Danez Smith – “Alternate Heaven for Black Boys” (Rustbelt 2016)

Performing at the Rustbelt Regional Poetry Slam.

“Paradise is a world where everything is a sanctuary and nothing is a gun.”

Don’t miss this incredible new poem from Danez Smith, performing during finals at the 2016 Rustbelt Regional Poetry Slam in Columbus, Ohio. Check out Danez’s brilliant book here.
While you’re here, head over to the Button store to check out all of our books and merch, including Button t-shirts in both female and unisex cuts, and books and more by many of your favorite Button artists.

Jonterri Gadson – “Cardinal Sin”

Performing at Art Share LA.

“I don’t love my son the way I thought my mother should love me.”

Don’t miss this awesome poem from Jonterri Gadson, performing during the Button Poetry / YesYes Books showcase at AWP 2016.
While you’re here, head over to the Button store to check out our books and merch, including Button t-shirts in both female and unisex cuts, and books and more by many of your favorite Button artists.

Best of Button Week 76

“It has taken me so long to say that I am proud to be black.”

Don’t miss this week’s Best of Button playlist, featuring the top-viewed recent videos on the Button YouTube Channel. Today’s additions: Dave Harris & Jeremy Radin. Congratulations poets!
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 JUST-RELEASED book from Hanif Abdurraqib!

Blythe Baird – “For The Rapists Who Called Themselves Feminist”


Performing at Button Poetry Live.

“You call this rape culture, I call it this morning.”

Don’t miss this great poem from Blythe Baird, performing at Button Poetry Live. If you’re in the Twin Cities, make sure to check out our next show!
While you’re here, head over to the Button store to check out our books and merch, including Button t-shirts in both female and unisex cuts, and books and more by many of your favorite Button artists.

Sam Sax – “Learning to Breathe Water” (100K Views!)

“Learning is just the brain’s neural pathways
being beaten into a new shape by life.”

Congratulations to Button author Sam Sax on topping 100,000 views on this amazing poem! Sam’s book, A Guide to Undressing Your Monsters, is available here.
And while you’re here, make sure to check out the rest of our books and merch as well, including our awesome t-shirts and poster and new books by Jacqui Germain and Hanif Abdurraqib!

Button Round-Up 12

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Welcome to the first Button Round-Up of August! As the summer pushes on and the heat covers us all in a layer of sweat, why not kick back for a little while in the cool embrace of the internet?

Bitch Media Fellowship for Writers
Recently, Bitch Media opened application submissions for its fellowship program’s second year. The fellowship, directed by Bitch Media cofounder Andi Zeisler, is looking for writers with minimal publication experience and a strong voice on subjects like activism, feminism, and pop-culture criticism. You can apply until September 15th!

Nashville Review, Summer 2016
The Nashville Review, edited by the MFA students at Vanderbilt University, has released its second issue of the year. The Nashville Review seeks to share a combination of traditional and non-traditional literature, from poetry to comics. The Summer 2016 issue features not one, but two poems by long-time friend of Button, Hieu Minh Nguyen!!

“5 Reasons to Read: The Crown Ain’t Worth Much, by Hanif Abdurraqib” by Emmanuel Oppong-Yeboah
This week the internet was gifted with this stunning review of The Crown Ain’t Worth Much by Emmanuel Oppong-Yeboah. Though this may look like a listicle based on the title, this review is so much more, grinding deep into Hanif’s work with voice, time, anaphora, and many more literary techniques and explaining just what Hanif is doing in his work that makes The Crown Ain’t Worth Much the beautiful collection that it is. Get your copy here.

“Venom (ft. Lucien Parker)” by Guante
Guante released a new single, “Venom,” on his Soundcloud this week. If you were looking for a cool new track to throw on your Saturday-night playlist, look no further! “Venom” can be found on Guante’s album, “Post-Post-Race” which is available on Bandcamp.

“Pack These Pages” by Samantha Raphelson & Justine Kenin
Check out this reading list released by NPR! The list was curated by seven different professional booksellers and should fill your last month of summer with some great reads. The list offers selections of fiction, nonfiction, and children & young adult books.

Jess Rizkallah – “i am but i’m not” (WOWPS 2016)


Performing at Honey in Minneapolis.

“I don’t look like most of my family, I look like the people who hurt my family.”

Don’t miss this powerful poem from Jess Rizkallah, performing at the 2016 Women of the World Poetry Slam.
While you’re here, head over to the Button store to check out our books and merch, including Button t-shirts in both female and unisex cuts, and books and more by many of your favorite Button artists.

Mike McGee – “The End”


Performing at Honey in Minneapolis.

“If I should die today, I hope I’ve done all the laughing
I can let out of this body.”

Don’t miss this beautiful, hilarious poem from Mike McGee, performing in Minneapolis. If you’re in the Twin Cities, make sure to check out our next show!
While you’re here, head over to the Button store to check out our books and merch, including Button t-shirts in both female and unisex cuts, and books and more by many of your favorite Button artists.

Melissa Newman-Evans – “9 Things I Would Like to Tell to Every Teenage Girl” (250K Views!)

“The world is trying to kill you.
It is trying to do this by stealing your voice.”

Congratulations to Melissa Newman-Evans on topping 250,000 views on this excellent poem! Check out more great work from Melissa here and here.
And while you’re here, make sure to check out our books and merch as well, including our awesome t-shirts and poster and new books by Jacqui Germain and Hanif Abdurraqib!