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Logen Cure

  • ABOUT
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Howdy 2025!

Alright, y’all. It’s a new year and it’s time for some good news. As always, I’ll pick up where I left off!

This fall, I had the honor of participating in two different projects for poets laureate. First, Texas poet laureate Amanda Johnston invited me to participate in the Praisesong for the People project. We were asked to “give an everyday Texan their flowers.” I wrote this poem to one of my college professors who meant a lot to me. In October, we did a reading at the Wild Detectives and it was so heartening and fun. I am proud to be included and grateful for Amanda Johnston’s brilliance. 

Also, Dallas poet laureate Mag Gabbert included me in the Thanks-Giving Foundation’s Virtues project. The poets commissioned wrote pieces in response to virtues. You can find my piece “Presence” here. In November, we had a reading in the gorgeous chapel at Thanks-Giving Square in Dallas. The project is ongoing! You should check out the details on the website. Dallas has such a vibrant poetry community and I’m so glad Mag facilitated this opportunity for us.

In other news, I’ve been slowly working on a second master’s degree since 2018, and I finished! I graduated in December with an MA in rhetoric and composition from Texas A&M University Commerce. It feels pretty wild, honestly. I learned a lot; I’m glad it’s over. I’m proud of myself. 

Also, I realized Inner Moonlight reached 4 years as a podcast! My first episode was December 2020. Don’t forget to tune in and come see us in person the second Wednesday of every month at The Wild Detectives! The series is such a source of joy for me, and I can’t wait to celebrate our 7th anniversary in April 2025. 

The spring semester is fixing to start. I’ve taken on the role of faculty editor for Texas Wesleyan’s student literary magazine, Aries; I’m launching an Editing & Publishing course for the student editorial staff. I will also teach a senior-level creative writing course that focuses on poetry. I’m super stoked! 

Alright, y’all. That’s it for now. I’ll update y’all again after a while. Be good out there.

Sunday 01.12.25
Posted by Logen Cure
 

On Harmful Myths About Poetry

(and my refusal to be exploited in perpetuating them)

Those of us in the poetry community are accustomed to non-literary publications writing “poetry is dead” articles. These derisive articles come out roughly once a year—they usually cause a day or two of eyerolling and discourse on poetry Twitter, and then fade from memory, as they should. Anyone within the poetry community can attest to its vibrance and vitality. The central idea underpinning these articles is, of course, that money is the only possible signifier of value or success, and that those who pursue poetry without financial gain are fools who simply cannot help themselves. For me, these articles are markers of the corruption of capitalism and the ways in which U.S. culture is morally bereft.

Which brings me to the other harmful myth I’d like to explore, which is that one is “born a poet” and must answer that calling even in the face of inevitable poverty. This one is surprisingly common and profoundly harmful in several ways. It’s deeply exclusionary and makes people feel like if they were not born a poet, they will never be one, or never be a good one. As a teacher and curator, much of my work centers on inviting people to connect with poetry, regardless of their prior experience with it or any other form of literature. While I have been a poet my whole life, I recognize that as a function of my specific circumstances and privileges, and would never suggest that this makes me “more” of a poet than anyone else. I spend a lot of time helping people break down barriers that keep them from engaging with poetry, and I see this as some of the most important work I do.

Also, poets aren’t bound to be impoverished. Again, I cannot speak for anyone but myself, but my pursuit of poetry has, indeed, made my entire life possible. My MFA in poetry provided the experience and credentials that have facilitated every job I’ve held as an adult. I’m a career higher education professional who started out in a registrar’s office, then served as an academic advisor for several years before falling in love with teaching and pursuing that route. It is completely false to suggest that poetry can never lead to livelihood.

These myths are linked, of course—folks demand tremendous unpaid labor from poets, expecting “exposure” or satisfaction of “passion” to stand in for actual compensation. I genuinely don’t know why folks outside of our community love to push these messages. No matter how many times folks declare us “dead,” we are demonstrably very alive, and poetry continues to be the genre people turn to in life’s most significant moments.

I am taking up this topic because my name and face were used in an article pushing these ideas, and I have no choice but to set the record straight. The folks over at Dallas Observer mischaracterized the goal of the article when they approached me for an interview. I was told that the article was intended to help people understand that poets should be paid with actual money, not just exposure. Instead, the article argues that poetry has no audience, students hate it, and it is “a labor of love and an inherent calling.” The reporter had the audacity to say that my poet colleagues and I have a “rapidly diminishing place in the world (and station in life).” That’s just rude to say about anyone, let alone a group of folks who are making serious magic in the community while contending with the crushing demands of capitalism.

Once the article posted, I realized that the reporter not only misled me about her intent, she used my voice only once, as an out-of-context afterthought in the final moment of the article. When I reached out to her regarding this choice, she told me her intent was to use my voice to reinforce her idea that being a poet is “an inherent trait.” Frankly, she had to take me out of context, because nothing I stated in my written interview aligned with her preconceived notions about the poetry community.

I insisted on a written interview because of my previous negative experiences with reporters. I have spoken about some of that publicly, like being egregiously misquoted by my hometown paper, The Midland Reporter Telegram. Some of these bad experiences have never been public because my insistence on written interviews allowed me to back out of harmful messages before they could be published. Once I realized how harmful the article is, and exactly how my voice had been used to bolster ideas I vehemently work against, I requested to be removed from the article. This shouldn’t have been too difficult, as my contribution could not have been more minimal, but the folks at Dallas Observer refused. I will include some of my real answers from my written interview here, along with some other thoughts.

