Link Round-Up 2

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Holy wow, it’s been another great week in poetry! Take a look at some of the newest poems, essays, and lists floating around the internet:

Literary Juneteenth (or Why I Left the Offing) – This piece technically came out last week, but it is too important and too well-written to not feature. Casey Rocheteau explores some of the racial inequities and specific instances of ignorance that led her to leave the Offing. Intention can only take you so far, especially as an editor working for a magazine that seeks to uplift and empower marginalized voices.

“It Doesn’t Feel Like a Time to Write” – Button author Danez Smith, back at it again with the evocative, urgent poems. He presents readers with an honest portrait of exhaustion, of how a continual state of mourning and fear wears on black people in America. An especially important piece for those whose reaction to the murder of unarmed black people is to insist on more information, more calm reason from affected communities, more, more, more.

Three Poems by Rachel McKibbens – If you know Rachel’s work, you know she has two full-length collections and one chapbook already published (Pink Elephant, Into the Dark and Emptying Field, and Mammoth), and you are probably waiting anxiously for a third book. Here are a few poems from her third manuscript, published in Vinyl earlier this week. These poems vibrate with elegantly depicted pain, never melodramatic, but clear and tightly constructed.

Poetry Foundation Launches Poetry Incubator – Applications are open until June 1st for the first ever Poetry Incubator and Chicago Poetry Block Party. This is a three-day program meant to encourage professional development and collaboration for poets engaged with their communities. The weekend ends with a block party celebrating poetry, community, and Chicago. This is open to writers across the country, so get those applications in!

SPIT POET! 5 Poetry Collectives You Should Know – Taylor Steele, an amazing poet herself, is also writing a column highlighting emerging writers you should know about. In this piece, we get introduced to five poetry collectives, including Dark Noise and divine fabrics, two groups that include Button authors, Danez Smith and Aziza Barnes respectively. You get collective information, poems and interviews, everything you need to develop your love of these incredible talents.

DOGBYTES INTERVIEW: Camille Rankine – Author of Incorrect Merciful Impulses, (Copper Canyon Press 2016), Camille Rankine is interviewed in a new blog project from Cave Canem, an esteemed writing retreat for African-American writers. The interview covers her thoughts on the place of social justice in poetry, book recommendations, and the secret to driving in the snow.

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Anna Binkovitz is a poet and Button staffer living in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She loves pizza, red wine, and honest writing with a lyrical twist.

Best of Button Week 65

Kate Hao Kristen Sze-Tu Yet Still Best of Button

“Single, female, 20-years-old. Looking for a man who likes a girl who…doesn’t really…look…like me.”

Don’t miss this week’s Best of Button playlist, featuring the top-viewed recent videos on the Button YouTube Channel. Today’s additions: Hanif Abdurraqib, Adam Hamze, Kate Hao & Kristen Sze-Tu. Congratulations poets!

Make sure to check out our books and merchandise in the Button Store, including Hanif’s new book!

Link Round-Up

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Hi, hello and welcome to the new Button Poetry weekly link round-up! We’ll be scouring the internet, finding the coolest news in poetry, spoken word, and the Minneapolis-Saint Paul literary world. As we kick things off, it’s impossible to miss the fact that we are now a month out from losing the Purple One, Prince. We’d like to dedicate this week’s post to him, featuring some great content speaking to his legacy.

The Night Prince Walked On Water – Last month over at MTV, Button author Hanif Abdurraqib decided to bless us with this tribute to Prince, and his famous half-time performance.

Purple Elegy – Featured in the Paris Review, this striking, concentrated elegy by Rowan Ricardo Phillips bridges the space between the music of Prince and the music of the page.

The Poetry Gods – This is a new project created by Jon Sands, Jose Olivarez, and Button author Aziza Barnes. While every single episode is the coolest party you’ve ever dreamed of being invited to, we especially recommend listening to Episode 5, featuring Josh Bennett and some reflections on the poetics of physics.

Lit Crawl MN – A special heads-up to our Twin Cities dwellers! On June 4th, the first ever Lit Crawl MN will be taking place in various Minneapolis venues. Expect shenanigans from Coffeehouse Press, The Loft Literary Center, and our dear friends in performance poetry, Wordsprout. And that is just the beginning!

Lessons From Indie Poetry Presses: Poetry 2016 – Button was honored with a shout-out in this article discussing the special challenges and opportunities of running a small press. Not only do you get to hear from our editor, Michael Mlekoday, you can also learn about other great presses out there and the amazing artists they work with.

These Are the Biggest Misconceptions About College Women – In case you didn’t know, Button YouTube regular Crystal Valentine is amazing. She was named one of Glamour’s “College Women of the Year.” Here is a piece in which Crystal and some other amazing young women speak to their experiences as students, activists, and awesome people.

Slam Camp: A Performance Poetry Intensive – Are you or do you know a poet in high school? Then do yourselves and them favor and take a look at this summer camp. Run by Button author Sierra DeMulder and Adam Henze, this camp gives young writers a chance to work with some of the best poets in the game; Melissa Lozada-Oliva, Hieu Nguyen, G Yamazawa, and more!

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Anna Binkovitz is a poet and Button staffer living in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She loves pizza, red wine, and honest writing with a lyrical twist.

Best of Button Week 64

Jamie Mortara Best of Button

“Too many people have claimed they can read me like a book and then they went and put me on a shelf.”

Don’t miss this week’s Best of Button playlist, featuring the top-viewed recent videos on the Button YouTube Channel. Today’s additions: Jamie Mortara & Jon Ratz. Congratulations poets!

Make sure to check out our books and merchandise in the Button Store!

Best of Button Week 63

Franny Choi Peter Liang Best of Button

“I will not mourn that justice was served to you, I will only keep demanding that the white versions of you get what you got.”

Don’t miss this week’s Best of Button playlist, featuring the top-viewed recent videos on the Button YouTube Channel. Today’s additions: Franny Choi, Elizabeth Acevedo & Jasmine Bell. Congratulations poets!

Make sure to check out our books and merchandise in the Button Store!

Theresa Davis – “Like Like” (Happy Mother’s Day!)

Theresa Mother's Day

“I am so full of hope. I am just like my son.”

Happy Mother’s Day from all of us here at Button, to all the moms on our channel, in our audience, and everywhere. In honor of those moms, check out this lovely poem from Theresa Davis.

Denice Frohman – “Dear Straight People” (2M Views!)

Denice 2 Million Website

“I don’t like closets, but you made the living room an unshared space and now I’m feeling like a guest in my own house.”

Congratulations to Denice Frohman on topping 2,000,000 views on YouTube! It’s been just over three years since this poem became the first viral video on the Button channel. Check out more of Denice’s work here and here.

Make sure to check out our books and merch in the Button Store, including books by Danez Smith, Neil Hilborn, Sierra DeMulder, and more!