Tag: 2010s Poetry

Read 2010s Poetry written by slam poets, cowboy poets, and literary giants inspired by the state of Arizona on AZpoetry.com!

Laura Tohe

January 18, 2026

Laura Tohe, Arizona Poet Laureate

Laura Tohe is an award-winning poet, writer, scholar, and educator who was recently named the Arizona Poet Laureate, becoming the second person in the state’s history to hold the title. Born in Fort Defiance, Arizona, Dr. Tohe grew up bilingual, speaking both Diné bizaad (Navajo) and English—an experience that continues to shape her literary voice and cultural perspective.

Dr. Tohe is Professor Emerita of English at Arizona State University, where she taught for 24 years and mentored generations of writers. She previously served as Poet Laureate of the Navajo Nation from 2015 to 2019, a role in which she championed Indigenous storytelling, language preservation, and community-based literary arts.Her work has been published nationally and internationally, spanning poetry, creative nonfiction, and oral history. Among her most widely recognized books is Code Talker Stories, an oral history collection featuring interviews with Navajo Code Talkers and their descendants. The book stands as a vital literary and historical record of Navajo contributions during World War II.

Over the course of her career, Laura Tohe has received numerous honors, including the 2025 Native Writers’ Circle of the Americas Lifetime Achievement Award, the Academy of Poets Fellowship Award (2020–2021), and the 2019 American Indian Festival of Words Writer’s Award. She has also been recognized with the Faculty Exemplar Award from Arizona State University and the Dan Shilling Public Scholar Award from Arizona Humanities, and she has been nominated three times for the Pushcart Prize.

Dr. Tohe holds a PhD in Creative Writing and Literature from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, further grounding her work in both scholarly and creative traditions. As Arizona Poet Laureate, she follows Alberto Álvaro Ríos, who served two consecutive terms from 2014 to 2018.Through her poetry, scholarship, and public service, Laura Tohe continues to elevate Indigenous voices, strengthen Arizona’s literary landscape, and affirm the power of poetry as a living, communal art form.

Burn wall street burn artwork poem azpoetry. Com the klute

Burn Wall Street Burn by The Klute

January 12, 2026

Read the poem “Burn Wall Street Burn”

I watch CNBC.
I read the Wall Street Journal.
I check stock tickers,
Study insider reports,
Consult my broker on a daily basis.
After careful deliberation,
I have decided to empty my bank account,
Convert it to unmarked twenty-dollar bills,
Go directly to Las Vegas,
Put it all on black.
When the ball drops in my favor,
I could use those liquid assests to diversify my portfolio,
Invest heavily in pencils and apples,
And for once, be on the ground floor –
That place where all the stock brokers will land
When they finally succumb to mantra of doom…
The endless repetition of “Buy! Sell! Buy! Sell!”
That turn becomes “JUMP!!! JUMP!!! JUMP!!!”,
Playing on an infinite loop in the back of their mind
When they look out their office windows
And imagine the sweet release of death
Waiting for them on pavement below.
Good.
Give in to it, Wall Street,
Embrace your destiny.

I want my 401K back.
I’m not getting it back.
I’ve been advised it resides at the First Bank of the Land of Imagination,
Currently being managed by a crack team of leprechauns and unicorns,
Being leveraged into moon beams and fairy dust.
I shouldn’t worry though.
I’ll get my disbursement check as soon as I begin collecting Social Security.
This just in…
I’m not getting Social Security either!
So the time has come
To beat our shares into pitchforks,
Set our stock portfolios alight to guide our way,
To storm the castle
And kill the monster.
Now, I’m not suggesting you head to the headquarters of Goldman Sachs
With a pistol-grip pump shotgun,
Kick down the door,
Shout “I am the Angel of Death – the time of purification is at hand!”
Then start paying out double-barrel killshot bonuses
With a gleam in your eye and a song in your heart.
Oh wait, that’s exactly what I’m suggesting!
Because there will be a reckoning,
A tallying of names and a cracking of skulls,
And it will be easier for a camel to thread the eye of a needle
Then it will be for a fat-cat to avoid my lead.
Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition!

