“To be queer and Black is to walk out of the closet into a casket.”
Don’t miss this remarkable poem from Donte Collins, featuring at his book release party at Honey in Minneapolis. Get your copy of Donte’s book, AUTOPSY.
While you’re here, head over to the Button store to check out our books and merch, Olivia Gatwood, Hanif Abdurraqib, William Evans, Guante, Rachel Wiley, Neil Hilborn, & our newest release from Phil Kaye!
“They would have found dandelion seeds had they done the autopsy. They would have found a field burning lavender had they cut her open”
Don’t miss this marvelous poem from Donte Collins, featuring at his book release party at Honey in Minneapolis. Get your copy of Donte’s book, AUTOPSY.
While you’re here, head over to the Button store to check out our books and merch, Olivia Gatwood, Hanif Abdurraqib, Donte Collins, Sabrina Benaim, Melissa Lozada-Oliva, William Evans, Guante, Rachel Wiley, & our newest release from Neil Hilborn!
Performing at Icehouse in Minneapolis.
“Mom, don’t you know your bones are greedy moons, tugging at the sea of my blood?”
Don’t miss this remarkable poem by Donte Collins, performing at Sabrina Benaim‘s book release at Icehouse in Minneapolis.
Check out Donte’s amazing book, AUTOPSY, named one of NPR’s Best Books of 2017!
While you’re here, head over to the Button store to check out all our books and merch, including books by Neil Hilborn, Danez Smith, Olivia Gatwood, Hanif Abdurraqib, Donte Collins, Sabrina Benaim, Melissa Lozada-Oliva, William Evans, Rudy Francisco, Stevie Edwards, Claire Schwartz, Guante, & our newest releases from Rachel Wiley!
Performing at his book release in Minneapolis.
“divorce: how pretty a name for such a sloppy wreckage”
Don’t miss this enchanting poem from Donte Collins, performing at his book release in Minneapolis.
Check out Donte’s book, Autopsy, now available everywhere!
While you’re here, head over to the Button store to check out all our books and merch, including books by Neil Hilborn, Danez Smith, Hanif Abdurraqib, Jacqui Germain, Sam Sax, Olivia Gatwood, Sabrina Benaim, our newest release from Melissa Lozada-Olivia & more.
In-Depth Look: Donte Collins – “New Country (after Safia Elhillo)”
Appreciating poetry is often about patience: sitting with a poem, meditating on it, and re-reading it multiple times. With spoken word, we don’t always get a chance to do that. This series is about taking that chance, and diving a little deeper into some of the new poems going up on Button.
“Yeah, I’m salty as fuck… that’s what happens when you’re dragged across an ocean.”
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Write-up by Kyle “Guante” Tran Myhre
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One of the most powerful things a poet can do is know for whom they’re writing– not that there’s always an easy answer. This poem, through its listing of moments, monuments, shared symbols, and beyond, builds a relationship with its audience. It builds relationships with other audiences too, in different ways, but it never loses sight of for whom it exists.
Additionally, there’s something electric in how Collins speaks on joy, community, and family, without ever using the words “joy,” “community,” or “family.” One of the most common writing exercises that poets and teachers use is the “I am from” poem, where a poet tries to communicate who they are, what they represent, and where they’re from, usually by listing a series of concrete images– smells, moments, sounds, etc. As this poem demonstrates, that impulse– to construct our identities not through a perfect, one-line thesis statement, but through an impressionistic landscape of images– can create some very memorable writing.
Check out Safia Elhillo’s poem “Self Portrait With No Flag” here. You can also find more from Donte Collins at their website and through their new book, Autopsy, available now through Button Poetry!
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While you’re here on our site, make sure to check out our books and merchandise in the Button Store, including Guante’s own book, as well as titles by Aziza Barnes, Danez Smith, Neil Hilborn, Donte Collins, and our newest release from Sabrina Benaim.
Performing at his book release in Minneapolis.
“memory taps a gun to your inner skull & demands you bring back the dead”
Don’t miss this amazing poem from Donte Collins, performing at his book release in Minneapolis.
Check out Donte’s book, Autopsy, now available in the Button store!
Want to have your video featured on Button Poetry? Video submissions are open NOW, August 1st – September 15th!
While you’re here, head over to the Button store to check out all our books and merch, including books by Neil Hilborn, Danez Smith, Hanif Abdurraqib, Jacqui Germain, Sam Sax, our newest release from Olivia Gatwood & more.
“My mother now wears the world: Dresses herself with the tall grass, blushes her cheeks with red clay, she laughs and a forest fire awakens, she laughs and every mountain bows to her sharp thunder, she laughs and every cicada begins to sing.”
Don’t miss this week’s Best of Button playlist, featuring the top-viewed recent videos on the Button YouTube Channel. Today’s additions: Donte Collins, Chestina Craig, & Hieu Minh Nguyen.
While you’re here on our site, make sure to check out our books and merchandise in the Button Store, including books by Aziza Barnes, Danez Smith, Neil Hilborn and our new book from
Donte Collins!
Performing at his book release in Minneapolis.
“My mother now wears the world: Dresses herself with the tall grass, blushes her cheeks with red clay, she laughs and a forest fire awakens, she laughs and every mountain bows to her sharp thunder, she laughs and every cicada begins to sing.”
Don’t miss this spectacular poem from Donte Collins, performing at his book release in Minneapolis.
Check out Donte’s book, Autopsy.
While you’re here, head over to the Button store to check out all our books and merch, including books by Neil Hilborn, Danez Smith, Hanif Abdurraqib, Jacqui Germain, Sam Sax, our newest release from Olivia Gatwood & more.
Performing at his book release in Minneapolis.
“I haven’t enough room to both rage and weep. I go to cry and each tear turns to steam.”
Don’t miss this spectacular poem from Donte Collins, performing at his book release in Minneapolis.
Check out Donte’s forthcoming book, Autopsy.
While you’re here, head over to the Button store to check out all our books and merch, including books by Neil Hilborn, Danez Smith, Hanif Abdurraqib, Jacqui Germain, Sam Sax, our newest release from Olivia Gatwood & more.
