Every morning I read poetry, mostly from contemporaries whose books I pick up at readings around New York City. I belong to brevitas, an online poetry community where poets share a short poem twice a month. That drives me to produce submittable poems on a year-round basis, as does my “Lenten sacrifice.” For the past five years, I made a pledge to write daily from Ash Wednesday through the end of April. From the dozens of poems I draft and develop during the year, a few sparkle, which makes the process a positive one. I’m constantly seeking out new themes and inspiration—from news articles, memory, my life. A daily visit to Facebook is a must, as I find my poetry community there super supportive. It’s an optimal resource for events, calls for poetry, articles, and literary news in general. A few nights a week, I attend readings to support fellow poets and read in open mics. I make a point to document the events with photos and captions on Facebook and Twitter.
About The Poet
Amy Barone’s latest poetry collection, We Became Summer, from New York Quarterly Books, was released in early 2018. She wrote chapbooks Kamikaze Dance (Finishing Line Press) and Views from the Driveway (Foothills Publishing.) Barone’s poetry has appeared in Café Review, Live Mag!, Paterson Literary Review, Sensitive Skin, and Standpoint (UK), among other publications. She belongs to PEN America Center. From Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, Barone lives in New York City. Twitter: @AmyBBarone
Upcoming Events
Reading at NeuroNautic Institute hosted by Matthew Hupert with co-features Anton Yakovlev and Gabriel Don at the KGB Bar Red Room (85 East Fourth Street, NY, NY 10003) on Thursday, August 23, at 7 p.m.