Nicole Yurcaba on "The Best Little Indie Lit Fest"

Poet Nicole Yurcaba recounts her experience at the recent Western Maryland Literature Festival in Frostburg and I'm grateful for her kind words.  

Indie Lit Fest--The Best Little Indie Lit Fest in Western Maryland by Nicole Yurcaba

Read on Substack

New Ohio Poetry Association Regional Ambassadors Announced

So this happened. Though I recently completed my term as Ohio Poetry Association vice president, I remain committed to the organization's mission and work and am excited about serving in a new, more locally-focused role as their Northeast Ohio Regional Ambassador.

And check out the excellent folks who are serving their own Ohio regions alongside me:

Southwest Ohio: Zinna Stewart
Northwest Ohio: Sandra Rivers-Gill
Southeast Ohio: Bonnie Proudfoot
Central Ohio: Karen Scott
Outside of Ohio: Manuel Iris

Crisis Chronicles Press publishes Trump Stamp by John Dorsey

Crisis Chronicles Press is pleased to announce the publication of Trump Stamp, an essential new collection of poems by John Dorsey. Contents include "A One-Eyed Weather Vane," "Redneck Shaman," "Ramen & Canned Corn," "Ode to the New Confederate Dead," "Morning Wood After 40," "Watching My Uncle Die," "Just Another Pill," "The Cutest Girl from the Class of 2001," "Trump Stamp," and many more.

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Trump Stamp is a perfect bound paperback available for $10 from Crisis Chronicles Press, 535 Parkside Boulevard, Cleveland, Ohio 44143 USA. Venmo @jesuscrisis. CashApp: $crisischronicles. 

ISBN 979-8-88596-980-2. Released 17 September 2026. 6x6". 38 pages. Front cover art by Michael Wilson and Susan Spencer of The Beat Gallery. Back cover photo by Shelley Chernin.

John Dorsey is the former Poet Laureate of Belle, Missouri. He is the author of numerous collections of poetry, including Which Way to the River: Selected Poems: 2016-2020 (OAC Books, 2020), Pocatello Wildflower (Crisis Chronicles Press, 2023), and 100 Mornings (Sacred Parasite, 2025). You may contact him at archerevans@yahoo.com.

September 24-26: 20th Annual Indie Lit Festival in Frostburg, Maryland

I am looking forward to being part of the Western Maryland Independent Literature Festival in beautiful Frostburg, Maryland, this week. I'll be representing Crisis Chronicles Press in the bookfair Saturday and we hope to have copies of John Dorsey's brand-new book, Trump Stamp, available, as well as our 2026 revised edition of my own The Wrest of the Worthwhile and other favorite CCP titles.

Besides the book fair, the festival also includes an SMPA/CLA Poetry Slam on Thursday, a kickoff reading featuring Stephen Haven on Friday, and an array of readings, workshops, and panels followed by an open mic and a punk show by The Downstrokes with the Subtastics on Saturday. For more details, please follow the Frostburg State University Center for Literary Arts on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/174701457615.

You've Been Poemed! anthology from Sheila-Na-Gig Editions

Find a galaxy of poets in this wondrous new anthology, edited by Sandra Feen and Dianne Borsenik and forthcoming from Sheila-Na-Gig Editions. A poem of mine ("Faithwalking") appears in it as well. 

Pre-order now and get $5 off at https://sheilanagigblog.com/shop-sheila-na-gig-editions/feen_poemed.

September 19: Join us for Open Poetry on Baber Mountain in West Virginia

Join us Saturday, September 19th near Richwood, West Virginia, for wild and wonderful poetry hosted by Bob Henry Baber, author of Pure Orange Sunshine. All are welcome. 

September 4 & 5: National Beat Poetry Foundation Honors and Virtual Festival Open Mic

I am grateful to be among those being honored by the National Beat Poetry Foundation this weekend. Hearty congratulations to all the other honorees. 

This year's award recipients:

Donovan: New Generation Beat Poet Laureate (2026-Lifetime)

John Burroughs: New Generation Beat Poet Laureate (2026-Lifetime)

Richard Modiano: New Generation Beat Poet Laureate (2026-Lifetime)

Ma Yongbo: New Generation Beat Poet Laureate (2026-Lifetime)

Belinda Subraman: New Generation Beat Poet Laureate (2026-Lifetime)

Joe Kidd: New Generation Beat Poet Laureate (2026-Lifetime)

Ian J. McKenzie: International Beat Poet Laureate (2026-2027)

Nancy Mercado: New Generation Beat Poet Laureate (2026-Lifetime)

Fadil Bajraj: New Generation Beat Poet Laureate (2026-Lifetime)

Prince A. McNally: State of New York Beat Poet Laureate (2026-2028)

Jared Morningstar: State of Michigan Beat Poet Laureate (2026-2028)

P.W. Covington: U.S. National Beat Poet Laureate (2026-2027)

Please email Debbie Tosun Kilday at NBPF15@gmail.com if you're interested in participating in the Saturday open mic.

What I did for The Sealey Challenge this year

For this year's Sealey Challenge, I nearly finished reading Ghost City Press' 2017 Summer Series of digital chapbooks.

You can download and read them all for free at https://ghostcitypress.com/2017-summer-microchap-series/2017-summer-series-the-complete-collection-1.

Video: The All American Poetry Parade features my "Random Rules"

Thanks so much to Scot Young and Rusty Truck for including my poem "Random Rules" in their All American Poetry Parade alongside some mighty fine poets! 

Read my poem at https://rustytruck.wordpress.com/2026/08/28/john-burroughs-2/.

Watch a video of me reading it at https://substack.com/profile/116085178-scot-young/note/c-324606921.

View the entire parade by clicking the image below.

My "Random Rules" Appears in Free OPA Digital Anthology

My David Berman-inspired poem "Random Rules" appears in Our Poems to America, a new digital collection published by the Ohio Poetry Association and viewable and downloadable on their website.

https://www.ohiopoetryassn.org/poetryforamerica250

Other contributors include Doc Janning, Linda Brown, Alexis ThePoet Jackson, Michelle Tackla Wallace, Harry S. Stoughton, Cathryn Essinger, Holly Brians Ragusa, Benjamin Baughman, David Lee Garrison, and Justice Hill.