What does the end of the world really mean? In Ashley Cline’s chapbook electric infinities (Variant Literature, 2023), she works through this through a stunning use of naturalistic imagery, exploratory use of lineation within lines themselves, and toying with form to understand humans and their relationship with nature.

The collection itself begins with an invitation to listen to an author-curated playlist (an audio companion, if you will) that brings these pieces to a new level. Astonishing on their own, the well-thought-out addition of music brings a revelation to the art form of Cline’s poetic creations. As a mixed medium, it allows for wider connections to be made, echoing how people found peace during the uneasiness of the pandemic (or, how we thought the world would end). This comes at the intersection of poetry and music, in the form of art and creativity,

Overall, the pieces are well cared for and nurtured. Cline doesn’t shy away from her narrators discovering their deep connections with nature, perhaps something that comes to mind as the world is about to end; nature tends to be the force that withstands all, being the catalyst for such richly-inspired works flooded with its imagery.

Cline explores the ideas of where we come from and where we’re going, all with the suffocating feeling of it all coming to a crashing and devastating end. However, it’s easy to feel comfortable, perhaps, with the idea of impending doom. The poems that focus on this, in particular, the poems entitled “the way the universe will end, scenario no. 1-4,” don’t offer much panic. Instead, there’s a complacency in being able to give back the body of our narrator, our “I”, to the world that created it.

This relationship is explored throughout the collection and in lines such as “i will haunt these lemon groves sour / so save / the rinds & divide the flesh… / this is my body: now eat.” (“no pulp, or a lesson in permeance”), “i will place my head on the table / & i will simply leave it / there, forever / perhaps, one day, a flower will grow” (“the way the universe will end, scenario no. 2), and “because my mother willed me / into being. because my mother pulled me from the mud. because my / mother pushed me through wildness, honey-fanged & fallow” (“portrait with my mother’s hands”).

These relationships can also be found in smaller moments: “sing me back into the mud and clay” and “when i ask for fire, what i mean is singe my fingers back into forests” (“in lieu of singing “happy birthday”), “they unspool you from the ocean” (“after sputnik 2 returns to earth”) and throughout the entirety of “…until there is nothing left.”

All of these lines are full of purposeful line breaks within the line but continue flowing; perhaps a metaphor for the stillness and continuation of existence or nature, exploring deeper meanings of where life comes from and how interconnected we are as humans to nature. Nature that we take advantage of, no doubt, as well as nature that we seek out for self-preservation.

Cline works intricately to intertwine prose poetry with more traditional stanzas and lineation. This offers a comfortable flow to the structures of the collection overall, yet still allows for jarring sensations when switching to more unconventional structures, such as the rigidness of “the way the universe will end, scenario no. 4” or the creative checklist style of the collection’s opening, “checklist for the end of the world.”

The addition of field note poems offers a sort of intermission between sections. Still, these small pieces explore the wider topics previously mentioned in a depth not common for their short length. Cline offers an impressive view into the power of minimalistic language and the intricate stories told within them.

A standout piece within the collection is “…until there is nothing left.” Though not the final in the collection, this poem creates a sudden, drowning feeling of everything coming to an end. Unlike the poetry that comes before it, this poem brings the collection to a crescendo, crashing waves pulling us under the roaring ocean, allowing us to only know this is us stuck in finality; the reader never feels the sand at the bottom of the ocean as they drown, far too gone in the natural cycle of life and letting go in peace.

electric infinities offers peace in the chaos of existing within a world falling apart in destruction, brought on by carelessness and recklessness, or perhaps what was meant to be. It asks and answers questions, and then asks some more. “by now you know that anything can be beautiful inside of a poem—” like death, destruction, loss, “& so; you write yourself into one” to embrace the somber existence of reality (“the way the universe will end, scenario no. 1”).

electric infinities is available from Variant Literature

Amber Alexander holds a B.A. in English with research distinction and triple minors (Creative Writing, Professional Writing, and History) from The Ohio State University. They plan to pursue graduate-level studies in the near future and currently works in higher education. They have previously worked on the Editorial Staff for Cornfield Review, where they have also been published. Alexander earned multiple awards for poetry, prose, playwriting, and creative nonfiction while an undergrad.

Sundress Publications announces the release of A Body You Talk To: An Anthology of Contemporary Disability. Here, editor Tennison S. Black gathers the work of contemporary Disabled and D/deaf visual and literary artists into a brilliant anthology reflective of the vibrancy and vitality of the community. A Body You Talk To is an essential text for a world that commonly ignores health and well-being in favor of profit as these reflections on selfhood, identity, bodies, and the nature of being cohere into a supportive, active community of art and language in conversation.