The quote the reporter used is framed as if it answers the question, “is it worth it?” I was asked that question, but the quote included does not answer it. Here’s the real context of the quote used in the article:

Regardless of the economics, do you consider being a poet your occupation? Why?

I consider being a poet part of my identity. I've been a poet all my life and would be a poet regardless of how I pay the bills.

I clarified here that this is not an “occupation” for me. I pointed out that I have been doing it all my life to underscore the fact that it is not a capitalistic pursuit for me—like, I started when I was a child, before money became a concern in my life. My identity is made up of many roles, just like everyone else’s. I’m a mother, a wife, an educator, an animal-lover, an athlete, and so many other things that are not about money. Of course, identities evolve over time, and while being a poet has been persistent for me, I do not speak for anyone else, nor would I suggest that anyone else’s experience is less valid than mine.

Here’s my real answer to the question the reporter posed near the end of the article:

Ultimately– is it worth it?

Yes, it's worth it, but I don't measure that by how much money I make. Being a poet is a gift. Part of my gift is my ability to make space for other people to connect with poetry and to find their own voices. Poetry really does save lives, give people hope, fight loneliness. I wish we lived in a culture with more ways of imagining value beyond money. That is not the world we live in, however, so I do everything I can to advocate for myself and others.

Of course, I have always made sure the Inner Moonlight poets get paid. Not all reading series pay, but this issue is important to me. I've accepted a few different forms of sponsorships over the years, but since February of 2024, I have sponsored the show independently. Inner Moonlight is quite literally my gift to the community and it is my tremendous privilege to be able to give that gift. The show has generated its own magnificent community, so full of talent and heart and compassion, and I am deeply proud to create that space. It's hard work…but it is good work that matters to people in ways I can't put a price tag on. I believe writers should be paid, and I consistently see to it that they are paid. I also do this work to help people understand the value of literature, connection, and community beyond capitalism. It's not always easy to navigate, but it is always, always worth it.

I use the word “gift” because I feel poetry is something beautiful that was given to me, and something I take great joy in giving to others. I make it very clear in this answer that my goal is to invite others into the artform, and that I am doing my best within the damaging confines of capitalism. The reporter used my voice as if I shrugged off the importance of paying poets when in fact I did exactly the opposite.

Regarding the assertion that poets have no audience, here’s another relevant portion from my interview that works to dispel yet another myth:

In a general sense, how do you personally define ultimate success as a poet?

This is the question upon which my intro to creative writing course is based. I think every writer grapples with this question and has to come to their own terms, which are likely to continually evolve. Common definitions of success are: writing well, making money, gaining editorial approval, reaching a large audience, and making a difference. The longer I do this work, the less I care about things like editorial approval or fame (which is money + large audience). I care most about writing well and making a difference, which includes teaching and curating Inner Moonlight.

Welcome to Midland is the result of liberating myself from the myth of the "universal audience," which is code for "mainstream" and implies middle-class, white, cisgender straight people. My book was written for queer folks from small towns and has successfully reached that audience. I have received positive feedback from people outside of that target audience, certainly, which is lovely, but not required for me to feel that the book is successful. I feel most successful about my writing when readers within my target audience tell me that my work resonates with them. 

Of course, this answer had no place in an article bent on defining success only in terms of money and pushing the idea that people can only be poets if they were born that way. My very clear connection with my audience runs counter to the idea that people don’t read poetry, and my assertion that I achieved the success I desired is not nearly bleak enough for the thesis of the article.

The article makes other false claims that depict the state of creative writing as bleak and untenable. For example, the article asserts that Texas has zero graduate creative writing programs that offer funding, and that this is driving writers away from Dallas. That is laughably false and easily debunked by a cursory Google search, which reveals several grad-level programs in Texas with funding, including some right here in DFW. I’ve had the pleasure of featuring so many poets who found their way to DFW because they are pursuing grad school, or because they have been hired to teach creative writing, and I look forward to the next great talents those programs will bring.

I truly wish the reporter had decided against including me at all, or that Dallas Observer had complied with my request to remove me from the article. I wish people outside of our community would stay in their lane instead of talking down about us in public as if they are an authority. I wish U.S. culture was less broken and predatory, and that we could all experience any measure of freedom from capitalism.

What I want to tell you is that if you want to be a poet, this community is here for you. I am not going to lie to you and say that the community is perfect. It isn’t. It suffers from gatekeeping and inequities and bullshit just like everything else in our culture. But I can tell you that there are brilliant, beautiful people working their asses off every day to make it better. I can tell you that the poetry community in Dallas has been alive and well for as long as I can attest to it. I moved here in 2011, and I am damn proud of the evolution I’ve seen here over the years. I am deeply grateful to the independent bookstores, literary nonprofits, colleges and universities, and individual talents who have put in the real work of making this artform accessible and inclusive. Every time I am asked how I got to where I am today, I talk about how very lucky I am to have made connections with people who gave a damn about me and my work, and how honored I feel to create space for others by giving a damn myself. Do you have a poem stuffed in your pocket? Somewhere at the bottom of your bag? In the notes app on your phone? Do you have a poem deep in your memory that surfaces when you are grieving or overjoyed? If any of that is true for you, then I have great news. Poetry is a gift. It can be yours.

Saturday 06.01.24
Posted by Logen Cure
Comments: 1
 

Spring 2024 Updates

Howdy readers! As always, I’ve got some things to tell y’all. I’ll pick up where we left off! I have officially survived my first academic year at Texas Wesleyan. I am grateful and excited for the next year! I’ll be teaching some fun courses—I’ll tell y’all about it eventually.

