Here are two short pandemic works by Ohio poet, corbin t. lanker. corbin is a nonbinary person, currently a student of earth sciences at the Ohio State University. You can also see their poetry film here.
You can also access this poem in this MS Word accessible document: two poems on dwelling during the pandemic.
The pandemic period has been a time when our communities have been demanding justice, including campaigns like #BlackLivesMatter. This next poems is a clever play on the 1852 anti-slavery novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe, posing difficult questions about racist violence that still remains in America post-slavery.
Travis McClerking is a Sophomore at OSU majoring in English, who was introduced to poetry through competitive slams. He continues to develop his craft in the famous open mics held at Kafe Kerouac. He pays tribute to his high school teacher Dr. Sidney Jones and the Columbus native, Hanif Abdurraquib, as his biggest influences.
Also see this accessible version in MS Word: McClerking Uncle Tom’s Cabin Fever
Many poets in Ohio are writing about the uncertainty brought about by the pandemic, and Angela Acosta is no different in this poem ‘One Year In.’ Angela Acosta is a PhD student in Iberian Studies at The Ohio State University. She returned to writing poetry in English and Spanish during the pandemic to document her experiences and write alongside the Spanish women writers whose creative lives she uncovers in her research.
You can also read the poem in this accessible word document: Submission Dwelling During Pandemic[69]
Here is a beautiful, uplifting poem by Ohio writer Rita Bourland, illustrated by a gorgeous photograph by Lisa Berg. Here is what Rita had to say about their collaboration:
Here’s another Ohio submission, this time a poetry film by corbin t lanker. corbin is a nonbinary person, currently a student of earth sciences at the Ohio State University. They like to write poetry and paint in order to process feelings. This poetry film is a meditation based on thoughts on New Year’s Eve 2020 – the movement from one COVID year to another. corbin says:”I hope you enjoy my work, a whole bunch of my poetry is at http://corbincoolguy.simplesite.com/“.
An Ohio resident since 1976, Kathie Houchens is a poet, artist, and an explorer of nature. She writes as a way to stay grounded, to distill experience, and to see with new eyes. Kathie co-authored Around the Table: Poems by Four Women with Anna Soter.
In her poem, ‘Breath,’ Kathie processes the emotional stress that we all faced during the pandemic, and she finds solace in nature – in the trees!
You can also find the poem in this MS Word accessible document: Breath.
Here’s another international poem. The poet Sue Dymoke lives in Nottingham, UK and is an Associate Professor at Nottingham Trent University where she leads Young Poets’ Stories, a research project exploring young people’s poetry writing development. Her third full collection, What They Left Behind, was published by Shoestring Press in 2018.
Sue’s poem ‘Out of time’ counts the days of the COVID pandemic with all its surreal twists and turns.
You can also access this poem in this accessible MS Word document: Out of time by Sue Dymoke.
Alongside our Ohio poets, we also have some room for international contributors. Jonathan Ukah was born in Nigeria but nationalised in Germany. A graduate of English at the University of Nigeria, he studied German Law, but lives and works in London, UK. Jonathan’s poem, ‘Something Else,’ was written at the height of the pandemic in 2020, and he vividly outlines the toll of actually dealing with the illness – the toll on our bodies, the toll on medical staff, and the toll on our sense of safety.
You can also find this as a MS Word accessible document here: Something Else by Jonathan Ukah.
Carynne Spalding Jarrell wrote this poem during a sleepless pandemic night. In writing about the experience of ADHD during the pandemic, Carynne wanted to say that she hopes people seek help if needed, no matter their age, job or any other potential stigmas. She also wanted to share the link to SLDS for Ohio State Students, and to highlight that there is a new CARES act funding for mental health at the Ohio State University. Carynne is a currently Master of Public Administration Student at the John Glenn College of Public Affairs, and enjoys writing.
Also see this accessible document in MS Word: ADHD exacerbated