. She holds a BS in Nursing from UNC-Charlotte and an MFA in Creative Writing from National University. Her poetry chapbook, The Heart Room chronicles her experiences working as a cardiothoracic nurse in Norfolk, Virginia. She now lives in Virginia Beach and teaches poetry and trauma writing workshops for The Muse Writers Center. She’s currently at work on a memoir about violence, sexuality, and faith.
Barbara Sa...2022-05-1310 min
Vita Poetica JournalMy Slow Uncertain Journey into the Writing Life by Heather MortonHeather Morton reads her essay, "My Slow Uncertain Journey into the Writing Life: Pimps and Johns, Morals and 'Messages,' Faith, Hope, and Divine Partnership."
Heather Morton's work has appeared in Plough, Fathom Magazine, and other publications. A native Oregonian, she lives with her husband and their three children in Cheverly, Maryland. Read more of her writing at www.heatherfmorton.com.2022-05-1024 min
Vita Poetica JournalPoems by Samir Knego and Peter BanksonSamir Knego reads his poem, "Post," and Peter Bankson reads his poem, "Garlic Lover." Both are published in our Spring 2022 issue.
Samir Knego is a multidisciplinary artist and zinester. His current exhibition, The Divine - dreams of disabled gods, combines poetry and visual art and explores disability and ableism through the language and imagery of religion. When he’s not making art, Samir works in a library and listens to lots of heavy metal.
Peter Bankson has been an active Steward of Seekers Church in Washington, DC, for a long time, where he helps support th...2022-05-0606 min
Vita Poetica JournalChosen People by Ethan Ashkin StantonEthan Ashkin Stanton reads his creative nonfiction story, "Chosen People."
Ethan Ashkin Stanton is a husband, father, teacher, writer, and Jewish pantheist with a side of skepticism. He lives in San Jose, California, and studies poetry at San Francisco Creative Writing Institute.2022-05-0308 min
Vita Poetica JournalTwo Poems by Devon BalwitDevon Balwit reads her two poems from our Spring issue: "Reading Flannery O'Connor while Trapped under the Heat Dome" and "A Reading of Revelation."
Devon Balwit walks in all weather. Her most recent collections are Rubbing Shoulders with the Greats (Seven Kitchens Press 2020) and Dog-Walking in the Shadow of Pyongyang (Nixes Mate Books, 2021). For more of her poems and reviews, please visit https://pelapdx.wixsite.com/devonbalwitpoet.2022-04-2903 min
Vita Poetica JournalSpring 2022: Notes on Borrowed Wisdom by Ken HinesSeason 4 of our podcast features works from our Spring 2022 issue. Starting us off is Ken Hines, reading his poem, "Notes on Borrowed Wisdom."
A 2021 Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net nominee, Ken Hines has written poems that appear in AIOTB, Ekphrastic Review, Psaltery & Lyre, and other magazines. His poem “Driving Test” won the Third Wednesday Journal Annual Poetry Prize. All this scribbling takes place in Richmond, Virginia.2022-04-2611 min
Vita Poetica JournalArs Poetica, Obstetrics, Painting, and the Rough Draft by Sean SextonSean Sexton reads his poem, "Ars Poetica, Obstetrics, Painting, and the Rough Draft."
Sean Sexton of Indian River County, FL, divides his time between managing his family’s 700-acre cattle ranch, painting, and writing, and is author of two volumes of poetry: Blood Writing and May Darkness Restore. His third collection, Portals is due out in Autumn, 2022, from Press 53. He has performed at the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Elko, NV, the Miami Book Fair International, and High Road Poetry and Short Fiction Festival in Winston Salem, NC. He was nominated for a 2020 and 2021 Pushcart Prize and rec...2022-03-1504 min
Vita Poetica JournalPoems by Jenna K. Funkhouser & Jonathan ChanOur poetry editor reads Jenna K. Funkhouser's poem, "Falling Star, by Romare Bearden" (based on the artwork of Bearden). And Jonathan Chan reads his poem, "apophasis."
