Sunday poetry: “Barnstormer in Tulsa, 1928”

My latest feature in the Journal of Radical Wonder is "Barnstormer in Tulsa, 1928," a persona poem spoken by one of the barnstormers -- or aerial stuntmen -- who thrilled crowds during the days when air travel was new and exotic. Nowadays, we watch in-flight movies to give ourselves a show while flying. Once, flying itself was the show. This poem, along with several others that have appeared in Radical Wonder, is part of my manuscript in progress.

Here are some other recent highlights in the magazine:

Poet Abigail Thomas has a new recurring feature, with a poem slated to appear each Wednesday for the next 19 weeks. First up is "good evening," which serves as an introduction of sorts to the reader. The poem works basically as a stream of one-liners, most of them starting with the word "I." A couple favorites of mine are "I have not tried imitating snapshots for several years now and am pleased with the results" and "I require neither reasons nor the absence of reasons from those who love me."

Journal co-editor John Brantingham posted an insightful video interview with Gretchen Primack, a poet and animal rights activist who shares her thoughts on vegetarianism, her experiences teaching incarcerated students, and how our treatment of other species reflects our attitude toward compassion and empathy. "We have tremendous hubris as a species," she says at one point. "When we question that hubris, when we say, 'Why am I better, who decided that I was better, why does that make sense for me, and why should I question it?' -- that would completely transform the world." Primack also has a similarly themed poem, "Because You Are Silver," posted on the site.