Who is John Galt?
Who cares.
He’s dead.
I killed him and he’s buried in a shallow, unmarked grave outside of town
Next to the bodies of Adam Smith and Horatio Alger.
Stop asking questions.
Because it’s time for action.
Swift, brutal, unthinking mob action.
Let’s head to Wall Street
Block all the exits at the New York Stock Exchange.
Let’s give these American heroes the reward they so richly deserve.
Let loose rabid bulls and bears as an appetizer of destruction,
Rain down burning ticker tape like the wrath of God from the gallery,
Sing “Auld Lang Zyme ” with the vengeful ghost of George Bailey, Sr.
Then roast marshmallows on the smoking ruin,
Toasting our lost fortunes as we drink from the skulls of Morgan Stanley and Charles Schawb.
Because I watch CNBC and read the Wall Street Journal.
I now know the true meaning of class warfare.
The horror…
The horror…
Burn, Wall Street, Burn

Summary of “Burn Wall Street Burn”

“Burn Wall Street Burn” by slam poet The Klute is a blistering, darkly comic spoken-word poem that channels post-crash economic rage into a surreal monologue of disillusionment. The speaker begins by mimicking the rituals of financial responsibility—watching CNBC, reading The Wall Street Journal, consulting brokers—only to conclude that rational participation in the system is meaningless.

From there, the poem spirals into increasingly absurd and violent imagery. Retirement funds vanish into fantasy; institutions collapse into farce; economic language mutates into the language of revolt. Cultural and ideological icons—John Galt, Adam Smith, Horatio Alger—are symbolically declared dead. The poem culminates in an apocalyptic vision of Wall Street consumed by fire, spectacle, and bitter celebration.

The closing lines echo Heart of Darkness’s famous refrain—“The horror, the horror”—recasting financial capitalism itself as the unspeakable atrocity.

Analysis of “Burn Wall Street Burn” by The Klute

Satire as a Weapon of Class Anger

At its core, “Burn Wall Street Burn” is not a literal call to violence but a satirical pressure valve. Slam poetry often amplifies emotion to the point of excess, and The Klute leans fully into hyperbole to express what polite economic language cannot: rage, betrayal, and helplessness. The outrageous threats and cartoonish bloodlust function as metaphor, exposing how systemic violence (lost pensions, vanished futures) breeds fantasies of retribution.

The Collapse of Financial Language

One of the poem’s sharpest techniques is its corruption of financial jargon. “Diversify my portfolio” becomes an investment in “pencils and apples.” “Liquid assets” lead not to stability, but to a roulette table in Las Vegas. These moments underscore the speaker’s realization that the system is already a gamble, rigged in favor of those who never touch the ground floor—except when they fall.

The repeated fixation on “the ground floor” works double duty: it is both the entry point denied to ordinary people and the literal pavement awaiting brokers who internalize the manic chant of “Buy! Sell! Buy! Sell!”

Myth-Busting American Ideology

By symbolically killing figures like Adam Smith and Horatio Alger, the poem rejects foundational myths of American capitalism: rational markets and merit-based success. The dismissive “Who cares” aimed at John Galt is especially telling—it mocks libertarian exceptionalism as irrelevant in the face of mass economic suffering.

The appearance of George Bailey, Sr. (from It’s a Wonderful Life) as a “vengeful ghost” flips a classic tale of community banking into an indictment of modern finance, where the Bailey Building & Loan has long since lost to the megabanks.

Carnival, Apocalypse, and Catharsis

The poem’s final vision—burning ticker tape, hydrogen-filled bulls and bears, marshmallows roasted on the ruins of the NYSE—is grotesque but deliberately carnivalesque. It resembles a medieval inversion festival, where power is mocked, desecrated, and briefly overturned. Naming corporations like Morgan Stanley and Charles Schwab as skulls to drink from transforms faceless institutions into mortal bodies, finally subject to consequence.

