She said that her soul had gone septic. What she’d been calling neurobehavioral and pathophysiological, was now something made of mildew and dogshit. She asked me if I knew about the salmon. Apparently, the Prozac in the water makes them forget how to breed. She asked if I knew about the mice. About their medically measurable despair, how they swim until they float and are scored on their survival time and their necks are cracked and brains flash frozen and their serotonin accounted. She told me that we were experimentally naïve animals, eager and able and bloody and unbalanced. Ripe for seda ..read more

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We are delighted to share the winners, finalists, and longlist for the 2023 Resistance & Resilience Prize! Please help us congratulate these up and coming poets. Deep gratitude to all who shared moving poems with us—we are so lucky to have been immersed in the worlds of your work. The winning poem and runner-ups were selected by Natasha Rao and are published on the Palette website. Winners of the 2023 Resistance & Resilience Prize 1st place — Bazeed for “kh like khummus“ Bazeed is a multi–award winning Egyptian immigrant, poet, playwright, performance artist, stage actor, editor, tra ..read more

“kh like khummus” by Bazeed is the winner of the 2023 Resistance & Resilience Prize, selected by Natasha Rao. We’re honored to share this revolutionary poem with you. download a pdf of the winning poem here The post kh like khummus appeared first on Palette Poetry ..read more

“Banjo Be” by Maurya Kerr is the first runner-up of the 2023 Resistance & Resilience Prize, selected by Natasha Rao. We’re honored to share this musical poem with you. The post Banjo Be appeared first on Palette Poetry ..read more

“Sharper Than” by Christopher Watson is the second runner-up of the 2023 Resistance & Resilience Prize, selected by Natasha Rao. We’re honored to share this meditative poem with you. download a pdf of the poem here Da ich ein Knabe war, Rettet’ ein Gott mich oft… When I was a boy a god often rescued me… — Friedrich Hölderlin When I was eight my father came out of the closet; his first lover, a kind and generous soul; subsequent others, less so. Trusts—set up for my twin and me, by our dead mother’s family— made quitting his job easy. So, he left my sister with friends and sent this “mothe ..read more

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In If These Covers Could Talk, poets interview the visual artists whose works grace their book covers. The result is an engaging discussion of process, vision, and projects. This series is a celebration of collaboration—here, we champion the fruitful conversations taking place both on and behind the cover. This month, poet Dimitri Reyes talked to artist Samuel Miranda about the cover of Papi Pichón (Get Fresh Books Publishing, 2023).  A Conversation Between Dimitri Reyes and Samuel Miranda DR: Hermano, thank you— for your support, for your friendship, and for being a model on how to cond ..read more

“I CALL THE THING THAT WAS BEFORE US  LUCY BECAUSE IT BORE HER SHAPE…”  —Dr. Seward, Dracula When to let him know is the question, when to admit before his hand to your dress this is who, even as you pray what’s between you and disaster is more than tape and padded cups. But you live on dolled-up possibility and the very fear you’ve fallen for him, staccato throb, one strap already off by the deserted swan pond where after the movie a walk in the park feels too idyllic as in movies just before the monster appears. It’s your secret but his whisper in your hair, love a magic bullet, or ..read more

“Caravaggio Fever Dream” by Stephanie Saywell is the winner of the 2023 Grisly & Grotesque Challenge, selected by Palette editors. We’re honored to share this haunting poem with you. Caravaggio Fever Dream I am so sorry I cut off your head, plunged my fingers into your eye socket like too many summer berries at the buffet of my desire. The thick shadow of your maw made me think of mine and my chin was dry. I regret that I never mentioned you in my sleep, never thought that you might want me to leave the porch light on for a thousand saints to welcome you to my home. Please – dirty you ..read more