My fall semester was full of great news. In September, The Wild Detectives hosted The Hay Forum again. I had the honor of introducing the panel “Stories Shaped in Verse: Exploring Literary Landscapes with Roger Reeves and Melania Luisa Marte.” I also served as the guest poetry editor for The Texas Observer’s September/October 2023 issue. The Nasher Sculpture Center reprinted “Permian Sea” from Welcome to Midland in their magazine and The Dallas Contemporary featured me for their Third Thursday Series alongside some gorgeous queer art.

Fall 2023 also brought my final issue as an editor for Voicemail Poems after 7 years. I am so grateful for everything I learned working on such a unique and beautiful publication. Y’all can see the gorgeous poetry we publish, but what you can’t see is what it’s like to listen to so, so many voicemails from poets. The voicemail is such a personal recording. I heard cats meowing, sirens, papers shuffling, sometimes full minutes of someone’s life after they finished their poem and didn’t successfully hang up. It was such a strange and wonderful privilege. I also made my first podcast for them. I’m grateful to my fellow editors over all the years and all the incredible poets I got to publish. Y’all keep calling and leaving a poem at the beep. Your work is in good hands.

Spring semester was no less action-packed! I served as a judge for the 2024 Randall Jarrell Poetry Competition for the North Carolina Writer’s Network. I also had the honor of reading for the American Literary Review poetry series in Denton. Check out the pretty photo below, compliments of my beautiful wife:

 

In April, Inner Moonlight celebrated our 6th anniversary! I cannot believe it has been that long, y’all! Curating this show is such a joy. I say all the time that I create the reading I want to see in the world. I see so much talent and heart in DFW writers and I am honored to reflect this brilliant community back to itself. Inner Moonlight has also created its own magnificent community and I am deeply proud that’s true. We marked the occasion with a big poetry party including encore performances from features from the past year plus some Inner Moonlight favorites. The podcast episode is beautiful, so you should check it out!

The Wild Detectives also celebrated an anniversary in April! They hosted a bunch of events for their 10th (!!) including a collaborative show including Inner Moonlight, a storytelling event called Talking Dirty After Dark, and a music event called Loose Sounds. It was such a cool show and we had a blast! I released this show as a special episode of the podcast so y’all can hear the magic. Here’s a little video of me wishing The Wild Detectives a happy anniversary!

Also in April, a bunch of independent bookstores participated in the 2nd Annual Oak Cliff Book Crawl. I had the pleasure of signing books at Whose Books among some other lovely authors and friends. I can’t overstate how important it is that these bookstores exist! Buy local, y’all.

Alright! That’s it for now. Thank you, dear readers. I’ll come back with more good news, as always. Y’all be good out there!

Wednesday 05.15.24
Posted by Logen Cure
 

Fall 2023 Updates

Howdy, readers! I have a ton of updates for y’all, as always.

I am proud to report that Welcome to Midland won Honorable Mention for the Philosophical Society of Texas annual book awards. The book also made the Poetry From the Subversives list from indie bookshop AvantPop Bookstore. I feel so seen!

Speaking of indie bookstores, I had the honor of participating in events for a couple of my favorites. The incomparable Pantego Books invited me to their poetry night for National Poetry Month in April. I did two events for Deep Vellum, also in April. I moderated a discussion with the brilliant writer Deborah D.E.E.P. Mouton during her book tour. I also read from my book for the Deep Vellum 10th anniversary celebration at Klyde Warren park in Dallas. So grateful these shops exist!

Also in April, I had the pleasure of visiting Midland/Odessa, thanks to Pride Center West Texas and UT-Permian Basin. I taught a workshop at the university and gave a reading at a local cafe in Midland. I always say I wrote Welcome to Midland for queer folks with hometowns like mine. It was so heartening to meet the brilliant queer community in that very place—they were quite literally beyond my wildest dreams.

In May, I hosted a very special Inner Moonlight—our 5th anniversary! The event kicked off the Writer’s Garret Dallas is Lit! Festival. You can read about it in this Dallas Observer article, which includes a pretty amazing photo of me doing what I do at The Wild Detectives. I featured a stellar line-up of poets from our 2nd anniversary forward. You can hear the incredible performances by tuning into the podcast! Catch up on all the episodes and catch us live at The Wild Detectives the second Wednesday of every month.

In June, new lit mag Does It Have Pockets? featured an interview and some poems from the book. I am ever so grateful for the support!

The final piece of good news for now is that I got a new job! I am a full time English instructor at Texas Wesleyan University. I am stoked and honored to serve this gorgeous campus!

 

Cheers to moving on, making the most of community, buying local, and giving a damn. You can bet I’ll be back before too long with more excellent news. Y’all be good out there.

Sunday 09.10.23
Posted by Logen Cure
 

End of 2022 Updates

Howdy, readers! I has been a while since I updated y’all so get ready for lots of great news. Last time I posted, I mentioned I’d be participating in the LitTalk panel for the Dallas Literary Festival. That happened! It was fun and I got to meet some lovely folks, including author Maya Golden, who was kind enough to say nice things about my book when she was interviewed by the Writer’s League of Texas. Such an joy to connect with such lovely folks!

Speaking of lovely moments from other authors, novelist and fellow West Texan Elizabeth Wetmore surprised me by mentioning my book to both our hometown newspapers, The Midland Reporter Telegram and The Odessa American. Both interviewers asked her, “What are you reading?” and her answer was Welcome to Midland. I felt honored and seen!