Why the Poem Still Resonates

“Burn Wall Street Burn” captures a moment—and a mood—that extends far beyond its immediate context. It speaks for those who did everything “right” and still lost everything. Its excess is intentional, its anger performative, and its violence symbolic. The poem’s power lies not in its literal imagery, but in its refusal to be calm, reasonable, or grateful in the face of systemic failure.

In that sense, the poem is less a manifesto than a scream—raw, undiplomatic, and impossible to ignore. Burn, Wall Street, Burn is not about destruction for its own sake. It is about being heard when the numbers say you no longer matter.

Read more poetry inspired by the state of Arizona HERE.

‘Hooked Claus’ by The Klute

December 22, 2025

For the longest time,
no one remembered how we were partners,
the Good Cop and Bad Cop of Yuletide,
a symphony of jingle bells and rattling chains
‘ere we drove out of sight.
How disturbed must they have been by the thought of me
looking over your shoulder and salivating
as you added children to the naughty list
for transgressions great and small.
You were the carrot,
oranges in the stocking,
presents under the tree,
half-eaten cookies as a reminder that you were there.
I was the stick,
birch branches in hand,
bathtub on my back,
my stew-pot bubbling in anticipation of fresh meat.
You were the red and green of holly and mistletoe,
I was the poison.

From the first,
I have been with them.
Born of the sands of Egpyt,
I was Abo Ragl Ma Slokha,
Man with the Burnt Leg,
bane of wicked tots.
Parents around the world would conjure me in story,
the Namahage,
le Croque-mitten,
Baba Yaga,
El Coco,
to keep their brats in line.
In their stories,
they always gave me horns,
yellow eyes,
a cloven hoof at the end of one leg,
a misshapen foot on the other,
my teeth sharp,
tongue so long it could reach them from under the bed
to taste their nightmares.
When I crossed the Alps, followed the Danube,
I found a new home under the Solstice moon.
As the fires of Yule cheer burned in the village squares,
I shouted my name so loud that every child would remember it,
whisper it to each other between shudders:
I
AM
THE
KRAMPUS!!!
When the willful boy or indolent girl came to a bad end
parents would remind the kinder:
Behave or the Krampus will come for you too.

When we first met, Santa Claus,
I thought you were there to kill me.
You came to my cave in regal glory.
Father Christmas! Jolly Old Saint Nick!
Your light washed away the darkness so I had no place to hide.
Trapped, I thought you were there to finally bring a gift
to those excluded as an annual tradition.
You cannot imagine my surprise when you extended your hand,
asked “won’t you ride my sleigh tonight?”.
You put me in chains as a precaution,
you still felt my wicked heart beat beneath my goatish chest,
but left me my bundle of sticks
because as you said: spare the rod, spoil the child.
Why does no one ever see the shadow behind your rosy cheeks?
Over the years, we brought so many children to goodness,
I rarely ate.
I did not mind,
I was able to drink in their fear like an elixir.

Then one foggy Christmas eve,
I noticed your sleigh was now driven by a broken buck with a freakish nose, your retinue filled out with polar bears drinking caramel-colored sugar water, the sack was filled with things never seen in your workshop before.
My eyes full of terrible wonder,
you leaned in,
smiled,
said one word: “Plastics“.
I did not like the sound of it.
As we flew over the city and marched down the streets,
your image was everywhere.
On billboards, in newspaper ads, on TV, in shopping malls.
I would have no part of this,
with sadness in your voice, you agreed: I would have no part of this.
You banished me back to the cave,
exiled into fading memory.

But I feel them pulling me back,
through of the Black Forest,
past the gingerbread house,
out of the fairy tales,
and into a cage.
They are corking my teeth,
dumping out my stew-pot,
reeling my tongue back in,
making me safe,
making me fun,
making me marketable.
It will not be long before I star in the limelight of cartoons,
baked into the shape of cookies,
imprisoned within wrapping paper.
When I am a triumph marched down 5th Avenue on Thanksgiving,
I will know they have checked me off their list,
now as gelded as Donner and Blitzen.
I see you up there on your sleigh,
and for the first time since we first met, Santa Claus,
the Krampus is afraid.

