Mickie Kennedy

Mickie Kennedy is a gay writer who resides in Baltimore County, Maryland. His work has appeared or is forthcoming in POETRY, The Threepenny Review, The Southern Review, The Sun and elsewhere. His first book of poetry Worth Burning will be published by Black Lawrence Press in February 2026. His Button Poetry Chapbook Prize winning collection, Glandscapes, will be available in Fall 2025. Follow him on social media @MickiePoet or his website mickiekennedy.com.

It’s Publication Day for WASH!

It’s Publication Day for WASH!

Grab a copy of Ebony Stewart’s book.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Ebony Stewart’s third collection is uncompromising and emotionally raw. 

Through trauma and recovery, black girlhood comes of age in WASH, journeying through moments of self-discovery, mental illness, love and heartbreak. Stewart reckons traditional definitions of womxnhood, exploring its complications, its communities, and its queerness.

WASH brutally dissects black womxnhood for all its blood, beauty, sacrifice and strength. With Stewart’s distinct, lyrical voice, WASH is sure to be a collection that will bring you to tears and brighten your day in the same breath.

ABOUT EBONY

Ebony Stewart, most fondly known as Eb or Gully, is an author and international touring interdisciplinary artivist. As a Black womxn writer and performance artist, Ebony Stewart harnesses the power of creativity to explore and challenge societal norms, personal identity, and the intersectionality of her experiences. With a spellbinding blend of storytelling, verbal fitness, and raw emotion, she captivates audiences, inviting them into a world where vulnerability becomes strength and authenticity reigns supreme.

She is the author of BloodFreshHome.Girl.Hood., and Love Letters to Balled Fists. Her work has been featured in Button Poetry, AfroPunk, For Harriet, Teen Vogue, The Texas Observer, Houston Public Media, The BreakBeat Poets Vol. 2: Black Girl Magic, 2021 Colorism Healing Writing Contest, Write About Now Poetry, plus countless others. Her voice-over work in commercials and films such as, Red Wing, Gulf Coast Love Story, and Black Girls: A Never Whisper Justice documentary has earned her recognition as a skilled and versatile artist.

Drawing from her own lived experiences as a woman of color, Ebony delves fearlessly into themes of race, gender, and social justice, using her art as a platform for empowerment and change. Through her poetry, she confronts uncomfortable truths, amplifies marginalized voices, and celebrates the resilience of Black womanhood.

Ebony is also a mental health advocate, consultant, and former sexual health educator who is seen in the community as the hood’s favorite mental health specialist.

As one of the most decorated poets in Texas, Ebony is a respected coach & mentor, one of the top touring poets in the country, and the 2017 Woman of the World Poetry Slam Champion. She has shared stages with many prestigious figures in the artist world such as, the late-Amiri Baraka, Carmen Carerra, Marsha Ambrosius, Patricia Smith, Rudy Francisco, Ariana Brown, Lupe Mendez, and so many more. She has performed in 49 states, at over 200 colleges and universities across the country, as has featured internationally in Canada, Australia, Ghana, and Norway.

As a playwright, Ebony’s one woman shows, Hunger and Ocean, have received B. Iden Payne Awards & the David Mark Cohen New Play Award. Her work transcends boundaries, seamlessly blending elements of theater, spoken word, and visual art to create immersive experiences that challenge, provoke, and inspire. From intimate solo pieces to collaborative multimedia projects, Ebony Stewart fearlessly navigates the complexities of the human experience, inviting audiences to engage in dialogue and reflection long after the curtains fall.

With a unique voice and an unwavering commitment to originality, Ebony Stewart continues to push the boundaries of performance art, using her platform to uplift, educate, and ignite meaningful change in the world.

SHOP EBONY!

Rudy Francisco – On Days Like This

Performed at Queen Bee’s Art and Cultural Center in San Diego, CA

“I know a few things about forgiving. It’s harder than it looks but it feels a lot better than it sounds.”

Don’t miss this poem from Rudy Francisco, performing at Queen Bee’s Art and Cultural Center in San Diego, CA

Get Rudy’s book, Excuse Me As I Kiss The Sky.

Junious ‘Jay’ Ward – Dog

Performed at IWPS 2015

“You will either play fetch with this money or be thrown into your crate and that is a metaphor.”

Don’t miss this poem from Junious ‘Jay’ Ward, performing at IWPS 2015

Get Jay’s book, Composition.

Rudy Francisco – Your God

Performed at IWPS 2015

“Sooner or later you will realize that you are praying to your own shadow; that you are standing in front of mirrors and are worshipping your own reflection.”

Don’t miss this poem from Rudy Francisco, performing at IWPS 2015

Get Rudy’s book, Excuse Me As I Kiss The Sky.

Junious ‘Jay’ Ward – Grandmother

Performed at IWPS 2015

“I know what it means to embrace a blossom of angles that is both delicate and difficult.”

Don’t miss this poem from Junious ‘Jay’ Ward, performing at IWPS 2015

Get Jay’s book, Composition.

Siaara Freeman – Bebe’s Kids

Performed at Rustbelt 2015

“No breaking things and putting them back together like nothing happened. This includes yourself.”

Don’t miss this poem from Siaara Freeman Bebe’s Kids, performing at Rustbelt 2015

Get Siaara’s book, Urbanshee.

Rudy Francisco – A Letter to the Apocalypse

Performed at IWPS 2015

“I’m not saying you should end the world, but you could at least knock over a mailbox.”

Don’t miss this poem from Rudy Francisco, performing at IWPS 2015

Get Rudy’s book, Excuse Me As I Kiss The Sky.

Aaron Coleman – St. Inside and Not

Performed at Camp Bar in St. Paul, MN

“Being bit nickel never trusted, being Runaway share crop or castrated burned away in pieces”

Don’t miss this poem from Aaron Coleman, performing at Camp Bar in St. Paul, MN

Shop Button Poetry.

Clint Smith – When People Say ‘We Have Made It Through Worse Before’

Performed at The Bell House in Brooklyn, NY

“There is no solace in rearranging language to make a different word tell the same lie.”

Don’t miss this poem from Clint Smith, performing at The Bell House in Brooklyn, NY

Get Button Poetry’s book, Counting Descent.