In other news, I’ve done a few other events since my last update. I gave a featured reading at the Dallas Contemporary for their summer series at a Deep Vellum Books pop-up. The folks at the Contemporary were so lovely to me and the audience was super warm and receptive. I had a fantastic time.

I also taught my imagery workshop for the Writer’s Garret back in October. In November, I participated in a LitTalk panel (also sponsored by the Writer’s Garret) at the incredible Whose Books curated by Alex Temblador alongside Daniel Peña and Tarfia Faizullah. It was so generative and smart and you can watch the recording on YouTube.

Also in November, I had the opportunity to participate in an international Zoom reading hosted by Desperate Literature out of Madrid. The incomparable Katy Dycus moderated a conversation between the ever-fascinating Kendra Greene and me about our respective books. It was beautiful and involved serious conversation about sea monsters. You can check it out on YouTube if you like.

As far as work news, that 2022 issue of Script did, indeed, drop, and it’s beautiful. Check out the cover art:

 

I should also tell you that Welcome to Midland made the shortlist for the Reading the West Book Awards! It was so exciting and such an honor!

And finally Inner Moonlight! It’s been a heck of a ride and I’ve loved every minute. I built a dedicated page for the show on this very website, and from there, you can see all of the features, access podcast episodes, read book reviews, and more! Check out all the amazing writers that have come through since my last post and get ready for more magic the second Wednesday of every month at the Wild Detectives.

Alright, that’s all for now, dear readers. I will have more good news for you soon! Y’all be good out there.

Friday 12.16.22
Posted by Logen Cure
 

Spring 2022 Updates

Howdy, y’all! My last post told you my book launch would happen at The Wild Detectives in August. That happened! It was gorgeous and I loved every second of it. A lot has happened since! The book has generated a lot of cool things since the launch. The Texas Observer reviewed Welcome to Midland. They called the book a memoir at first—we got that fixed but it’s sort of a curious phenomenon. It’s definitely a book of poems, y’all. Lucky for me, the folks over at Infrarrealista Review published this review that made me feel really seen.

In a complicated turn of events, The Midland Reporter Telegram interviewed me about the book. The article misquotes me a few times and you might hit a paywall. But that happened! The hometown paper, y’all. That’s not what I expected. In happier news, one of my poems was featured on the Backstory of a Poem blog series and D Magazine listed the book on this 2021 best list.

I’ve also received so many notes from strangers—folks letting me know they’re also from somewhere small, Texas, and my work speaks to them. That’s exactly what I wanted. Thanks, y’all.

I am also happy to report I was featured in the 2021 Texas Book Festival! I was on a panel with legendary Texas authors Kendra Allen, Carrie Fountain, and Tomás Morín. It was incredible! Check out the photo of my stunning fiancé and me at a fancy author event:

 

In other news, I have entered into a partnership with The Writer’s Garret for Inner Moonlight! You’ve heard me talk about teaching workshops for The Writer’s Garret in the past, and I’m stoked to work with them and The Wild Detectives to keep making space for poets. So much has happened and I’ve got more good news in store!

We are officially back at The Wild Detectives in person! But don’t worry; we are still a podcast. After Lauren Berry’s episode dropped, I published this review of her book, The Rented Altar. I made a few more podcast-only interview-style episodes: Lindsay Illich, whose book, Fingerspell, Katy Dycus reviewed; fellow West Texan Loretta Diane Walker, whose book I reviewed; and finally, I agreed to let Katy play host and interview me about Welcome to Midland. It was a little weird to be interviewed, but it was such fun and Katy was the perfect interviewer. Happy to have such a brilliant collaborator!

In November 2021, after almost a full year of producing just the podcast, we came back to The Wild Detectives backyard in person! I record the live show and release it on the podcast platform—Anchor, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and most places folks get their podcasts. Now, each episode includes one featured writer reading their work and answering my nerdy questions in front of a live audience at The Wild Detectives. Our November poet was Vic Victory, who was incredible. In December, we hosted Shug Avery, and the Dallas Observer thought y’all should know. In January, it was Matthew W. Baker. February brought us the incomparable Emily Ramser, whose episode is forthcoming at the time of this writing. The show is always, as ever, total magic. It’s the second Wednesday of every month. We do a brief open mic. We’d love to see you! Check out the stunning new logo, thanks to Writer’s Garret Executive Director, Aaron Glover.

 

In other news, I will be reading for the Dallas Literary Festival for the LitNight panel on March 20th. RSVP if you want to join!

I am in the middle of making a new issue of Script with my students right now, so I’ll be sure to report back about that. I will have more good news for y’all, no doubt. Be good out there!

Thursday 02.17.22
Posted by Logen Cure
 

Book Launch and Other Things

Y’all! My book launch for Welcome to Midland will be August 18th, 7:30PM at the Wild Detectives. I cannot wait to share the story of the book with y’all. We’ll be in the back yard at my favorite venue. It’s a free event, but you have to RSVP via Eventbrite. See you there!

launch image.jpg
 

Speaking of the Wild Detectives, Inner Moonlight never stops making magic. The legendary Texas Monthly had this to say about us: “Hosted by West Texas–bred Logen Cure (her latest collection, Welcome to Midland, is forthcoming from Dallas-based Deep Vellum in August), Inner Moonlight is at once sharp and soothing. Each episode consists of a dialogue between Cure and ‘one brilliant writer,’ and each generally opens with her asking her guest to ‘Tell me something good.’ The show is mindful of foregrounding writers of underrepresented ages, genders, and ethnicities, but also of various schools of form and rhythm. There’s something for a listener of any lyric persuasion to love.” Check out the rest of the article recommending us here!

