Toby Altman

We're doing an offsite! See you at AWP—

Big things coming this spring at The RCAH Center for Poetry at MSU! Hope to see you there—

Chicago Poetry Center's 2026 Annual Fundraiser, Wed, Jan 14th, 2026 @ 9:00 AM Accelevents The Chicago Poetry Center connects people and poetry, equitably engages poets with communities, and advances creative literacy in the city and beyond.

This year's Chicago Poetry Center silent auction is live! So much good stuff here, including a few items from yours truly: manuscript and individual poem consultations, a Chicago book bundle. CPC is the realest poetry org out there; help them thrive!
www.accelevents.com/e/cpc2026ann...

YouTube video by WILX Studio 10 Toby Altman and Laura Apol Perform on Studio 10 Stage

And here are the poems: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gh_e...

In a truly deranged turn of events, I was on daytime TV in Lansing today, talking about my upcoming reading with Laura Apol and reading what must be, surely, the most oblique poem to ever appear on local news: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nteq...

I wrote another poetry chapbook last year, called Belly Full Of Hell. Donate $15+ to Chicago Abortion Fund and I'll send it to you.

It wouldn't exist without @browatch.bsky.social

We are thrilled to welcome the new Michigan Poet Laureate, Melba Joyce Boyd, to Lansing next week. She'll give a reading on Friday, November 14th at 7pm at the East Lansing Public Library, and a workshop the following morning at the Library of Michigan as part of the Poet's Roundtable conference.

This week at the RCAH Center for Poetry! Join us for readings from Esther Belin and Jo Troxell, and help us welcome Esther to town!

Nov 14: A Reading with Melba Joyce Boyd. Join us as we welcome Michigan's new Poet Laureate to town with a reading at the East Lansing Public Library, at 7pm. Reception and book signing to follow. Melba's reading is made possible thanks to a generous grant from Kresge Arts Detroit.

Oct 17: Hyphens Lecture with Tracie Morris. Poet and performance artist Tracie Morris presents the annual Hyphens Lecture in Creative Writing, "Phanopticon: Reimaginaing the ubiquity of "image" in the poetic idea." Wells Hall B210 from 3-4:15pm, in collaboration with the Creative Writing Program.

Oct 8: A Reading with Esther Belin. Join us to celebrate Esther's appointment at Michigan State University—and welcome this dynamic poet and community builder to our community! The reading will be held at 7pm in Snyder Phillips Hall, with a reception and book signing to follow.

Sep 14: A Reading with Leila Chatti. We're excited to welcome RCAH alum Leila Chatti back to East Lansing as she celebrates her new book, in partnership with the Lansing Poetry Club. 4pm at the Copper Chimney Lounge of the University United Methodist Church, 1120 S. Harrison Road.

Sep 11: "Mathematics for Poets (and Other People)," a workshop with Dr. Maxwell Levine, a mathematician from the University of Freiburg, at 11am in the Lookout Gallery in Snyder-Phillips.

The RCAH Center for Poetry at MSU is BACK! With old friends and new laureates, mathematicians and performance artists, we are here to demand, to insist, that poetry is a living thing! (See the following posts for a complete rundown of events)

Tonight!

Summer Series is back this week—w/readings from Suban Nur Cooley, Korey Deans, Bianca Rae Messinger, and Adam Mitt!

We are hiring a tenure track poet! I’m so excited / spread the word… wesleyan.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/career...

Tari is unable to join us tonight, but fortunately the great Ruelaine Stokes is going to read in her stead! Don't miss this—

Tomorrow night!

excuse me...wat

INTRODUCING: Summer Series, a set of relaxed, off-campus readings from the The RCAH Center for Poetry at MSU, featuring local and national poetic luminaries. Summer Series I, featuring Sarah Carson and Tari Muñiz will be July 12th at 7pm at Hooked Lansing!

George Oppen, with news that stays news

Given that we seem to be in a moment of crisis for literary organizations and literary funding more broadly, which organizations do you see responding to the moment in radical / interesting ways? Brainstorming for a ~thing~

huge thanks to phil kostov for this elegant and thoughtful review of Discipline Park: rhinopoetry.org/reviews/toby...

"Music is simply trying things"—Alice Notley, from the first poem of her Iowa MFA Thesis, 1970. Thinking of her, and all of those who were lifted by her—

some ppl are really still living in the 20th century

Make Room: A New Voices Salon with Toby Altman, Laura Jaramillo & Aristilde Kirby Placing poetry at the crossroads of American life since 1910.

I'll be in New York on Friday to read with Laura Jaramillo & Aristilde Kirby! hope to see you there— poetrysociety.org/events/make-...

the pope is from chicago

Increasingly Powerful Trans Person Capable Of Using Every Single Bathroom At Once EVERYWHERE—As the influence of the nation’s transgender individuals continues to encroach on the freedoms of the U.S. populace, sources confirmed Tuesday that increasingly powerful trans person Tori R...

Increasingly Powerful Trans Person Capable Of Using Every Single Bathroom At Once

One acquires an especially lush gender. A romance, the stranger and his roommate naked in the lake.

Today's Featured Poem:

"One acquires an especially lush gender." by Toby Altman (@browatch.bsky.social), from Issue 1 of Rampage Party.

Read here:
poems.com/poem/one-acq...