Sarah Ogutu – “After the Storm” (CUPSI 2016)

Performing at the 2016 College Unions Poetry Slam Invitational

“Depression was the storm, but my name
was the home my family gave me to survive it.”
Don’t miss this powerful poem from Sarah Ogutu, performing for the University of Minnesota during prelims at the 2016 College Unions Poetry Slam Invitational.
While you’re here, head over to the Button store to check out our books and merch, including Button t-shirts (on sale for the start of summer!) in both female and unisex cuts, and books by many of your favorite Button artists.

Shay Alexi Stewart – “Song of the Prettybird” (CUPSI 2016)

Performing at the 2016 College Unions Poetry Slam Invitational

“My left side is my best side. I have a best side.
I have a better half. I am a half.”
Don’t miss this excellent poem from Shay Alexi Stewart, performing for Ball State University as part of the “Best of the Rest” showcase at the 2016 College Unions Poetry Slam Invitational finals.
While you’re here, head over to the Button store to check out our books and merch, including Button t-shirts (on sale for the start of summer!) in both female and unisex cuts, and books by many of your favorite Button artists.

Hanif Abdurraqib – “With Each Passing Year”

“With each passing year, the list of animals I could outrun becomes smaller and smaller.”

Check out this amazing new poem from forthcoming Button author Hanif Abdurraqib, performing during the Button Poetry/YesYes Books showcase at AWP 2015.

While you’re here, head over to the Button store to check out our books and t-shirts, including Hanif’s brilliant new book.

Arati Warrier & Ariana Brown – “Anger”

“Glory be the castle that refuses to burn.”

Check out this stunning new poem from Arati Warrier & Ariana Brown, performing for UT Austin at the College Unions Poetry Slam Invitational.

While you’re here, head over to the Button store to check out our books and t-shirts, including a brilliant book by Sam Sax, coach of the UT Austin team.

Dylan Book Interview

<b>Book description: </b>The poems in “Blueprints” investigate love, invention, creation, and the act of writing itself, positioning the reader as not just audience, but artist as well. “Blueprints” is Dylan Garity’s second chapbook, and contains poems from his senior honors thesis for Macalester College.

<b>Adverbs:</b> Tomorrow. Often upstairs. Home, accidentally.
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<div><b>Why this book? </b>”Blueprints” is the culmination of almost four years of writing. This isn’t to say that there are four years of writing contained in the book; rather, I wrote all of these poems over the course of the last year. But this collection really brings together and builds on all the work I’ve been doing as a writer for much longer. I reached the point where I needed to create something unified, something cohesive, as opposed to just a scattering of individual pieces. “Blueprints” allowed me to create new work with a focus, work that explored my entire history as a writer, while simultaneously pushing me somewhere new.</div>
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<div><b>Soundtrack: </b></div>
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<div>Tallest Man on Earth – “The Gardener”</div>
<div>Bob Dylan – “Girl from the North Country”</div>
<div>Bright Eyes – “Nothing Gets Crossed Out”</div>
<div>Simon and Garfunkel – “Blues Run the Game”</div>
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<div><b>Cardigan: </b>I tried to wear a cardigan once, and I didn’t like it. But I like my book.</div>
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<div><b>My own question: </b>What’s your favorite poem in the collection?

Probably “Hanging Gardeners”. I feel like, with this poem, I’ve finally succeeded in something I’ve been trying to do in my poetry for a long time: move smoothly between multiple stories/narratives/scenes without losing momentum or direction in the overall piece.</div>