Contributions
- Three Poems by Jonathan Fletcher
Read three poems by poet Jonathan Fletcher, our first of six biweekly poets of the Spring 2025 issue, along with a few words about the poem “When Easter Fell on the Same Date as Transgender Day of Visibility”.
About the Contributor
Jonathan Fletcher holds a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from Columbia University School of the Arts. His work has been featured in numerous literary journals and magazines, and he has won or placed in various literary contests. A Pushcart Prize, Best of the Net, and Best Microfiction nominee, he won Northwestern University Press’s Drinking Gourd Chapbook Poetry Prize contest in 2023, for which his debut chapbook, This is My Body, was published in 2025. Currently, he serves as a Zoeglossia Fellow and lives in San Antonio, Texas.
Chapbook
This is My Body (Northwestern University Press, 2025)
This Is My Body readily and unapologetically examines issues of race and ethnicity, ancestry and community, mental illness and recovery, queer sexuality and identity, and the body and disability. Traditionally religious language and hopeful imagery abound; so, too, do their spiritual antagonists: doubt, loss, isolation, and despair. But even in the darkest moments of a troubled inner life, insight and triumph intervene and sometimes even linger. An intimate exploration of the human experience, this debut collection proves itself more than the sum of its interior encounters—however revelatory or transformative any one given experience might be. It is a timely and necessary exercise in faith.
Winner of the 2023 Drinking Gourd Chapbook Poetry Prize.
Recent Work
- Jonathan Fletcher (Interview, Alphabet Box)
- “No X-Men in LA” and “Missing Rehoboth” (Poetry, The Write Launch)
- “Aubade” (Poetry, Gnashing Teeth Publishing)
- “Madre” (Poetry, -ette review)
- “How Catholic Are Even My Genes!” and “Fall” (Poetry, Unleash Lit)
Contributor Q & A
What do you want readers to know about your life?
Though 41, I feel like I'm just really starting my literary career (I started a Master of Fine Arts of Creative Writing after several years in education/the nonprofit sector). Whether in terms of more books, fellowships, residencies, or literary prizes, I'm excited to see what the future holds for me.
How long have you been a writer and how did you get started?
I've been writing creatively most of my life, but I only got back into it seriously in 2013, after a mental health crisis. Though my recovery took a long time, writing remained a positive constant in my life. Regardless of whether my future holds more literary successes, I am proud of the progress I've made as a writer and consider myself lucky in that I am able to pursue what I love. Any additional accolades are just icing on the cake.
What’s an accomplishment in your writing life that you’re proud of and a goal that you still have?
The accomplishment of which I am most proud is winning a first book contest (Northwestern University Press's 2024 Drinking Gourd Chapbook Prize)
An accomplishment I hope to achieve someday is a first book contest for a full-length collection.
What do you look for in a book? Who are your favorite writers?
When I am reading any given collection of poetry, I ask myself, "Does this book know it's a book or does it feel like it's a mere collection of poems?" If the latter, I'm less likely to pick up another work by the same author.
My favorite writers include Tiana Clark, Richie Hoffman, Natalie Shapero, Michael Chang, and Carl Phillips.
Contents
Book Excerpt: The Prize of Québec by Jennifer Nelson
“I tend to lean into the transconstitutory powers of ekphrasis. … Only in poetry can one go to the moon in a way that critiques the quest for the moon.” Read a poem from Jennifer Nelson’s new collection from Fence Books, On the Way to the Paintings of Forest Robberies.
Chapbook Poem: This Is How They Teach Us How to Want It . . . by Shanta Lee
“This poem explores the levels of our participation in handing ourselves over, often to the people, places, or things that deserve no such delight.” Read a #poem from Shanta Lee’s new book from Harbor Editions, This Is How They Teach Us How to Want It . . . The Slaughter.
Three Poems by Jonathan Fletcher
“Instead of having to choose between religion or the LGBTQ community (which I know many member of the latter feel they have to do), I think it is possible (and maybe even biblical) to integrate both into one’s life.” Read three original poems from Jonathan Fletcher, along with words from the author.
What Happened? On You are Leaving the American Sector by Rebecca Foust
“Rebecca Foust’s new chapbook of poems has a strange prescience. … Foust isn’t alone in making the obvious connection between Trump’s first term and Orwell’s dystopia.” Read the full chapbook review by new contributor Rick Mullin.
‘What if we started creating together? What if we looked at who we are from the side and saw a much more complete and honest perspective?” Read four poems by poet Sarah E N Kohrs, along with words from the poet.
Book Excerpt: Challenger by Colleen S. Harris
“If we look beyond the voyeuristic tendency to focus on the tragedy, what might we see? This poem was a chance for me to zoom in on the calm before the storm.” New poem from Colleen S. Harris’s new book from Main Street Rag, The Light Becomes Us, along with words from the poet.
Chapbook Poem: What I Did This Summer by Elinor Serumgard
“I love New Year’s and the promise of a new start, but I like to remind myself that you can start fresh at any point throughout the year.” New poem from Elinor Serumgard’s chapbook from Bottlecap Press, Analogous Annum, along with words from the poet.
Four Poems by Christa Fairbrother
“Since women aren’t allowed the power of our anger, we take it out on each other, and that’s what this poem is hinting at.” Read four poems by Christa Fairbrother, along with words from the poet.
Multilingualism and Metaphor: On Desire/Halves by Jaia Hamid Bashir
“Bashir’s elegant debut collection investigates identity as the result of choices between individual appetites and cultural frames. … [It] announces an exciting addition to the global chorus of contemporary literature.” Read D.W. Baker’s full review.
Five Poems by Jane Ellen Glasser
“In my fantasy world, I would be able to communicate with the animals I see every day.” Read five naturalist poems by poet Jane Ellen Glasser, along with a few words from the poet.