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The difference between full and flood is a drop…

a photo of KTM holding up a copy of "witness: poems to address the past, present, an future of policing."
a photo of the back cover of "witness: poems to address the past, present, and future of policing" featuring a list of contributing poets: Kauakanilehua Māhoe Adams, D. R. Bernstrom, Fong Li Blessing, Ty Chapman, Kinsale Drake, Margarita Engle, Amanda Gorman, Ronald Greer, Nikki Grimes, Carolyn Holbrook, Kari Anne Holt, Douglas Kearney, Tae Keller, Erin Entrada Kelly, Halee Kirkwood, Michael Kleber-Diggs, Ada Limón, Mariama J. Lockington, W. J. Lofton, Kyle Carrero Lopez, Kekla Magoon, Kyle Tran Myhre, Alice Paige, Junauda Petrus, Bao Phi, Jason Reynolds, Karuna Riazi, Laura Ruby, Aida Salazar, Hannah V. Sawyerr, Ollie Schminkey, Taiwana Shambley, Sun Yung Shin, Danez Smith, Ari Tison, Padma Venkatraman, Jasmine Warga, Kao Kalia Yang

Here is the Bookshop link; it’s available to pre-order before the release on 9/1/26.

I’m in this new anthology (edited by the incredible Ari Tison and Ty Chapman, featuring art by Damon Davis) …but I would be recommending it even if I weren’t. It’s kind of a wild elevator pitch, especially for me and the kind of people who are usually interested in my work. Imagine three bubbles in a venn diagram:

  • The lineup: this anthology features big names like Amanda Gorman, Ada Limón, Danez Smith, and Jason Reynolds, alongside locals and personal favorites like Junauda Petrus, Ollie Schminkey, Bao Phi, Kao Kalia Yang, and so many more. The lineup in-and-of-itself would be enough reason to check this out.
  • The theme: “poems to address the past, present, and future of policing,” a topic I’ve written about a lot (like here, and here, and here, and here, and even stuff I wrote nearly 20 years ago like this). My poem in the anthology is something new, though.
  • The anthology also has a YA (young adult) focus – which I think is a really good match with poetry—not just for young adult readers specifically, but for anyone who is curious about (or maybe even a little intimidated by) poetry. The work here is approachable, powerful, visionary, and sometimes even fun, in the midst of this very heavy and important topic. And the visual art is gorgeous and evocative. Even if you DON’T think of yourself as a poetry fan, I’d recommend this one.

And whether or not you like poetry, I also hope abolitionists check this out. In this work, culture matters. Story, art, expression, vision, coolness, and invitation all matter—and this anthology is overflowing with all that.

A Few Early Reviews

“The collection’s greatest strength lies in its multiplicity. The complex realities of anger, grief, exhaustion, tenderness, humor, and hope coexist without diminishing one another.” – starred, Kirkus Reviews

“Though often disquieting, in giving voice to the sometimes voiceless and providing space to consider their troubling subjects, the poems offer hope for a better future.” – Booklist

“For those seeking poetry of protest and resistance, this intense compilation offers fruitful fare. . . . Art and verse offer potent opportunities for reflection upon the social forces that influence American policing, as well as the deep anguish of the vulnerable citizens most at risk.” – starred, School Library Journal

Release Event – 9/1/26 in Minneapolis

Join us for the release event: Tuesday, September 1 at New City Center (3104 16th Ave S, MPLS), 7pm.

The event will feature Danez Smith, Carolyn Holbrook, Ollie Schminkey, Halee Kirkwood, Alice Paige, and me, as well as the editors. Here’s the flyer and some more info.

a promotional image for the launch of the "Witness" anthology - 9/01/26 at 7pm at New City Center, Minneapolis. Image features artistic representation of a collage of Black and Brown faces, by Damon Davis

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A few resources for creative writers on how to get our work seen and heard; download here.

I owe everything I have to community, so I try to share everything I have with community. Here is one offering: a 33-page e-book sharing resources, links, and food-for-thought for aspiring creative writers (especially poets, but there’s plenty stuff in the document relevant to fiction writers, songwriters, and others too).

It’s free; I just ask that people subscribe to my newsletter (which is also free, and I only send out updates every few months).

I say this multiple times in the document itself, but it’s worth repeating: I am not an expert, and the question “how do I make a living as a writer” simply does not have one easy answer. What has worked for me may not work for you! We’re all very different, with different access to resources, privilege and opportunities, relationships to our writing, short-term goals, and long-term dreams.

