Thanks for stopping by. I hope you'll look around, read a few poems, and feel free to contact me. I am the author of Bulletproof, my debut collection, chosen by Marilyn Nelson for Jacar Press' 2018 competition. My second collection, Little Joy, is due out from Cornerstone Press in January, 2026.
I was born and raised in Jacksonville, Florida, graduated from Stetson University in DeLand, Florida, and then moved to Chicago in 1984. In Chicago I lived for a year at a Catholic Worker house where I met my partner. In the city, I also worked as a dishwasher, cook, bike messenger, and residential assistant. I moved to Iowa City in 1986 where I completed a graduate degree in education before returning to Chicago. Back in the city, I worked several years as a bus driver for a mental health center and - in 1992 - moved to Urbana where I was a mental health counselor for almost 8 years. In 2000 I enrolled at the University of Illinois and completed a library degree. I was a public high school librarian for over 20 years before retiring in May of 2022. My partner and I have two grown sons. You can find me on the socials under @mytwords at Bluesky and Instagram. I still have an account at Twitter under the same handle, but am not active there.
*Current note: I am completely opposed to the ongoing US-Israeli genocide against Palestinians in Gaza (and the West Bank). I realize that there are many horrors in this world, and many that the US government is involved in or responsible for, but this particular one, happening now with the full funding and support of my country's government is so blatant, violent, repugnant and shameful that I want to make my position 100% clear.
I was born and raised in Jacksonville, Florida, graduated from Stetson University in DeLand, Florida, and then moved to Chicago in 1984. In Chicago I lived for a year at a Catholic Worker house where I met my partner. In the city, I also worked as a dishwasher, cook, bike messenger, and residential assistant. I moved to Iowa City in 1986 where I completed a graduate degree in education before returning to Chicago. Back in the city, I worked several years as a bus driver for a mental health center and - in 1992 - moved to Urbana where I was a mental health counselor for almost 8 years. In 2000 I enrolled at the University of Illinois and completed a library degree. I was a public high school librarian for over 20 years before retiring in May of 2022. My partner and I have two grown sons. You can find me on the socials under @mytwords at Bluesky and Instagram. I still have an account at Twitter under the same handle, but am not active there.
*Current note: I am completely opposed to the ongoing US-Israeli genocide against Palestinians in Gaza (and the West Bank). I realize that there are many horrors in this world, and many that the US government is involved in or responsible for, but this particular one, happening now with the full funding and support of my country's government is so blatant, violent, repugnant and shameful that I want to make my position 100% clear.