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Lioness Books Needs Our Help
Lioness Books—the first bookstore to carry our poetry collection—lost everything in a fire days before their grand opening. Here’s how you can help. Continue reading
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The Chaos Section Poetry Project is Open for Submissions: Immigration Enforcement / Immigration Enforcement Brutality
Submissions Are Open! The Chaos Section Poetry Project is now accepting poems for our next collection. Theme: Immigration Enforcement / Immigration Enforcement BrutalityDeadline: May 2026 (or when we have enough submissions)Publication: Fall 2026 For our next collection, the theme is Immigration Enforcement – which will absolutely include poetry addressing brutality under the Trump administration. We have seen Immigration and Customs… Continue reading
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Turning Partly Cloudy by Midday
Now that we’ve shared the individual poems from What We Hold On To: Poems of Coping, Connection, and Carrying On, we wanted to take a moment to highlight the cover artwork for the collection. The painting, Turning Partly Cloudy by Midday, was created specifically for the cover of this book by Central Texas artist Bonner Fowles. The piece… Continue reading
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Carrying the Invisible
Carol Anne Johnson Each morning, the weight is waiting,quiet as stone beneath the chest.I lace my shoes and breathe through the fog,a soldier rehearsing peace. The world asks for smiles like currency,but mine are stitched from fragile threads.Behind them, a storm hums low and constant,lightning without thunder. Still, I move.Step by step,cup of tea in… Continue reading
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Now When We Are Living in a Darkening World
Merril D. Smith I want to taste every season onmy tongue— spring lilacs, summer roses,autumn’s dried brown leavesas they crunch underfoot,winter snow,the scent of itabout to fall— I want to see stars in my eyesand notice the spaces in between like the pause when it seems the sky is holding a breath just before the… Continue reading
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The Last Forever
Nicole Sara I forgive winters their harsh silences,their inexistent arrivalstimidly scatteredon the winding pathwayswithin me…I step along your mild quietnessin every sightreading carefully on your shadowsamong time drops always the same… You always open the door,and then a windowfor my flightnot begun yet…And I rewrite the same versefrom the abyssalways lost and foundin your eyeswhen… Continue reading
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Here Now
Rachel Armes-McLaughlin I wore my favorite shoes,rubber-soled, out in the rainto keep me grounded on the Earth. Black canvas tops,white laces –covering my warm feet,feet walking downthe asphalt hillat twilight. Cold, cold rain –late winter,early spring. The heavy waste bagkeeps me weighted,fingers numbingfrom the looped strings,arm tired, and my shoesgrounding me in the rain. Suddenly:wet… Continue reading
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Songs of Morning
Nick Allison When I awoke today,I looked to the eastand there was the sun,punctual as ever. I opened the back door,pleased to hear the birdssinging their songs of morninginto the cool, quiet air. Breathing in, I feel my lungsexpand, contract. Steady,the beat of my heart,a small promise of existence. The world goes on as it… Continue reading
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The Quiet Landing
Brent Boeckman Standing in the rubble of a life split wide open.Not a door ajar, but the whole damn house blown in.The discovery of a person who poured every dropof cement into the crack—watching the foundation still just… snap. The raw mix: Exhaustion. Confusion.The voice thick with the simple, brutal intrusion of failure,even when doing… Continue reading
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employed
Melissa Lemay i hold the plungerbetween my teethand pullitback. drawingthe liquid into thebarrel. it is the colorof a camel. i find the pool-bluemarker in thecrook of my elbow. piercing my skin, adark-dance oblivionfollows after red. i wake up, unsureof when; wherebegins to come intofocus. i am late to workagain. Melissa Lemay lives in Lancaster County,… Continue reading
Support The Poetry Project
The Chaos Section Poetry Project is independent and ad-free. If you like what we’re doing and want to help keep the light on, you can support us here.
About the Project
The Chaos Section Poetry Project publishes curated poetry collections rather than individual poems on a rolling basis. Our work is primarily rooted in contemporary free verse, though we’re open to a wide range of forms when they serve the book or project.
Each collection is built around a central theme and shaped through close editorial collaboration, with an emphasis on voice, craft, and emotional honesty.
All books are available free to read on the site and as free high-quality digital downloads. Print editions are offered for readers who want a physical copy.
Record of Dissent: Poems of Protest in an Authoritarian Age
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