All that being said, I have TRIED to gather together a bunch of useful resources related to publishing, getting gigs, making money, promoting ourselves, etc. It used to just be a big googledoc that I shared with students or peers who had questions, but it’s nice to have a more readily-shareable version. Contents:

• Community As An End, Not Just A Means To An End
• Getting Poems Published: Journals, Lit Mags, Etc.
• Getting Books Published: Agents, Publishers, Etc.
• A Few Notes on Self-Publishing
• Getting Gigs: Booking, Touring, Etc.
• Social Media And Self-Promotion
• Making a Living + Defining Success For Ourselves
• BONUS section: A Few Design Tips
• BONUS section: Resources on Writing Your Bio
• Conclusion: If I Were Starting from Scratch…

Again: it’s all free. I just ask that people subscribe to my (also free) newsletter here to access the link. But please feel free to share with any creative writers in your life.

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SECRET RIVERS is me on vocals, and SEE MORE PERSPECTIVE on both vocals and production. We’ve both been around forever, but this duo project is something new. Beyond that, we both live in the Twin Cities. Spring Is Coming is our first release as a duo, and it is very much about where we live, and about this moment: a season of occupation and brutality, but also a season of resistance and solidarity.

This release is also a fundraiser, with all proceeds going to the Neighbors Helping Neighbors Twin Cities ICE Relief Fund. UPDATE: as NHN transitions their efforts, any money coming in from this project will now go to the Family Housing Fund. Listen and/or download here:

My own writing has been the furthest thing from my mind these past few months, but spite and stubbornness can work as fuel as much as anything else. A couple quick notes on my contributions to this project:

  • Worthy of the Stone: We wrote this song in the Fall of 2025 over an instrumental track from the TV show Andor (the beat that plays when Mon Mothma spins around in circles). We liked the song too much for it to be a mixtape-style throwaway track, so SMP remixed it with an original beat. You can still find us performing the original version here, though.
  • One Does Not Simply Walk Into Minnesota actually started out as a remix of a very old Guante & Big Cats song, A Pragmatist’s Guide to Revolution. While re-recording the vocals, though, I decided to rewrite a few lines, which turned into rewriting basically the whole song. This one better reflects where I am right now.
  • Let Your Heart Be a Whistle is something I wrote back in December of 2025. The audio is pulled from a live performance at an UNIDOS fundraiser at the Loft Literary Center here in MPLS.

Book us for your mutual aid fundraiser, benefit show, or other event – contact me here.

Continue reading “Secret Rivers: SPRING IS COMING (new music + virtual release show)”

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Find even more resources for creative troublemakers here.

A difficult title: I started simply wanting to collect “anti-ICE” poems, but obviously that kind of negative focus potentially limits the collection in terms of tone and substance. So this is something a little more broad. AS WITH ANY LIST, this is absolutely incomplete; it’s just a handful of poems (with a particular emphasis on spoken word and performance videos) that I’ve come across in my work and that I’d consider using in education/advocacy settings.

Same idea with my lists on Palestine poems, consent poems, whiteness poems, and various other lists here – these lists are “snapshots” of a much larger range of work that engage with an issue in a compelling way. If nothing else, I’m just setting up this page for myself, so I can have a quick reference when I want to find these poems. But if they can be useful to you too, even better!

As the situation here in MN develops; a few local voices:

Once again, I’ll just reiterate that this list is woefully incomplete, just a snapshot of the incredible work being done right now by poets, writers, and other culture workers. Let’s keep adding to this list, both in a literal sense and a figurative one.

a square image with the text "poetry playlist: immigration, movement, and a future without borders

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As a teaching artist, I’ve facilitated countless workshops, classes, and conversations on the topic of what art and artists have to offer in times of crisis. What can it mean to “meet the moment?” What kind of work can a poem do, and what can’t it do? For those of us who already consider ourselves creative writers, what kinds of tools and tactics are most effective when it comes to speaking out about the causes that matter to us? And for those of us who don’t think of ourselves as artists, what can we learn from how artists approach these issues?

I do not believe there are easy answers, but in my experience, there is immense value in grappling with these kinds of guiding questions. Meeting the Moment: Political Poetry and the Anthemic Impulse is an asynchronous workshop experience where I share everything I’ve learned from these conversations: examples, frameworks, writing prompts, tactics, resources, and more.

Because I don’t believe that art is ever going to be enough to get us to the world that we want to live in. But I also do not see us getting to that world without it—without some kind of cultural strategy, without narrative work, without artists.

a photo of KTM performing, plus a green vine emerging from his back.
Continue reading “Meeting the Moment: Political Poetry and the Anthemic Impulse (New Workshop!)”

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I don’t have time/energy right now to share very much commentary; hopefully people are aware of the news here in Minnesota. Our No Kings rally went forward, and even with authorities telling people not to gather, thousands of people showed up. I shared a poem.

Actually wrote and memorized it last week, but because it ended up being about grief, how we carry it, and what we might do with it, it felt appropriate to share today too. Full text below, for the folks who have been asking for it.

