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Toby Altman

@browatch

I teach at MSU and run the RCAH Center for Poetry. Recently: Discipline Park (Wendy's Subway, 2023). Soon: Jewel Box (Essay Press, 2025). Not very online.

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28.11.2024
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Latest posts by Toby Altman @browatch

Happy last night of AWP to all who celebrate! See you here:

07.03.2026 13:25 πŸ‘ 4 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Tonight!

06.03.2026 13:15 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
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Saturday!

03.03.2026 16:05 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

One doesn't write an essay like this one to settle the topic, so I hope this essay will be useful, provocative, irritating, illuminating, wrongheaded, too detailed, too generalβ€”some combination of all of the above:

20.02.2026 18:57 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Toby Altman: After the Poetry Wars β€” Annulet After the Poetry Wars Β  Β  1. Introduction In this essay, I want to ask a deceptively simple question: is the poetry of this century different...

I took a big swing and wrote a long essay for Annulet Magazine's new folio on American Poetry, 2007-2025, called "After the Poetry Wars," in which I try to describe the transformations in the aesthetics and logistics of US poetry in the past 15 or so years. annuletpoeticsjournal.com/Toby-Altman-...

20.02.2026 18:56 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
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We're doing an offsite! See you at AWPβ€”

16.02.2026 19:57 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 1
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Big things coming this spring at The RCAH Center for Poetry at MSU! Hope to see you thereβ€”

03.02.2026 14:31 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Chicago Poetry Center's 2026 Annual Fundraiser, Wed, Jan 14th, 2026 @ 9:00 AM Accelevents The Chicago Poetry Center connects people and poetry, equitably engages poets with communities, and advances creative literacy in the city and beyond.

This year's Chicago Poetry Center silent auction is live! So much good stuff here, including a few items from yours truly: manuscript and individual poem consultations, a Chicago book bundle. CPC is the realest poetry org out there; help them thrive!
www.accelevents.com/e/cpc2026ann...

22.01.2026 20:59 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Toby Altman and Laura Apol Perform on Studio 10 Stage
Toby Altman and Laura Apol Perform on Studio 10 Stage YouTube video by WILX Studio 10

And here are the poems: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gh_e...

13.01.2026 21:38 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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In a truly deranged turn of events, I was on daytime TV in Lansing today, talking about my upcoming reading with Laura Apol and reading what must be, surely, the most oblique poem to ever appear on local news: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nteq...

13.01.2026 21:30 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
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I wrote another poetry chapbook last year, called Belly Full Of Hell. Donate $15+ to Chicago Abortion Fund and I'll send it to you.

It wouldn't exist without @browatch.bsky.social

07.01.2026 19:03 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 4 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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We are thrilled to welcome the new Michigan Poet Laureate, Melba Joyce Boyd, to Lansing next week. She'll give a reading on Friday, November 14th at 7pm at the East Lansing Public Library, and a workshop the following morning at the Library of Michigan as part of the Poet's Roundtable conference.

05.11.2025 20:13 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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This week at the RCAH Center for Poetry! Join us for readings from Esther Belin and Jo Troxell, and help us welcome Esther to town!

06.10.2025 20:37 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Nov 14: A Reading with Melba Joyce Boyd. Join us as we welcome Michigan's new Poet Laureate to town with a reading at the East Lansing Public Library, at 7pm. Reception and book signing to follow. Melba's reading is made possible thanks to a generous grant from Kresge Arts Detroit.

04.09.2025 20:35 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Oct 17: Hyphens Lecture with Tracie Morris. Poet and performance artist Tracie Morris presents the annual Hyphens Lecture in Creative Writing, "Phanopticon: Reimaginaing the ubiquity of "image" in the poetic idea." Wells Hall B210 from 3-4:15pm, in collaboration with the Creative Writing Program.

04.09.2025 20:34 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

Oct 8: A Reading with Esther Belin. Join us to celebrate Esther's appointment at Michigan State Universityβ€”and welcome this dynamic poet and community builder to our community! The reading will be held at 7pm in Snyder Phillips Hall, with a reception and book signing to follow.

04.09.2025 20:34 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

Sep 14: A Reading with Leila Chatti. We're excited to welcome RCAH alum Leila Chatti back to East Lansing as she celebrates her new book, in partnership with the Lansing Poetry Club. 4pm at the Copper Chimney Lounge of the University United Methodist Church, 1120 S. Harrison Road.

04.09.2025 20:34 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

Sep 11: "Mathematics for Poets (and Other People)," a workshop with Dr. Maxwell Levine, a mathematician from the University of Freiburg, at 11am in the Lookout Gallery in Snyder-Phillips.

04.09.2025 20:33 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
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The RCAH Center for Poetry at MSU is BACK! With old friends and new laureates, mathematicians and performance artists, we are here to demand, to insist, that poetry is a living thing! (See the following posts for a complete rundown of events)

04.09.2025 20:33 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

Tonight!

22.08.2025 17:23 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Summer Series is back this weekβ€”w/readings from Suban Nur Cooley, Korey Deans, Bianca Rae Messinger, and Adam Mitt!

18.08.2025 13:43 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 1
Assistant Professor of English The Department of English at Wesleyan University seeks a published poet for a tenure-track appointment beginning July 1, 2026. Teaching responsibilities include two courses per semester in introductor...

We are hiring a tenure track poet! I’m so excited / spread the word… wesleyan.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/career...

16.07.2025 11:42 πŸ‘ 123 πŸ” 90 πŸ’¬ 3 πŸ“Œ 5

Tari is unable to join us tonight, but fortunately the great Ruelaine Stokes is going to read in her stead! Don't miss thisβ€”

12.07.2025 16:40 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Tomorrow night!

11.07.2025 17:41 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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excuse me...wat

08.07.2025 11:03 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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INTRODUCING: Summer Series, a set of relaxed, off-campus readings from the The RCAH Center for Poetry at MSU, featuring local and national poetic luminaries. Summer Series I, featuring Sarah Carson and Tari MuΓ±iz will be July 12th at 7pm at Hooked Lansing!

30.06.2025 10:27 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 2
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George Oppen, with news that stays news

13.06.2025 06:54 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Given that we seem to be in a moment of crisis for literary organizations and literary funding more broadly, which organizations do you see responding to the moment in radical / interesting ways? Brainstorming for a ~thing~

04.06.2025 18:03 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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huge thanks to phil kostov for this elegant and thoughtful review of Discipline Park: rhinopoetry.org/reviews/toby...

02.06.2025 11:39 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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"Music is simply trying things"β€”Alice Notley, from the first poem of her Iowa MFA Thesis, 1970. Thinking of her, and all of those who were lifted by herβ€”

20.05.2025 14:38 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0