Jenna K. Funkhouser is a Pacific Northwest native, author, and poet. Her work has recently appeared in Saint Katherine Review, As It Ought To Be, and Geez Magazine.
Jonathan Chan is a writer, editor, and graduate student at Yale University. Born in New York to a Malaysian father and South Korean mother, he was raised in Singapore and educated in Cambridge, England. He is interested in questions of faith...2022-03-1104 min
Vita Poetica JournalInterview with Visual Artist Maria Eugenia FeeHospitality of the Soul: Visual designer and mental health professional Judy Ko speaks with artist Maria Eugenia Fee about art, theology, and hospitality. This excerpt of their conversation is from a video created by videographer Allen Wong.
As an artist, theologian, and educator, Maria Eugenia Fee embraces the term mestizaje to reference her bi-culture identity, a multi-ethnically rich urban upbringing, and interdisciplinary studies in art and religion. Mestizo is visually represented through the mixed-media composition of her artwork. These notions also drive her theological research explored in the upcoming book The Art of Theaster Gates and a...2022-03-0805 min
Vita Poetica JournalPoems by James Owens & Maria GiuraJames Owens reads his translation of R. M. Rilke's poem, "Soloist," and Maria Giura reads her poem, "Last Supper."
James Owens's newest book is Family Portrait with Scythe (Bottom Dog Press, 2020). His poems and translations appear widely in literary journals, including recent or upcoming publications in The Christian Century, Dappled Things, and Grain. He earned an MFA at the University of Alabama and lives in a small town in northern Ontario.
Maria Giura is the author of What My Father Taught Me (Bordighera Press) and Celibate: A Memoir (Apprentice House), which won the 2020 First Place...2022-03-0404 min
Vita Poetica JournalMade by Hand: A Meditation with Clay by Marjory Zoet BanksonMarjory Zoet Bankson leads this contemplative practice, "Made by Hand: A Meditation with Clay." Listen here on the podcast or follow along with the video on our website.
Marjory Zoet Bankson is a published author, working artist, and seasoned spiritual guide. As a skilled potter, her biodegradable burial urns have been shown in Baltimore and Washington, DC. A graduate of Radcliffe College (Harvard University), Marjory has an MA in American history from the University of Alaska and an honorary doctorate from Virginia Theological Seminary—cited for her work in lay ministry. Some of her books include Call to...2022-03-0110 min
Vita Poetica JournalPoems by James Hannon & Julie L. MooreJames Hannon reads his poem, "Satsang with Guruji," and Julie L. Moore reads her poem, "The False Prophetess Noadiah," both from our Winter 2022 issue.
James Hannon is a psychotherapist in Massachusetts, where he accompanies adolescents and adults recovering from addictions, disappointments, and deceptions. His poems have appeared in Blue Lake Review, Blue River, Cold Mountain Review, and other journals, and in Gathered: Contemporary Quaker Poets. His second collection, To My Children at Christmas, will be published in 2022 by Kelsay Books.
A Best of the Net and seven-time Pushcart Prize nominee, Julie L. Moore is the...2022-02-2505 min
Vita Poetica JournalFinding Meaning in Modernity by Cheryl SadowskiCheryl Sadowski reads her book reviews, "Finding Meaning in Modernity: Two Books about Quest." She reflects on the books Why We Are Restless: On the Modern Quest for Contentment by Benjamin Storey & Jenna Silber Storey and God, Human, Animal, Machine: Technology, Metaphor, and the Search for Meaning by Meghan O’Gieblyn.
Cheryl Sadowski writes essays and reviews from Northern Virginia, where she works in nonprofit management. Her writing explores the plain weave of everyday life with philosophy, art, literature, and the natural world. Cheryl's work has appeared in The Broadkill Review, EcoTheo, After the Art, and the Ba...2022-02-2212 min
Vita Poetica JournalTwo Poems by B.J. BuckleyB.J. Buckley reads her two poems, "Be as a ringing glass..." and "Funeral" from our Winter issue.