Since I last updated about Inner Moonlight, we published this review of Robin Myrick’s book; I talked to the incomparable Paige Quiñones and Katy Dycus reviewed her book, The Best Prey; and Lauren Berry and I talked about horror, huge flowers, and her book The Rented Altar.

One last piece of good news! The Chicago Review of Books invited me to take over their Instagram to hype Welcome to Midland. I am so stoked and honored! Check it out on their Insta or mine—you find it all in my story highlights.

That’s it for now, but I’ll have more good news for y’all soon! Be good out there.

Sunday 08.01.21
Posted by Logen Cure
 

Summer 2021 Updates

So many things to tell y’all. Let’s go!

I am thrilled to present the 2021 issue of Script, created by my incredible students. We made this issue completely in a remote, asynchronous learning environment and I gotta say—these students did me proud. Big thanks to the editors and contributors. Check out the utterly arresting cover art:

kscoverfinal.jpg
 

I have loved hosting Inner Moonlight as a podcast. I have spoken to people near and far: Katy Dycus, who wrote this beautiful piece you can hear her read to me; Rebecca Balcárcel, who wrote a book I loved, so I told The Wild Detectives about it in this review; Robin Myrick; and Joe Milazzo, who published Robin’s book. I can’t wait to bring you more podcast episodes and other exciting news!

I taught a virtual poetry workshop about imitation for the Writer’s Garret that was super fun. Voicemail Poems is always making magic, so call us.

My book is gonna drop soon! I will have more good news for you soon. Y’all be good out there.

Tuesday 06.08.21
Posted by Logen Cure
 

Winter 2021 Updates

Alright, it’s been a while! Let’s get right to it!

Check out the gorgeous cover art for Welcome to Midland, my debut collection forthcoming in August 2021 from Deep Vellum Publishing! You can pre-order now! Big thanks to my wife, Ash, for making the art. Can’t wait to share this book with y’all.

midland-cover-RGB_1024x1024@2x.jpg
 

In other news, Inner Moonlight at the Wild Detectives went on hiatus after the videos I curated celebrating our second anniversary back in April. As of December 2020, we are back! I’ve turned the reading series into a podcast you can access pretty much wherever you get your podcasts! I kept our old schedule of the second Wednesday of every month. Each episode is reading and conversation with one brilliant writer. In December, I featured long-time friend and poet, Dani Quesenberry. In January, you’ll hear from Dallas poet Brittany Griffiths, who featured me on her Point of Departure podcast in 2019. Join me every month for more! Big thanks to the Wild Detectives for the continued support.

We’re always taking submissions and putting out issues over at Voicemail Poems. You know you wanna call us up.

Back in November, I taught another round of ekphrasis via Zoom for the Writer’s Garret, and executive director Aaron Glover made me blush by saying, “I can't say enough good about Logen Cure, not least that she is a friend, but also especially relevant, that she is a deeply thoughtful educator. We've offered this workshop before, and are offering again because it's so good, so join us!” I imagine I’ll have another workshop forthcoming with them, so I’ll keep you posted!

I’m fixing to start the Spring 2021 semester at Tarrant County College South, which means I’ll be making another issue of Script with students. This will be my first time making the magazine completely online. I’m looking forward to it! Teaching this course is always such a joy. Wild Detectives contributor, Katy Dycus, reached out to me at the top of the pandemic and included me in this article, “Book People in the Time of COVID,” where I just talk about how great my students are.

That’s it for now! I’ll come back around after a while with more good news for y’all. Take care out there!

Sunday 01.10.21
Posted by Logen Cure
 

The Book and Other Things

Okay, y’all. You’re not ready, but here it goes—

My book got picked up! That’s right! Welcome to Midland found a home with Deep Vellum Publishing! I am thrilled and honored. I have always admired what they do, as evidenced by my long history of saying so here in this very news section. It’s going to drop next year, 2021, complete with illustrations by my wife, Ashley. It’s so perfect, and I’m so grateful.

I’ve had a few poems from the project come out since I updated last. You can check out a silly one over at Prime Number or this pair over at Turn a Phrase.

As always, I have to update you about Inner Moonlight. I had the honor of hosting Nomi Stone and Rose Skelton (we did this gorgeous interview for that show), Mag Gabbert and Alexandra Corinth (check out this interview with Alexandra), Mike Soto and Boris Tsessarsky (and this review for Mike’s book), Robin Turner and Emma Ramsey, and in the final show before quarantine, Jenny Molberg and Kathryn Nuernberger (and interviews with both, here and here). Since we couldn’t celebrate the second anniversary in person, with a huge poetry party like last year, I curated this set of videos from features from the year. I am very proud of how this project turned out and grateful to the Wild Detectives for continuing to make space for us. I am working on the future of Inner Moonlight, so stay tuned for more!

I went to AWP in San Antonio in the beginning of March, which seems crazy to me in retrospect. I met some folks I’d only ever emailed with, saw some old friends, mostly floated around the Deep Vellum table and looked for Mexican food. My AirBNB had chickens in the yard. It seems like a long time ago.

Voicemail Poems has a new website and we’re always doing things. Call us, why don’t you?

As always, I am deeply proud of my students at Tarrant County College South. They put together a dark, haunting, gorgeous issue despite being suddenly forced into isolation and countless unexpected circumstances.

script2020final-01.png
 

Okay, that’s all for me right now. Y’all be good out there.