Contributors include Colleen Abel, Owólabi Aboyade, Latif Askia Ba, Joanna Barnett, Susan Barry-Schulz, Megan Bent, Laura Adrienne Brady, Cori Bratby -Rudd, Sarah Browning, Mugabi Byenkya, Jody Chan, Lane Chasek, Marlena Chertock, Emily Rose Cole, Gemma Cooper-Novack, Steven Cordova, Tarik Dobbs, Kara Dorris, Angie Ebba, Stacy J. Estep, Ahja Fox, Habeebullahi Mhammed Yunusa Baṣọ̀run, Catherine Garbinsky, David Greenspan, Karen Head, Phyllis Hemann, Emily Hoover, Rachael Ikins, Natalie E. Illum, Jen Karetnick, Josephine Raye Kelly, Frances Klein, Anna Leahy, Danielle Lemay, Raymond Luczak, Camille Mcdaniel, Elizabeth Meade, elena minor, Briar Ripley Page, Ellen Peckham, Cara Peterhansel, Suzanne S. Rancourt, heidi andrea restrepo rhodes, Zach Semel, Teo Shannon, Sanchari Sur, Chanika Svetvilas, Aïcha Martine Thiam, and Lourdes Tutaine-Garcia.

A Body You Talk To is available to download for free here.

Tennison S. Black (they/she), a queer and multiply disabled autistic, is the author of Survival Strategies (winner of the National Poetry Series, UGA Press 2023). Their work has appeared or is forthcoming in SWWIM, Hotel Amerika, Booth, Wordgathering, and New Mobility, among others. They received an MFA at Arizona State University. They are the Managing Editor at Sundress Publications and Best of the Net. Though Sonoran born, they reside in Washington state.

The Sundress Academy for the Arts is excited to present Poetry Xfit hosted by Denise R. Ervin. This generative workshop event will take place on Sunday, July 16 from 2 to 4 pm EST via Zoom. Join us at the link tiny.utk.edu/sundress with the password “safta”.

Poetry Xfit isn’t about throwing tires or heavy ropes, but the idea of confusing our muscles is the same. You will receive ideas, guidelines, and more as part of this generative workshop series in order to complete three poems in two hours. A new set of prompts will be provided after the writers have written collaboratively for thirty minutes. The goal is to create material that can be later modified and transformed into artwork rather than producing flawless final versions. The event is open to prose authors as well!

Denise R. Ervin is a creative writer hewn from the streets, classrooms, and boardrooms of Detroit, all of which taught her to contribute to the narrative of those who live, love, and look like her. She has spent two decades as a teaching artist, performing poetry around the country, and leading workshops for the likes of Midnight & Indigo and Room Project. Her work has been published or is forthcoming in AADUNA, Harbinger Asylum, Third Wednesday Magazine, and others. Most recently, she was selected as a Writing Fellow by The Watering Hole and a semifinalist for America’s Next Great Author.

Thank you to the Tennessee Arts Commission for making this event possible. Find out more about the important work that they do here.

While this is a free event, donations can be made to the Sundress Academy for the Arts here.

The Sundress Academy for the Arts is excited to present “Mythologizing Our Climate Futures,” a workshop led by Ashia Ajani on July 12, 2023, from 6-7:30 PM. This event will be held over Zoom. Participants can access the event at tiny.utk.edu/sundress (password: safta).

This workshop will use climate writing and art by members of the African Diaspora to inform young people’s own climate narratives. This workshop is designed for writers who are interested in developing their use of imagery. This workshop will use African and Caribbean mythology to understand how different diasporic people have interpreted natural disasters and climate impacts for millennia, and what we can learn from these myths.

We will also look at the art of Eddy Kamaunga Illuga, whose imagery around colonization and the exploitation of African nations under capitalism and the climate crisis holds powerful insight for understanding how apocalyptic conditions have plagued the African diaspora in an anti-Black world. Participants will leave the workshops with written drafts, ancestral knowledge, and environmental futures.

While there is no fee to participate in this workshop, those who are able and appreciative may make donations directly to Ashia Ajani via Venmo @ashiainbloom, PayPal through ashiaajani22@gmailcom, or CashApp at $Ashiainbloom.

Ashia Ajani is a Black storyteller hailing from Denver, CO, Queen City of the Plains, and the unceded territory of the Cheyenne, Ute, Arapahoe, and Comanche Peoples. Ajani is a 2022 Just Buffalo Literary Center Poetry Fellow, and a Pushcart Prize nominated poet and writer with words in Atmos Magazine, Sierra Magazine, Frontier Poetry, and World Literature Today, among others. Ajani received their Master’s in Environmental Management from Yale School of the Environment in 2021. Their debut poetry collection, Heirloom, is forthcoming in the spring of 2023 with Write Bloody Publishing. Follow them on the socials @ashiainbloom or on their website, ashiaajani.com.

This workshop is brought to you in part by a grant provided by the Tennessee Arts Commission. Find out about the important work they do here.

Choosing a favorite book is like choosing a favorite child. It is really, really hard to do.