B.J. Buckley is a Montana poet who has worked as a teaching artist in Arts-in-Schools and Communities programs throughout the West and Midwest for over four decades. She has recent/forthcoming work in Calyx, Grub Street, Sugar House Review, and Whitefish Review.2022-02-1805 min
Vita Poetica JournalAn Ode to an Ode about Hands by Rebecca Moon RuarkRebecca Moon Ruark reads her essay, "An Ode to an Ode about Hands."
Rebecca Moon Ruark is a Catholic writer of nonfiction and fiction, a Mass cantor, and a kitchen dancer. She lives with her husband and twin sons in Maryland, where she is at work on a novel about the healing power of song.2022-02-1507 min
Vita Poetica JournalTwo Poems by Alfonso Sito SasietaAlfonso Sito Sasieta reads his two poems, "Pa' Huele" and "A Toddler's Doubt."
Alfonso “Sito” Sasieta is a caregiver, poet, dancer, and father. He lives in Maryland, outside of Washington DC, and he works in a L’Arche community where adults with and without intellectual disabilities share their lives together. Half Lutheran and half Chinese-Peruvian, he enjoys writing poems that explore the mixedness inherent in the musical, spiritual, linguistic backgrounds from each side of his family.2022-02-1106 min
Vita Poetica JournalLiving Locks by Stephen J. WallaceStephen J. Wallace reads his short story, "Living Locks," a piece of biblical historical fiction retelling the story of Sampson.
Stephen J. Wallace is a speaker and author. He says he’s a “writer trapped in an engineer’s body, or vice versa.” He enjoys writing technical articles and short stories. He recently finished his first novel, Shelter In Place, which was a finalist in the Launch Pad Manuscript Competition. His short stories have appeared in the Schuylkill Valley Journal, the Mark Literary Review, and Vita Poetica. He has lived in the Washington, DC, area for several years but o...2022-02-0833 min
Vita Poetica JournalSeason 3 Trailer: Winter 2022 IssueWelcome to the Winter 2022 issue of Vita Poetica. Here's a preview of what we have in store for you this season! The individual audio recordings accompany each piece online and are also heard in a straight audio issue you can stream on our website, www.vitapoetica.org. Exclusive to the podcast are the contributors' own introductions to their pieces and glimpses into what inspired their work. If something speaks to you, would you take a moment to share a response either by sending a voice message here, leaving a comment on Facebook or Instagram, or sending a note to h...2022-01-3102 min
Vita Poetica JournalPoems by Susan Delaney Spear & Jeremy SzuderSusan Delaney Spear reads "A Protestant Attends a Funeral Mass," and Jeremy Szuder reads "Find Yourself" and "Easter Fools."
Susan Delaney Spear is an Associate Professor of English at Colorado Christian University. She is the author of Beyond All Bearing, a collection of poems, and co-author of Learning the Secrets of English Verse, a creative writing/poetry textbook. You can find her at susandelaneyspear.com.
Jeremy Szuder has spent 15 years as a musician and graphic designer, 25 years self-publishing Zines, 10 years deejaying, and continues to have illustrations and poems published by fine art and literary publications...2021-11-1909 min
Vita Poetica JournalMoving Meditation by Emily WrightDancer Emily Wright introduces us to moving meditation as a contemplative practice. You can also join her in creative exploration through movement in the video from our Autumn 2021 issue (scroll all the way down to find the video at the bottom of the page linked).
Based in Charlottesville, VA, Emily Wright is a dancer, movement educator, and author with a passion for the transformative power of dance. An experienced teacher of dance for all ages and a scholar with numerous publications, Emily is available for workshops, master classes, lectures, writing, commissions, and consultation. She offers an online...2021-11-1605 min
Vita Poetica JournalTwo Poems by Fiona Vigo MarshallFiona Vigo Marshall reads her poems, "Blue Orchids" and "The Sailors' Church."