Wednesday 05.27.20
Posted by Logen Cure
 

Fall 2019 Updates

Y’all, I have SO much to tell you. Let’s go!

First, Inner Moonlight at The Wild Detectives has continued to astonish. We put on a hell of a show the second Wednesday of every month. Since I last posted, these amazing folks have come through: Princess McDowell and Gabby Edwards, Machele Johnson and Sarah Friday, and Mark Noble and V.P. Crowe. I’ve got Tom Farris and Harry McNabb slated for October. Can’t wait to see you there!

In other news, Voicemail Poems dropped the summer issue. Check it out! The submission deadline for fall is October 15. Call us up!

I also had the opportunity to read poems at the record release for a local band, Spora Junket alongside the incomparable Brittany Griffiths. The band is ethereal and cool; you should definitely check them out. The show was at the historic Top Ten Records in Oak Cliff. I had such a blast! Everyone was so chill and nice to me. The folks at Top Ten are true professionals. I took this selfie ‘cause I was super stoked:

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Also! We celebrated the 2019 issue of Script with Awards Night on September 20. It’s such a pleasure getting all our contributors, editors, and supporters together in one place to recognize the talent, resilience, and passion of our Tarrant County College South community. This is the fifth issue I’ve produced with students and it continues to be such an incredible joy. Check out the gorgeous turnout below:

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I also had the honor of participating in Art & Words again this year. Big thanks to Bonnie Stufflebeam for making it all happen! It was special for several reasons. First and foremost, my wife, Ashley, was also in the show with her stunning visual art. I am so freakin’ proud of her. The show had an excellent turnout. My parents came, as did my friend and mentor from undergrad with her daughter, and several of my own current creative writing students. I felt very supported and loved. I also felt very seen by artist Alex Sharp, who made this astonishing and beautiful piece in response to my poem, “Flash Floods.”

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I also just returned from the Texas Association of Creative Writing Teachers conference. I had a fantastic time. It’s always a pleasure to meet like-minded folks. I learned a lot and also gained clearer perspective on how fortunate I am to do the work that I do. Can’t wait to go back next year!

Last, but most definitely not least, the installation at the Dallas Museum of Art for Spiderweb Salon is live! It’ll be up til January, so you should definitely go check it out! You can find out more and hear our work at that link, but really, you gotta go see it. I am beyond proud to be included in this collective. They embody so many things I believe in and they create such magic in the world.

See, I told you. So much to share! Stay tuned, y’all. You know I always have more good news on the way. Be good out there.

Sunday 09.29.19
Posted by Logen Cure
 

Script 2019 and Other Things

Y’all. I wrapped up my second year as Professor Cure. I’ve got a lot to tell you. Ready?

Inner Moonlight has continued to be so, so good. Since my last update, I featured Alejandra Ramos Gómez and Reverie Koniecki.

In April, we celebrated our first anniversary with a HUGE line-up of poets featured throughout the year. It’s one of the biggest events I’ve ever attempted and y’all, it was incredible. Everyone was fantastic and it was such a pleasure bringing so many brilliant folks into the same space. Check out this beautiful photo of all these talented folks!

Photo by Alan Gann

Photo by Alan Gann

 

I kicked off the new year of Inner Moonlight with Opalina Salas and MH Clay. I did this interview with Opalina about her brand new book.

Speaking of interviews, big thanks to Brittany Griffiths for featuring me on her Wavelength podcast, Point of Departure. I had a blast making this episode! We talk about some important topics and keep it very real.

I’ve had some poems come up since the last post too. Crab Fat Magazine picked up a couple pieces for their March issue. I am profoundly grateful they gave these difficult poems a home.

I also had a piece come up over at the incomparable Mad Swirl. Always happy to be included in their community.

I taught a couple workshops. I taught a new one about imagery for Spiderweb Salon. It was so much fun. My participants were lovely and thoughtful and totally went along with my instruction to respond to weird objects. Check out this photo from the event:

Photo by Nina Chantanapumma

Photo by Nina Chantanapumma

 

I also taught another round of the ekphrasis workshop for the Writer’s Garret. The WG shares space with an art gallery, so it’s the perfect place to talk about one of my favorite topics. I got real lucky with these participants too—some friendly faces and some excellent new folks.

Voicemail Poems put out our Spring 2019 issue, which is our first back from hiatus. It’s fantastic and we are very proud. We’re open for the next one right now! You know you wanna call us up. Do it!

Also, the 2019 issue of Script dropped! That cover art, y’all. My editors were such smart, kind, generous people. They give me hope for the world, and told me directly they wanted to create a message of hope for their community. They did just that with this empowering issue. I am ever so proud of them. Take a look!

 

Upcoming things! I’ll be participating with Spiderweb Salon for their C3 Visiting Artist exhibition at the freakin’ Dallas Museum of Art this Fall! I could not be more thrilled. The show is going to be incredible. You’ll definitely hear more from me about it.

I’m also participating in this year’s Art and Words show in Fort Worth. That’s not really the important part, though. My wife will also be in the show with her visual art! I’ve been yelling about it since she got in! She’s amazing and I am so excited for both of us. Opening night will be in the Fall, so more on that later!

The next Inner Moonlight will feature Kendra Greene and Matthew Klane on June 12. Be there!

I will also be teaching Creative Writing, ENGL 2307, at TCC-South this Fall. If you’ve got ENGL 1301 credit and want to spend Tuesday and Thursday afternoons with me writing fiction and poetry, let me know!

Happy summer, y’all. Come back soon. You know I always have good news for you. Be good out there.

