Poem page titled In the beginning by Maia von Maltzahn, black text on white background, about an anthem in an empty stadium.

A decade ago, Kansas-born poet Nicholas Grooms was finding more acclaim as an active hip-hop artist who was unknowingly keeping poetry simmering on the backburner. With stints on the Vans Warped Tour, multiple viral videos and opening slots with artists such as Snow The Product, Inspectah Deck, Nappy Roots, Sadistik, Grieves and a four-year tenure of creating songs for the Kansas City Chiefs organization, it’s more than fair to say Grooms didn’t quite have poetry on his radar

For poet, artist, and illustrator Elle Estérre, writing rarely arrives on a schedule. Poems appear while driving, in the middle of a shower, or in quiet moments stolen away from crowded rooms, demanding attention on their own terms. In this conversation, Elle reflects on vulnerability in poetry, the uncertainty of drafts, balancing privacy with publication, and the ways art continues to surprise both its creators and audiences. With recent publications and new projects on the

Some writers begin with a clear origin story, but poet Johannah doesn’t. What is clear is a voice shaped by humor, observation, and a deep interest in the messiness of relationships. With a notebook always nearby, she captures fleeting, often funny moments and turns them into work grounded in clarity and connection. Whether writing about love, friendship, or the absurdities of everyday life, her poems invite readers to see themselves in the chaos—and maybe laugh a little t