Fiona Vigo Marshall’s poems have been published in a variety of outlets including Aesthetica, Ambit, Orbis, and Theology Journal. Her short story “The Street of Baths” won the V.S. Pritchett Memorial Prize 2016, and her story “The Marvellous Book,” Phantom Drift 2017, was nominated for the Pushcart Prize. Her novel Find Me Falling is published by Fairlight Books, Oxford, 2019, and her second novel, The House of Marvellous Books, is published by Fairlight Books, spring 2022.2021-11-1203 min
Vita Poetica JournalA Conversation with Dancer Emily WrightOur Interviews Editor, Emily Chambers Sharpe, speaks with dancer Emily Wright about dance as a heightened form of attention and a vehicle for making meaning together. A transcript of their conversation, as well as a Moving Meditation from Emily Wright, can be found in our Autumn 2021 issue.
Based in Charlottesville, VA, Emily Wright is a dancer, movement educator, and author with a passion for the transformative power of dance. An experienced teacher of dance for all ages and a scholar with numerous publications, Emily is available for workshops, master classes, lectures, writing, commissions, and consultation. She offers...2021-11-0949 min
Vita Poetica JournalPoems by Jacqueline Wallen & Kate MaxwellJacqueline Wallen reads "Naaman Hits Bottom," and Kate Maxwell reads "Her Abundance," both poems from our Autumn 2021 issue.
Jacqueline Wallen is a clinical social worker with a practice of psychotherapy and an Associate Professor Emerita in the Department of Family Science, School of Public Health, University of Maryland, College Park.
Kate Maxwell has been published in Australian and International literary magazines. Kate’s interests include film, wine, and sleeping. Her first poetry anthology, Never Good at Maths, is published with Interactive Publications, Brisbane.
2021-11-0505 min
Vita Poetica JournalThe Children of the Sun Begin to Wake by Chad HolleyChad Holley reads his short story, "The Children of the Sun Begin to Wake."
Chad Holley lives in Los Angeles, where he is completing a novel and a collection of stories. His work has appeared in, among other places, Shenandoah, storySouth, Greensboro Review, and Houghton Mifflin's Best American Mystery Stories.2021-11-0214 min
Vita Poetica JournalTwo Poems by Ed MeekEd Meek reads his poems "Passing Away" and "In the Forest" from our Autumn 2021 issue.
Ed Meek has had poems in The Baltimore Review, The Sun, and The Paris Review. His new book, High Tide, came out last September.2021-10-2903 min
Vita Poetica JournalWood Heat by Basira HarpsterBasira Harpster reads her personal essay, "Wood Heat," from our Autumn 2021 issue.
Basira Harpster is a speech therapist, writer, and gardener in the foothills of Virginia’s Blue Ridge mountains. Her poetry appears in Sows’ Ear Poetry Review. She’s currently working on short personal essays and has a memoir in progress.2021-10-2609 min
Vita Poetica JournalSeason 2 Trailer (Autumn 2021 Issue)The Vita Poetica Journal's Autumn 2021 issue is out! Here's a preview of what we have in store for you this season. You can also head to our website to see the full issue, including visual art and videos, and to stream the straight audio issue.2021-10-1802 min
Vita Poetica JournalThe Visual Art of Jennifer Anne Moses & "Jonah" by Jeff BurtWe introduce the visual art of Jennifer Anne Moses, who has three paintings featured in our Summer issue. And hear Jeff Burt read his poem, "Jonah."
This is our last episode of this podcast season. We'll be back in October with our Fall issue and a new season of the Journal podcast. If you'd like to submit work to the journal, please visit our website, where you can find submission guidelines and read past issues.
Jennifer Anne Moses is a writer and self-taught artist. Both her visual and written work is informed by the many ye...2021-08-3105 min
Vita Poetica JournalPoems by L. Ward Abel & Kathleen GuntonL. Ward Abel reads "Cradle the Easter Wind," and Kathleen Gunton reads two centos: "Love's Radiant Play" and "Putting Words Next to Silence." All of the poems can be found in our Summer issue.