Saturday 05.25.19
Posted by Logen Cure
 

Spring 2019 Updates

Damn, y’all, I am behind! So much going on. Let’s get started!

Inner Moonlight has been such a blast! In April, I’ll have an anniversary show featuring as many of the past poets as possible. These amazing folks have all come through since the last post: Sebastian Paramo and Caitlin Pryor, Paul Koniecki and Nadia Wolnisty (check out this article about them from D Magazine), Megan Peak (check out this review of her book), Trista Edwards and Bess Whitby, Darius Frasure and Bear Rodehaver, and Aaron Glover and Emmy Piercy. Up next on March 13, we’ve got Alejandra Ramos Gomez and Reverie Koniecki. The anniversary show on April 10 is gonna be a poetry party, so if you’ve missed any shows, that’s the night to come out and behold what a fantastic year we’ve had!

Script had some great things happen. Our Awards Night for the 2018 issue had a great turnout and the Collegian kindly covered it and posted some photos. I also got word that the Community College Humanities Association selected our 2017 issue as first place for best magazine in the southwest region! We are so proud. My ENGL 2389 students and I are hard at work on the 2019 issue. I can’t wait to share it with y’all!

I taught a workshop about the magic of the sonnet at the Marine Creek Creative Writing Conference at TCC Northwest. This free event is always excellent! 

Thanks to Sebastian Paramo and Mag Gabbert for featuring me at their Pegasus Reading Series back in December. I had a blast and it was an honor to read with such excellent folks!

I’ve also got another round of my ekphrasis workshop coming up for the Writer’s Garret. It’ll be April 27, so go on and sign up! It’s super fun.  

Voicemail Poems is back after a hiatus. We take rolling submissions so call us up! Stoked to put out a new issue so stay tuned.

I’m sending out that manuscript, so seriously, y’all,  all the good vibes. 

Take care of yourselves out there. I’ll be back eventually with more good news. 

Monday 02.25.19
Posted by Logen Cure
 

Fall 2018 Updates

Y'all. I have a lot of exciting stuff to tell you. Let's go!

First, over summer I finished my damn manuscript. That's right. After six years of toiling, I FINISHED. I've been sending it out, trying to find it a home. Fingers crossed!

The second edition of Letters to Petrarch dropped and it's gorgeous! It has the same simple aesthetic and hard cover in various colors with a fresh new design on the inside. I love them so, so much.

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Next, Inner Moonlight has been going so well! When I updated last, Fatima Hirsi and Courtney Marie were up next. I wrote this review for their joint chapbook. That show also resulted in some super cool coverage, like this article about the show and this spotlight of Courtney Marie's Spiderweb Salon by Art&Seek. I am beyond stoked that this show generated buzz for these artists. That's why I do this work. I am surrounded by incredible people and I need folks to know.

Since then, I've featured Melania-Luisa Marte and Mike Soto, and Christopher Soden and Lisa Huffaker. Lisa is the mastermind behind the White Rock Zine Machine and other magic. My next show is this week, September 12th, featuring Sebastian Paramo and Caitlin Pryor. I can't freakin' wait.

Other upcoming things: I've got some stuff with The Writer's Garret. Their open house is September 15th from 1PM to 3PM. I'll be there promoting my workshop, Ekphrasis: Poetic Response to Visual Art, happening October 20th from 1PM to 4PM. Come make poems inspired by art with me! We'll have access to the ArtSpace gallery so we can look at some real live art.

I'll also be featuring at the Same Page Book Festival for the Decatur Public Library. It's September 29th from 1PM to 5:30PM. It'll have panels, readings, speakers, and a book fair. I'm looking forward to it!

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Also, I'll be featuring in a show for Spiderweb Salon on National Coming Out Day, October 11th. More details on that later!

Okay, that's it for now. Y'all be good out there!

Sunday 09.09.18
Posted by Logen Cure
Comments: 1
 

Script 2018 and Other Things

A million updates, as usual. I survived my first academic year as Professor Cure. I am profoundly exhausted but y'all, it was so worth it. I am so proud of my students. The newest online issue of Script dropped and it is gorgeous.

 

I am taking summer off and I am beyond excited. I have plans to work on my manuscript and read all the poems. It's going to be amazing.

In other news, we did put out that Winter 2018 podcast episode. I am sad to say it will be my last. I am still an editor for VMP, I'm just not working on the podcast anymore. It was super fun but I had to be real with myself about what I can reasonably take on. That's a tough balance as an artist. Sure y'all can relate.

We put out our Spring 2018 issue and it's fire! Very proud of it.

Remember how I said I was going to read for Spiderweb Salon? I did. It was truly one of the most bizarre experiences of my life and I am so glad they included me.

Inner Moonlight with Lauren Brazeal and Stevie Edwards was absolutely everything I hoped for and more. They were both incredible readers and I am so damn happy I got to feature them and promote their work. I reviewed Lauren's brand new book Gutter and let me tell you, it is stunning. Wild Detectives contributor Katy Dycus reviewed Stevie's latest book, Sadness Workshop, and it is equally beautiful. I picked up both books during the reading. Get on down to Wild Detectives so you can get them for yourself!

I also featured for a new series called Meet Me With Curiosity on May 5. It's an outdoor showcase at Klyde Warren Park in Dallas. It was an honor to be invited.

Also, the long-awaited Southern Poetry Anthology: Texas from Texas Review Press is finally out! My poem "Supernova" is in it. Get yourself a copy!