ALSO: please check out the latest post in my FREE email newsletter: What’s next? Things to do after a big march

a photo of KTM/Guante performing at the No Kings St. Paul protest, wearing a shirt that says "believe trans kids"
Continue reading ““no kings, all bricks””

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Just wanted to put up a single page that I could link to when talking about all these different events:

promo image for the No Kings march and rally: Saturday, June 14: 11am at St. Paul College, 12pm march, 1pm at MN State Capitol. Sponsored by Indivisible TC, 50501 MN, Women's March MN and MN AFL-CIO

Saturday, June 14: the NO KINGS march and rally. I’ll be sharing a poem at the capitol. If you’re newer to protests, this one should be a good entry point, with a focus on families, joy, solidarity, etc. More info here.

promo image for Better Things: July 1, 2025 at Moon Palace Books, featuring Anthony Ceballos, Kyle Tran Myhre, Taiwana Shambley, Barbara Currin, Jeannene Oullette

Tuesday, July 1: Better Things at Moon Palace Books. I’ll be sharing some work at this reading alongside some fantastic artists. More info here.

promo image for Rootbeer & Resistance at Boneshaker Books: Sunday, July 13th, 3-5pm, free. Poems + community + conversation + resources

Sunday, July 13: ROOTBEER & RESISTANCE at Boneshaker Books. I’ll be talking more about this as the date approaches, but the basic idea is that this is a more informal, community-focused event that will have a few poetry performances but is mostly about sharing some resources and having space to build community – again, especially for people who are newer to activism and organizing. More info here.

a promo image for Secret Rivers at Silverwood On Stage: July 23, 2025. Behind that text are two photos: one of Kyle "Guante" Tran Myhre passionately performing into a microphone, and one of SEE MORE PERSPECTIVE doing live production.

Wednesday, July 23: SECRET RIVERS Live at Silverwood Park! Secret Rivers is a project I am very excited about – it’s me performing poems alongside SEE MORE PERSPECTIVE’s live production on the MPC and Loop Station 505. Also: it’s a free, all-ages, outdoor event! More info on the event here. And more info on the Secret Rivers project here.

And a few recommended readings

On protest and possibility:

It might be tempting to read those first two pieces as point/counterpoints, but I think they end up saying similar things: big mass actions are doorways, not destinations. In a social media age when everything is all-or-nothing, black-or-white maximalism, I think that kind of nuance is important: YES, show up to rallies and marches if you are able, but not because those actions alone are going to be the thing that makes us win. Go to them to (1) find energy and inspiration, (2) learn about and connect with organizations who are doing the everyday work of resistance beyond one-time events, and (3) make noise, share photos of funny signs, talk to family and friends about why the event matters to you – that can have a narrative impact with ripple effects beyond the individual day.

A few more:

Lots more to share, lots more happening. Get in where you fit in. We don’t all have to show up the same way, or in a literal sense at actions or events, but we can all find ways to show up and support/join the work being done. As always, more on that here and here.

a photo of some paper materials: zines on getting involved in activist for the first time, quotes on hope, writing prompts, and a handout on showing up and getting involved.
some of the materials I’ll be sharing at the various july events.

If you liked anything here, please consider signing up for my free, once-in-a-while newsletter!

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Here’s the latest entry in my FREE newsletter. Please consider subscribing, since it’s a way artists can reach people without social media algorithms getting in the way. I know a handful of folks subscribe directly to my wordpress here, which is also appreciated. Thanks!

a collage of images featuring KTM performing, plus a bystander intervention banner, plus the Matthew Shepard Memorial bench.
a little collage of the past month; top right photo by Tish Jones

I mention the three new videos in the post, but here are some direct links:

All three of these poems are in my book, Not a Lot of Reasons to Sing, But Enough.

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a photo of a zine (small paper booklet) with the words "Let Every Word Be A Wrench In Their Machine: Writing Prompts: a collection of writing prompts for poets, emcees, songwriters, and other creative communicators"

Find even more activist-oriented writing prompts here.

Another new zine, another ongoing work-in-progress. I’m sharing some of my favorite writing prompts: for poets of course, but also for songwriters, emcees, and writers of all kinds.

It’s probably clear that my list favors political, movement-oriented, and activist-leaning prompts. There’s a reason for that: things are bad right now. They were bad last year, and every year before that too, but we should also be clear-eyed about the immense amount of work and struggle in front of right now. As always, art isn’t the only thing we need. As always, we do need art. Writing can help frame issues, shift narratives, and just bring people together. It won’t just happen inevitably, though; let these prompts be invitations for us all to be proactive and intentional.

Only other thing I’ll share here is that I also tend to favor “non-traditional” writing prompts. I like prompts that don’t point the way to a single poem or song, but rather to an impulse, a way of approaching our writing. These are prompts someone could use more than once, and write completely different pieces every time.

Here’s a link to a PDF for anyone who wants to print, cut, and fold the zine version (some directions here).

AND HERE’S THE FULL TEXT OF THE ZINE, PLUS SOME ADDITIONAL LINKS:

Continue reading “Let Every Word Be A Wrench In Their Machine: Writing Prompts”