L. Ward Abel’s work has appeared in Rattle, The Reader, The Istanbul Review, The Worcester Review, The Honest Ulsterman, hundreds of others, and he is the author of three full collections and ten chapbooks of poetry, including Jonesing For Byzantium (UKA Press, 2006), American Bruise (Parallel Press, 2012), Little Town gods (Folded Word Press, 2016), A Jerusalem of Ponds (erbacce-Press, 2016), The Rainflock Sings Again (Unsolicited Pr...2021-08-2707 min
Vita Poetica JournalTwo Poems by Jeannine PitasJeannine Marie Pitas reads her poems, "The river that cuts a country in two" and "During the Sixth Extinction," from the Summer issue of our journal.
Jeannine Marie Pitas is a teacher, writer, and Spanish-English literary translator living in Iowa, where she teaches at the University of Dubuque. Her first poetry collection, Things Seen and Unseen, was published by Mosaic Press in 2019. Her favorite poets include Wislawa Szymborska, Zbigniew Herbert, and Delmira Agustini.2021-08-2407 min
Vita Poetica JournalPoems by Karen Neuberg & Mark J. MitchellKaren Neuberg reads her poem "The Beginning in My Hands," and Mark J. Mitchell reads his poems "Secular Comedy" and "He Attempts to Explain His Religion." All poems can be found in the Summer issue of our journal.
Karen Neuberg is a Brooklyn, NY,-based poet. She is the author of the full-length poetry collection, PURSUIT (Kelsay Press, 2019) and the chapbook, the elephants are asking (Glass Lyre, 2017). She holds an MFA from the New School and is associate editor of the online poetry journal First Literary Review-East.
Mark J. Mitchell has been a working poet...2021-08-2005 min
Vita Poetica JournalA Daily Examen for Living as an Anti-Racist PersonThis episode features a contemplative prayer practice known as the "daily examen." Written by Vernée Wilkinson and Ted Wueste, and led by Rev. Mary Amendolia Gardner, "The Daily Examen for Living as an Anti-Racist Person" is published in the Contemplative Practice section of our Summer issue. This guided meditation lasts 10-15 minutes, with silences between steps. It is best listened to in a quiet place, perhaps with a journal to record your thoughts.
Vernée Wilkinson is a spiritual director and nonprofit communications consultant. Dr. Ted Wueste has served in ministry for almost 30 years, with 22 of th...2021-08-1713 min
Vita Poetica JournalPoems by Rachel Grandey & James OwensRachel Grandey reads "Morning Anointing," and James Owens reads "The Desert Prophets" and "Father to Son" -- all available in our journal's Summer issue.
Rachel, originally from Northeast England, studied literature, linguistics, and anthropology before moving to Southeast Asia to teach English. She enjoys sea-gazing, bird-watching, tea-drinking, and early morning forest-exploring. Her proudest literary achievement to date is winning a signed Manchester United football in a poetry competition at the age of fourteen.
James Owens's most recent book is Family Portrait with Scythe (Bottom Dog Press, 2020). New poems have appeared, or are forthcoming, in Grain...2021-08-1304 min
Vita Poetica JournalA Conversation with Poet Edward A. DoughertyInterviews Editor Emily Chambers Sharpe speaks with Edward A. Dougherty about the role of the imagination in the work of social justice; moral engagement as both a spiritual and a creative practice; and his most recent book, a collection of essays titled Journey Work: Crafting a Life of Poetry and Spirit (Apprentice House Press, March 2021). A transcript of this interview can also be found in our Summer issue online.
Edward A. Dougherty earned his MFA from Bowling Green State University. In addition to his 11 collections of poetry, he’s been poetry editor at the Mid-American Review, a co...2021-08-1038 min
Vita Poetica JournalPoems by Rose Knapp and Gerard SarnatPoetry Editor Maggie Swofford reads "Rave Haiku" by Rose Knapp, and Gerard Sarnat reads his two poems, "Far Out Space Capsule Hygiene to Avoid Primal Screams" and "Mudita." All of these poems can be found in our Summer issue.