One series I’ve been really into lately is the A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas. I’ve never been much of a fantasy or romance reader, but something about these books really captured my heart. I think it has something to do with the fast-paced action sequences and the discussions of hard things, like the effects of trauma and familial relations. I also really loved the characters in this series; I think they were written really well and I could hear their voices in my head as I read through their conversations.

I recently took a class where we looked at and analyzed the presence os suspicion and paranoia in American literature. My favorite novels of the whole course were Philip K. Dick’s Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? and Lathe of Heaven by Ursula K. Le Guin. Studying these works and how the emotions of the characters drove their thought processes and actions was so interesting to me. It opened up a whole new lens for me to read through.

If I had to pick a favorite book or series of all time, I would say that I couldn’t do it. And then, I would inevitably bring up The Gunslinger and the entire Dark Tower series by Stephen King. I’ve never read anything quite like these books. They are a mix of Western, science fiction, romance, adventure, drama, and horror. I can’t think of another series where an author blended so many genres so seamlessly. It is, in my opinion, incredible, and I would urge everyone to read them. No matter how much I talk about them, there is nothing like experiencing it for yourself.

My “To-Be Read” shelf in my office is starting to overflow. I have it somewhat organized, but the books keep piling up. It features some classics I’ve never gotten around to reading, like Wuthering Heights (Emily Bronte), The Grapes of Wrath (John Steinbeck), and Beloved (Toni Morrison). I’ve heard wonderful things about each of these, and there is a reason they are still studied in classrooms today.

My “TBR” shelf also features some books from more recent years (or, have recently gained popularity). I am looking forward to reading Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller because I am heavily interested in Greek mythology and modern iterations of popularized myth. I also have some poetry books I’m looking forward to reading, like The January Children by Safia Elhillo and the lavender haze by June Bates.

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Kayla Howell (she/ they) is an undergraduate student at the University of Tennessee- Knoxville studying Creative Writing with a concentration in poetry. She is a regular at the community’s open mics and loves collaborating with other writers. She enjoys hanging out with her two dogs- Lionel and Lucille, listening to podcasts while she bakes, and playing Dungeons & Dragons.

The Sundress Academy for the Arts (SAFTA) is now accepting applications for short-term writing residencies in all genres—poetry, fiction, nonfiction, playwriting, screenwriting, journalism, academic writing, and more—for their spring residency period which runs from January 1 to May 12, 2024. These residencies are designed to give artists time and space to complete their creative projects in a quiet and productive environment.

Each farmhouse residency costs $300/week, which includes a room of one’s own, as well as access to our communal kitchen, bathroom, office, and living space, plus wireless internet. Residencies in the Writers Coop are $150/week and include your own private dry cabin as well as access to the farmhouse amenities. Because of the low cost, we are rarely able to offer scholarships for Writers Coop residents.

Residents will stay at the SAFTA farmhouse, located on a working farm on a 45-acre wooded plot in a Tennessee “holler” perfect for hiking, camping, and nature walks. The farmhouse is also just a half-hour from downtown Knoxville, an exciting and creative city that is home to a thriving artistic community. SAFTA is ideal for writers looking for a rural retreat with urban amenities.

SAFTA’s residencies, which also include free access to workshops, readings, and events, offer a unique and engaging experience. Residents can participate in local writing workshops, lead their own workshops, and even have the opportunity to learn life skills like gardening and animal care.

As part of our commitment to anti-racist work, we are now also using a reparations payment model for our farmhouse residencies which consists of the following:

1. 3 reparations weeks of equally divided payments for Black and/or Indigenous identifying writers at $150/week
2. 3 discounted weeks of equally divided payments for BIPOC writers at $250/week
3. 6 equitable weeks of equally divided payments at $300/week

Black and/or Indigenous identifying writers are also invited to apply for a $350 support grant to help cover the costs of food, travel, childcare, and/or any other needs while they are at the residency. We are currently able to offer two of these grants per residency period (spring/summer/fall). If you would like to donate to expand this funding, you may do so here.

For the Spring 2024 residency period, SAFTA will be offering the following fellowships only: 

• LGBTQIA+ Fellowship: one 100% and one 50% week-long fellowship for writers who identify as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community
• Black & Indigenous Writers Fellowships: one full week-long fellowship for Black and/or Indigenous identifying writers

This year’s judge for the LGBTQIA+ fellowships is Rita Mookerjee . Mookerjee is an Assistant Professor of Interdisciplinary Studies at Worcester State University. She is the author of False Offering from JackLeg Press (Fall 2023). Her poems can be found in the Baltimore Review, New Orleans Review, the Offing, Poet Lore, and Vassar Review. She is an editor at Honey Literary, Split Lip Magazine, and Sundress Publications.

The application deadline for the spring residency period is September 15, 2023. Find out more about the application process at www.sundressacademyforthearts.com.

The application fee is waived for all BIPOC identifying writers. For all fellowship applications, the application fee will also be waived for those who demonstrate financial need; please state this in your application under the financial need section. Limited partial scholarships are also available to any applicant with financial need.