About the poem “Hooked Klaus” by The Klute

The Klute was arguably the most recognizable voice from Arizona during the poetry slam movement of the 1990’s – 2000’s. His early work is often humorous. Later in life, The Klute’s poetry took on a more serious tone, with the poet’s primary focus on increased awareness of ocean life. Today’s poem is a humorous poem, a parody of a serious poem by a slam poet from Utah, Jesse Parent.

Summary of “Hooked Klaus” by The Klute

“Hooked Klaus” is a dramatic monologue spoken from the perspective of Krampus, the dark folkloric companion to Santa Claus. The poem reimagines the traditional Good Cop/Bad Cop relationship between Santa and Krampus, portraying them as once-equal partners in shaping children’s behavior through reward and fear. Santa represents generosity, warmth, and moral incentive, while Krampus embodies punishment, terror, and consequence.

The speaker traces his ancient origins across cultures—Egyptian, European, and global—emphasizing that fear has always been a tool adults use to enforce obedience. When Santa enters his life, Krampus expects destruction but instead is recruited, chained but included, as part of a moral system that balances kindness with discipline.

The relationship fractures with the rise of modern consumer culture. Santa becomes a corporate icon, his sleigh filled with mass-produced goods and advertising slogans. Krampus refuses to participate and is exiled into obscurity. In the poem’s final movement, Krampus senses his return—not as a feared enforcer, but as a sanitized, commercial mascot. Stripped of menace and agency, he ends the poem afraid for the first time, watching Santa preside over a world where even fear itself has been domesticated and sold.

Analysis of “Hooked Klaus” by The Klute

At its core, “Hooked Klaus” is a critique of commercialization and cultural sanitization. The poem contrasts ancient, communal storytelling—where fear, consequence, and morality were intertwined—with modern consumer capitalism, which repackages even monsters into safe, profitable images. Krampus is not defeated by goodness but by branding.

The Good Cop/Bad Cop framing establishes a moral economy: children are shaped by both reward and punishment. The poem argues that Santa’s modern incarnation has abandoned balance in favor of endless indulgence, transforming morality into consumption. The chilling one-word revelation—“Plastics”—serves as a turning point, symbolizing artificiality, disposability, and the loss of craftsmanship, tradition, and meaning.
Krampus’s long catalog of global names and monstrous traits underscores his universality. He is not merely a villain but a necessary cultural function: the embodiment of consequence. His fear at the poem’s end is especially powerful because it reverses expectations. What terrifies Krampus is not eradication, but domestication—being rendered “safe,” “fun,” and “marketable.”

The poem’s final image, of Krampus gelded and paraded like Santa’s reindeer, delivers its sharpest indictment. Even rebellion, darkness, and myth are absorbed into spectacle. In this world, nothing remains sacred or dangerous; everything can be packaged.

Conclusion

“Hooked Klaus” blends folklore, satire, and cultural criticism into a darkly lyrical meditation on modern Christmas. By giving Krampus a voice, The Klute reframes him not as a monster, but as a casualty of consumerism. The poem suggests that when fear, discipline, and myth are stripped of their teeth, society may gain comfort—but lose depth, accountability, and meaning.

Discover more poetry inspired by Arizona HERE.

Ashley Naftule

July 30, 2025

Ashley Naftule: Phoenix Poet, Playwright & Performance Artist

Ashley Naftule (they/them) is a dynamic poet, playwright, performer, and arts journalist based in Phoenix, Arizona. Known for blending speculative themes, queer and trans identity, and razor‑sharp lyricism, Naftule is deeply rooted in Arizona’s creative community through their innovative work at Space55 Theatre and beyond (Planet Scumm).

Early Artistic Journey & Literary Voice

Originally from California, Naftule relocated to Phoenix, where their writing and performance practice flourished. They became a resident playwright and Associate Artistic Director at Space55, producing plays like Ear, The First Annual Bookburners Convention, Radio Free Europa, and Peppermint Beehive (Planet Scumm). Their approach to poetry and prose draws on influences ranging from Grant Morrison’s surreal comics to Philip K. Dick’s speculative sci‑fi, imbuing text with dreamlike, uncanny resonance.