Upcoming: the next Inner Moonlight is June 6 at 7:30PM. We've got Courtney Marie and Fatima Hirsi presenting their joint chapbook. I can't freakin' wait.

I should also have a second edition of Letters to Petrarch out soon! More on that later.

Y'all be good out there!

Thursday 05.10.18
Posted by Logen Cure
 

Inner Moonlight and Other Things

Okay, so lots of updates! I've partnered with The Wild Detectives for a new monthly reading series called Inner Moonlight. Our launch event featured Gayle Reaves-King and Dan Collins. It was a fantastic show! I am thrilled to have the opportunity to highlight more incredible poets. Check out this photo from the show:

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Our next show is May 2 at 7:30PM, featuring Lauren Brazeal and Stevie Edwards! Can't wait to see you there.

Also, I've got my Craft and Confession workshop coming up this Sunday, April 8th at 1PM at the Writer's Garret. It's going to be super fun!

I'll be featuring for Spiderweb Salon at their Very Rare! Show in Dallas on April 14th! Drop them a line if you want a formal invitation with more details.

In other news, I've got a little zine in the White Rock Zine Machine right now, located at Deep Vellum Books in Dallas. This set of zines is in collaboration with the Fort Worth Art & Words Show. 

I had a poem, "Pareidolia," come up over at Mad Swirl.

The Winter 2018 issue of Voicemail Poems is out, and the podcast episode will come up soon. Our Spring issue is coming soon!

Stay tuned for more good news. Y'all be good out there!

Friday 04.06.18
Posted by Logen Cure
 

Happy 2018!

As always, I have a ton of updates for y'all!

I.S. Jones and I dropped that Fall 2017 podcast episode for Voicemail Poems. Check it out! Our Winter issue is forthcoming.

Also, I survived my first semester as Professor Cure. It was intense, I'm not going to lie. As soon as finals ended, I stayed the weekend in a cabin at a state park so I could work on my manuscript, as evidenced by the photo below. I made some excellent progress and I'm feeling optimistic about the project.

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Speaking of optimism, I can't wait for the Spring semester to start so I can make another issue of Script with my students!

Speaking of TCC, I gave my Craft and Confession workshop for TCC-Northwest's Marine Creek Creative Writing Conference back in November and had a blast doing it. I should have another offering of that workshop via the Writer's Garret this Spring, so stay tuned for more on that.

In other news, two of my West Texas pieces, "Coyote" and "Santa Rita, 1921," found a home in Weaving the Terrain, an anthology of 100-word poems about the Southwest, from Dos Gatos Press. You should get yourself a copy!

You know, 2017 was a pretty crazy year. Here's hoping 2018 is excellent. Y'all take care of yourselves out there.

Saturday 01.13.18
Posted by Logen Cure
 

Script Awards Night, Art & Words, and Other Things

Y'all. I have been crazy busy. I have so many updates!

Script celebrated Awards Night! This year's issue is gorgeous and I'm so happy we got to honor the contributors and editors. I am so proud of our students. Check out this beautiful photo below, compliments of the Collegian.

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Also, I participated in the Art & Words Show this year! This collaborative show is a true gem in the DFW literary community. Many thanks to Bonnie Stufflebeam for putting it all together! Also, check out this detail photo of the terrific piece of art Courtney Marie created in response to "Shipwreck," my poem accepted to the show:

 
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Voicemail Poems dropped its Fall issue today. Stay tuned for my podcast follow-up!

Other upcoming things: my Terrible Poetry workshop for the Writer's Garret, this Saturday October 14.

I will also be reading for Pandora's Box on Friday October 20th, 7PM at Deep Vellum. This is another collaboration called "bread crumbs." A group of poets writes a chain of pieces that are inspired by/related to one another. The reading is pretty neat and it's fun to create alongside such talented folks. Looking forward to it!

I also found out that I will have a couple poems featured in an anthology of 100-word poems about the Southwest, published by Dos Gatos Press. More on that later. 

I am always, as ever, a very lucky poet. Y'all be good out there.

Tuesday 10.10.17
Posted by Logen Cure
 

Summer VMP and Other Things

The summer episode of the Voicemail Poems podcast is up! Some knockout pieces in this one. Super enjoyed co-hosting with I.S. Jones. Check it out!

Also, I've mentioned artist Michele Mikesell in the past. She did this terrific interview about inspiration and said some really lovely things about me and my “Rainmakers, 1891” poem.

Don't forget about the Terrible Poetry workshop with the Writer's Garret! October 14 from 12PM to 3PM. It's great fun!

I'm getting excited for fall classes to start. Can't wait to meet my students. I'll keep y'all posted on this and other good news. Be good out there.

Sunday 08.13.17
Posted by Logen Cure
 

Professor Cure

So this is probably my best news for y'all yet: I'm going to be a full-time English faculty member for TCC-South in the Fall! I am absolutely thrilled. I will keep working on Script and I will get to stay at the campus that's been home for 4 years. This is the dream. Truly. I cannot wait.

In other news, I'll be participating in a roundtable discussion about MFA programs at Deep Vellum Books, Sunday July 23 at 1PM. The event is free and I will be joined by a panel of some of my favorites to talk about our experiences. If you're in DFW and you're wondering if an MFA is right for you, come see us.

Also, I'll be teaching my Terrible Poetry workshop for the Writer's Garret, October 14 from 12PM to 3PM. This workshop is a lot of fun. We see who can write the worst piece in the room and then we talk about how to make awful drafts into good poems. Join me!

That's all for now. Y'all be good out there.

Wednesday 07.12.17
Posted by Logen Cure
 
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