Speak to yourself like a coach, not a victim like you’re teaching lightning how to remember its own name. Tell your legs to rise even if they’re shaking, because even earthquakes are just the earth deciding It’s done staying still.

these jokes are old and getting older my humor gets worse as I grow taller touching doorframes on my tiptoes slipping underwater in a summer stream

Carolina blue arrives before the sun fully wakes, resting itself over rooftops and telephone wires, over the slow hush of buses breathing at red lights, over students carrying entire worlds inside their backpacks.

The world is big And we are small But we can make changes

Lined up for vampire service. That’s how I think of it. Today I’m not the one, but my husband is in line to feel the sting of the vampire’s teeth in the form of a steel needle.

North Carolina is home to poets both past and present worth your attention if you haven’t read them yet. We are taking a closer look at key poets in our state’s history and talking about why you need to check them out. Then, we’ll introduce some current big players in the state’s poetry scene and where you can find them when they’re not at their desks writing more verse for us to enjoy.