Published Poetry & Journalism

Naftule’s poems and short fiction have appeared in numerous outlets including Rinki Dink Press, Ghost City Review, The Molotov Cocktail, Occulum, and Amethyst Review (Phoenix Art Museum, Ashley Naftule). As a freelance journalist, their writing has been featured in major platforms such as Pitchfork, Phoenix New Times, Vice, The AV Club, and Longreads (Phoenix Art Museum).

Performance & Artistic Influence in Arizona

Through performances at Space55 and collaborations with local painters, musicians, and theater-makers, Naftule contributes significantly to Phoenix’s arts culture. Their interdisciplinary expertise—spanning poetry, theater, visual art, and performance—makes them a versatile and boundary-pushing presence in the Arizona literary scene.

Themes & Style

Surreal Colors and Dark Humor: Naftule’s work often mixes whimsy with the uncanny—Dadaist, feminist, sci‑fi, and existential threads entwine.
Gender Fluid & Queer Identity: Their writing negotiates fluid identity and nonbinary experience through poetic imagery and playful defiance.
Political & Cultural Critique: They explore how consumerism, technology, and systems of power intersect with individual expression.

Why Ashley Naftule Belongs on AZpoetry.com

Arizona Connection: Longtime Phoenix resident and Space55 collaborator contributes richly to the state’s literary ecosystem.
Literary Range: Bridges poetry, theater, journalism, and performance—enhancing Arizona’s scene across mediums.
Community Engagement: Their work includes mentorship, creative leadership, and inclusive programming for diverse artists.

Key Highlights & Features

Highlight	Details
Residency	Resident playwright & Associate Artistic Director at Space55 Theatre, downtown Phoenix (Planet Scumm)
Publications	Poetry & fiction in Ghost City Review, Occulum, Rinky Dink Press, The Hard Times, and more (Ashley Naftule, Ghost City Press)
Journalism	Bylines in Phoenix New Times, Pitchfork, Vice, AV Club, Bandcamp, and others (Phoenix Art Museum, Medium)

In Their Own Words

Naftule reflects: “When I finish writing something … and it doesn’t immediately embarrass me, the feeling of satisfaction … feels like a hammer striking a nail.” Their form flourishes under constraint and fusion—combining prompt-based weirdness, spoken word punch, and speculative imagery into original poetic structures (Phoenix Art Museum).

What’s Next

Ashley is currently working on Peppermint Beehive, a play exploring gentrification in downtown Phoenix with nods to John Waters, The B‑52s, and cult aesthetics. They’ve also written an absurdist comedy novella inspired by Spuds MacKenzie and are involved in podcasts, chalk art installation, and emerging poetry collaborations (Phoenix Art Museum).

Discover More

Explore more of poets of Arizona HERE.

WHAT’S WRONG WITH BEING HUMAN poem by Josh Rathkamp

May 31, 2025

“WHAT’S WRONG WITH BEING HUMAN” by Josh Rathkamp

I lived two houses down a dead end street.
When the river ran rough
we checked our basements.
We called to each other to help.
We hauled boxes up
from the dark like large fish.

When Mary or Mark or Helen died,
little by little,
we all did. We sent flowers.
The street took to looking
like a Cadillac. It grew bolder.
It grew rosy cheeks.

When Jack repainted, John
repainted, and the painters
ate lunch on the roof.

We said “it looks nice,”
nodding at our mailboxes.
We waved while shoveling snow
off the walkway no one walked
but the dogs and our manic-depressive mailman.

When we wanted an egg or a glass
of milk we drove to the store.
We stared out our windows.
Our children grew without parents.
We grew into speaking without words.

We thought our reflections
in the lamplight were only there
out of loyalty, and, if given
a chance, would run
like Mrs. Eddie’s dead son
naked, through trees.

