“The Crossing of Our Accents” by Elina Katrin is one that immediately comes to mind. The blend of English, Arabic, and Russian is well done. As the child of a Russian immigrant, I am drawn to the way Katrin writes of language and diaspora, of how acclimation can harm. I think about this poem and Katrin’s collection, If My House Has a Voice, often.

— Elena Macdonald

One poem that sticks out is "86" by Ennio Moltedo and translated by Marguerite Feitlowitz. This poem was from a collection I encountered outside of the context of Poetry Daily, but felt so strongly about it that I submitted it for editorial review. It is empowering to feel that my exposure to contemporary poetry and my judgement is trusted and I got to advocate for a work I felt deserved attention.

— Judy Leserman

I had recently turned in my first ever acquisitions packet, After Images by Jenny George, and one of the poems I included, “Eurydice,” was chosen to go up on the website. That itself was a fantastic experience—to know that I contributed to Poetry Daily, that my hand-picked poem would be featured to our massive audience.

But what popped up on my Twitter feed soon after? Someone shared a screenshot of the poem from our website onto Twitter, and the post received several thousand likes! It was such phenomenal moment to see that not only had I delivered a poem to the Poetry Daily community, but that my choice was reaching an even wider audience. This experience put into perspective how important Poetry Daily is, even for people who may not engage with the website or who don’t even know it exists; it also made me realize how important Poetry Daily is to me, as well. Ever since, I knew I wanted to continue contributing to the organization. 

— Gracie Davidson

Through my time reading for Poetry Daily and my time teaching for Poetry Alive! I’ve really evolved as a thinker of poetry. Reading so many different books has opened my eyes to the world of publishing, and taught me so much about small presses and the importance of them. Through teaching, I’ve developed such a keen appreciation for the tangible impact poetry can have on people.

— Nick Ritter

The most rewarding moment for me was working with Poetry Alive! to teach poetry workshops at the Molinari Juvenile Shelter. Seeing the kids express themselves through poetry and sharing that joy with them was wonderful and really exemplified the ways in which poetry can be useful as an outlet or a way for creative expression.

— Faith Baylor

When I joined the practicum, I was given a piece of advice that has continued to stick with me: your editorial eye will strengthen as you read more poetry. Whenever I find myself doubting a poem that I really want to advocate for, I remember that I was drawn to it for a reason. Even if you don’t have the words immediately, I believe that deep down, you will become a stronger reader in Poetry Daily than you know.

— Alayda Flick

Take your time and enjoy the poems. Consider the poem’s structure, context, and style compared the various genres of poetry. As you read, think about the poem in context with other elements. Examine how the poem represents the publication, author, or targeted readers. Can you see it in a collection? Though poems themselves are foundational units for PD, they are only one piece of the editorial package. Your insights are more important than you know!

— Chelsey Coles

Since I worked on the development side rather than the editorial side, fundraising for Poetry Daily has reaffirmed my belief in community solidarity. The times are fraught, and it can be demoralizing to see art organizations get hit so hard by policies that are meant to destroy us. But I'm hopeful that, together, as readers and writers of poetry, we'll find a way through. 

With that, my final reflection is: please support Poetry Daily! People say it all the time, but $5 really can make all the difference.

— Jessika Bouvier