Rose Knapp (she/they) is a poet and electronic producer. She has publications in Lotus-Eater, Bombay Gin, BlazeVOX, Hotel Amerika, Fence Books, Obsidian, Gargoyle, and others. She has poetry collections published with Hesterglock Press and Dostoyevsky Wannabe. She lives in Minneapolis. Find her at roseknapp.net and on Twitter @Rose_Siyaniye.
Gerard Sarnat, MD, has won...2021-08-0604 min
Vita Poetica JournalA "Slackness of the Soul" by Nicole M. RoccasNicole M. Roccas reads her essay, "A 'Slackness of the Soul': Finding Hope in the Existential Time Warp of Acedia."
Nicole M. Roccas is an author and communications professional who writes on matters of faith and spiritual struggle. She lives in the Toronto area and has a PhD in History. Find her on Instagram (@nicoleroccas) and her website (www.nicoleroccas.com).2021-08-0312 min
Vita Poetica JournalPoems by Laurie Klein and Matthew J. AndrewsLaurie Klein reads "Eavesdropping on Absence," and Matthew J. Andrews reads "Whole and Entire" from our Summer issue.
Laurie Klein is the author of Where the Sky Opens (Poeima/Cascade). A multiple Pushcart nominee and Merton Prize-winner, she lives in the Pacific Northwest. You can see photos of the bowl that inspired Laurie's poem on Vita Poetica's Instagram account or Facebook page, and read more about the bowl on Laurie's blog.
Matthew J. Andrews is a private investigator and writer whose poetry has appeared or is forthcoming in Orange Blossom Review, Funicular Magazine, and EcoTheo...2021-07-2906 min
Vita Poetica JournalOn Temporal Tranquility by Cheryl SadowskiOur Reviews Editor, Lila Stiff, reads Cheryl Sadowski's piece, "On Temporal Tranquility," a review of the book Breaking Bread with the Dead: A Reader's Guide to a More Tranquil Mind by Alan Jacobs.
Cheryl Sadowski writes creative nonfiction from Northern Virginia, where she works in nonprofit management. Her writing explores memory, time, natural and cultural landscapes. Cheryl's work has appeared in The Broadkill Review, EcoTheo Review, After the Art, and the 2020 Bay to Ocean Anthology. Follow Cheryl's words and pictures on Instagram and Twitter @cherylsadowski.2021-07-2709 min
Vita Poetica JournalTwo Poems by Lauren K. CarlsonLauren K. Carlson reads two poems: "Prayer" and "God Not Only Did I Walk." Lauren lives in northern lower Michigan and is the author of the chapbook Animals I Have Killed. A graduate of the Warren Wilson Program for Writers, you can find more of her work in Fatal Flaw Literary Magazine, Amethyst Review, Pirene's Fountain, and Pleiades: Literature in Context (among others). For more see www.laurenkcarlson.com.2021-07-2304 min
Vita Poetica JournalHistory Lessons by Jeannine Marie PitasJeannine Marie Pitas reads her nonfiction piece, "History Lessons." Jeannine is a teacher, writer, and Spanish-English literary translator living in Iowa, where she teaches at the University of Dubuque. Her first poetry collection, Things Seen and Unseen, was published by Mosaic Press in 2019. Her favorite poets include Wislawa Szymborska, Zbigniew Herbert, and Delmira Agustini.2021-07-2011 minVita Poetica JournalPodcast TrailerIntroducing the Vita Poetica Journal Podcast2021-07-1402 min
Eugenio MontaleEugenio Montale: vita, poetica e "Ossi di seppia"Eugenio Montale: vita, poetica e "Ossi di seppia"Diventa un supporter di questo podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/eugenio-montale--3294572/support.2012-08-0127 min
Giovanni PascoliGiovanni Pascoli: vita, poetica e politicaGiovanni Pascoli: vita, poetica e politica2012-08-0140 min