About the poet Josh Rathkamp

Rex arramsith arizona poet a man taking a selfie

Rex Arrasmith

May 15, 2025

Rex Carey Arrasmith: Bridging Worlds Through Poetry and Fiction

Rex Carey Arrasmith is a poet and fiction writer whose work traverses the landscapes of memory, identity, and the natural world. Splitting his time between Sedona, Arizona, and Lāna’i, Hawaii, Arrasmith draws inspiration from the vortexes of Arizona’s Coconino National Forest and the serene beauty of the Pacific. His writing often serves as a memorial to friends and lovers lost to the AIDS pandemic, capturing moments of joy, sorrow, and reflection.

After a 30-year career with United Airlines, Arrasmith pursued his passion for writing, earning an MFA in Fiction from Lesley University in 2018, followed by an MFA in Poetry in 2020. He is a co-founder of Cambridge Common Writers, a Lesley MFA alumni group that fosters community among writers.(cambridgecommonwriters.org, cambridgecommonwriters.org)

Arrasmith’s poetry and fiction have been featured in numerous literary journals, including Lily Poetry Review, Passengers Journal, Solstice Literary Magazine, Spillwords, Hares Paw Literary Journal, New Note Poetry, and Dark Thirty Poetry Publishing. His poem “Whale Song” in Spillwords reflects his deep connection to nature and the awe it inspires.

Arrasmith’s Poetry Transcends Literature and Spirituality

In addition to his literary pursuits, Arrasmith is an ordained Universal Life Minister, crafting uniquely inspired wedding vows that blend poetic sensibility with personal narratives. His multifaceted career and diverse experiences enrich his writing, offering readers a tapestry of stories that resonate with authenticity and emotional depth.

For more information on Rex Carey Arrasmith and his work, visit his Cambridge Common Writers profile.

Gary Every

May 15, 2025

Sedona’s Storyteller, Poet Laureate, and Genre-Bending Wordsmith

Gary Every, the Poet Laureate of Sedona, Arizona, is a literary force known for his genre-defying style, energetic performances, and profound connection to the American Southwest. With over 1,300 publications and nine books to his name, Every has earned recognition in poetry, fiction, journalism, and speculative literature, carving out a unique space where the natural world, science fiction, and spoken word converge.

A Career of Boundless Expression

Gary Every’s expansive body of work reflects his commitment to telling stories that blur traditional boundaries. Whether delivering beat-inspired spoken word, penning sharp science fiction narratives, or crafting intimate essays grounded in Arizona’s diverse landscape, his voice remains uniquely his own. Every’s storytelling ranges from rock concerts and Earth Day celebrations to poetry slams and resort bonfires—wherever there is a microphone or a willing audience, Gary Every brings his signature style.

Prose, Poetry, and the Imaginative Frontier

Every describes his creative output as equally divided between prose, poetry, and fiction—or, in his own words: “journalism, science fiction, and beatnik.” This balance allows him to explore the human condition through both the lens of grounded reality and the infinite possibilities of speculative thought. His journalistic work has been honored by the Arizona Newspaper Association, earning consecutive Best Lifestyle Feature awards.

Honors and Recognition

Gary Every’s commitment to language has garnered critical acclaim across multiple disciplines. He is a four-time nominee for the prestigious Rhysling Award, which honors the best science fiction poetry of the year, and he has received numerous Pushcart Prize nominations for both his fiction and verse. His poetry regularly appears in journals and anthologies dedicated to speculative and literary writing alike.

Introducing The Mighty Minstrels: Poetry Meets Jazz

In addition to his solo work, Gary Every joined forces with a collective of musicians to produce the jazz-poetry fusion album Introducing The Mighty Minstrels. The project underscores Every’s musicality and his roots in performance poetry, showcasing the rhythm and improvisational spark that animate his live readings.

Voice of the Verde Valley

Though originally from outside Sedona, Every is deeply rooted in Northern Arizona’s landscape, folklore, and history. As Sedona’s Poet Laureate, he elevates regional voices and natural wonders through public readings, workshops, and cultural events that blend performance with environmental awareness. His work frequently draws from desert canyons, red rock formations, and the mythic aura of the Verde Valley region.

From Bonfire to Slam Stage

Before his poet laureate appointment, Every honed his storytelling chops as a bonfire storyteller at a luxury resort near Tucson. This period instilled in him a passion for live performance, which continues to inform his presence at poetry slams and community events across Arizona. Whether riffing at a jazz set or engaging audiences at literary festivals, his delivery is dynamic and unforgettable.

A Literary Bridge Across Genres

Gary Every’s writing challenges and expands our understanding of what poetry can be. By weaving together beat aesthetics, desert ecology, interstellar imagination, and sharp journalistic observation, he crafts work that resonates across audiences and disciplines. His ability to shift seamlessly between the page and the stage, the traditional and the speculative, places him among Arizona’s most versatile and visionary literary figures.

Want to read Gary Every’s books? Check out his official website HERE.

Itll take the edge off they say natasha murdock poem artwork pregnancy

it’ll take the edge off they say by Natasha Murdock

May 9, 2025

“it’ll take the edge off they say” by Natasha Murdock

but I am made of edges
edges of elbows & guilt & feet & baby
edges staring me in the face—pain
managed through natural techniques—
as if these edges that rip up my spine
& ribs & lungs are natural
as if disappointment isn’t just
another edge to jump off
as if lifting one thing doesn’t
expose one other thing to pain
as if preparing to be split into two
is as easy as scribbling down
a wish to be whole

About the poet Natasha Murdock

In her visceral and introspective poem “it’ll take the edge off they say,” Natasha Murdock confronts the complexities of womanhood, pain, and the contradictory expectations surrounding childbirth and the female body. The poem is part of her powerful collection sign on the dotted line to release the record, a 2017 National Poetry Series winner that investigates the terrain of motherhood, sexuality, and identity with both lyrical precision and unflinching honesty.

Summary

The speaker begins by identifying herself not as a cohesive whole but as “made of edges”—physical, emotional, maternal, and psychological. These edges include elbows, feet, guilt, and the omnipresent baby. From the outset, Murdock positions her body and experience within a framework of fragmentation and pain. The poem takes aim at the idea that pain can be managed with “natural techniques,” exposing the absurdity of pretending that such suffering is easily soothed or inherently noble.

She interrogates the romanticization of “natural” pain and questions societal platitudes about endurance and sacrifice. The poem’s imagery is sharp and layered: edges “rip up” the spine and ribs, and disappointment is just “another edge to jump off.” The final lines crystallize the central tension—how the act of preparing to be “split into two” during childbirth is anything but natural, or easy. The wish to be whole stands in stark contrast to the reality of being divided, physically and emotionally.

Analysis

Murdock’s use of enjambment and line breaks creates a sense of breathlessness and fragmentation, echoing the speaker’s bodily and psychological experience. The repeated invocation of “edges” reflects both the literal sensations of pain and the metaphorical contours of a life being reshaped by motherhood. Each edge carries weight—some cutting, some unavoidable, some anticipated but still overwhelming.

The poem critiques the cultural narrative that positions maternal suffering as noble or desirable. In doing so, it pushes back against both traditional and modern expectations placed on women: to endure, to perform, to manage pain gracefully, and to emerge from childbirth somehow stronger or fulfilled. Murdock turns the medical and cultural jargon of childbirth—“natural techniques,” “pain management”—into sources of irony and critique, revealing how language itself can obscure the brutal truths of embodied experience.

There’s a quiet rage beneath the surface of this poem, a defiant refusal to accept pain as virtue or silence as strength. And yet, the final line—“a wish to be whole”—offers a glimmer of longing, if not hope. It’s a wish that resonates with anyone who has felt the world’s expectations carve into their identity.

Murdock’s poetic voice is sharp, intimate, and undeniably essential in the contemporary conversation on gender, motherhood, and bodily autonomy.

Want to learn more about Natasha Murdock’s work and poetic journey?
Click here to visit her poet bio page on AZPoetry.com »

Natasha Murdock

May 9, 2025

Natasha Murdock: Suburban Elegy and the Poetics of Everyday Awe

Natasha Murdock is a poet whose voice emerges from the quiet corners of suburban life, motherhood, and memory. Based in Gilbert, Arizona, Murdock holds an MFA in Poetry from Arizona State University, where she honed a poetic style that embraces clarity, understatement, and emotional depth. She is a part of the vibrant East Valley literary scene, balancing her writing life with her work as adjunct faculty at Mesa Community College.

A Poetic Eye on Domestic Spaces and Unspoken Moments

Murdock’s poetry reveals the sacred in the everyday—whether it’s the hum of household chores, the surreal exhaustion of parenthood, or the strange, persistent beauty found in life’s overlooked moments. Her poems capture what is often left unsaid, drawing readers into an interior world where grace and tension coexist. Through a minimal yet resonant style, she examines the ways silence speaks and gestures carry the weight of memory.

Published in BlazeVOX and The Cobalt Review

Her work has appeared in respected literary journals including BlazeVOX and The Cobalt Review, where readers and editors alike have praised her ability to render ordinary experience with lyric intensity. These publications reflect her place among contemporary voices that push against the boundaries of form without losing accessibility or human connection.

Teaching, Community, and Literary Advocacy

Beyond the page, Murdock is a dedicated educator. At Mesa Community College, she introduces new generations of students to poetry, creative writing, and the power of literary expression. Her work in the classroom echoes her own journey—one that is rooted in Arizona’s literary institutions and nurtured by the mentorship and community of the Southwest’s writing culture.

A Voice Rooted in Arizona

As a poet living in Gilbert and working in the greater Phoenix area, Natasha Murdock brings a distinctly Arizona voice to contemporary poetry—one that reflects the contradictions of desert life, the rhythms of family, and the challenge of reconciling selfhood with responsibility. Her poetry bridges the intimate and the expansive, the personal and the political.

Readers can expect more work from Murdock in the coming years, as she continues to explore the complexities of language, longing, and living fully in the moment.

Josh Rathkamp

May 9, 2025

Josh Rathkamp: Arizona Poet, Educator, and Voice of the Everyday Sacred

Josh Rathkamp is a celebrated American poet and educator whose work captures the quiet complexities of contemporary life. Born in Saginaw, Michigan, Rathkamp earned his BA from Western Michigan University, followed by an MFA in Poetry from Arizona State University and an MFA in Poetry Translation from Drew University. He currently resides in Gilbert, Arizona, where he teaches and directs the Creative Writing Program at Mesa Community College.

Literary Contributions and Style

Rathkamp’s poetry is known for its introspective nature and exploration of everyday experiences. His work often delves into themes of family, personal struggle, and the search for meaning in ordinary moments. His poems have been featured in numerous literary journals, including American Poetry Review, The Southern Review, Narrative, Boxcar Poetry Review, and Rattle.

Published Works

Some Nights No Cars At All (2007)

Rathkamp’s debut collection, Some Nights No Cars At All, published by Ausable Press, offers a poignant look into the nuances of daily life. The poems in this collection reflect on personal experiences and the subtle beauty found in routine.

A Storm to Close the Door (2016)

His second collection, A Storm to Close the Door, was selected by Terrance Hayes for the 2016 Georgetown Review Poetry Prize. This work delves deeper into personal themes, including Rathkamp’s experiences as a single father and the challenges of navigating personal upheaval. The collection has been praised for its emotional depth and candid exploration of life’s complexities.

Educational Endeavors and Community Engagement

At Mesa Community College, Rathkamp has been instrumental in developing the Creative Writing Program, fostering a supportive environment for emerging writers. His commitment to education extends beyond the classroom, as he frequently participates in community workshops and poetry readings throughout Arizona.

Recognition and Impact

Rathkamp’s contributions to poetry and education have been recognized through various awards and fellowships. His work continues to resonate with readers and students alike, offering insights into the human experience through a lens of authenticity and reflection.

For more information on Josh Rathkamp’s work and upcoming events, visit his Mesa Community College profile.