Stress, Success, and Spiderman With Anthony Frame
The wonderful poem you're republishing with us, "Why We Don't Have Children," was originally in Rattle. Could you talk a little bit about your decision to take it off? Rattle has a mixed history. On the one hand, it does publish some absolutely amazing poems by amazing poets — right now I'm thinking specifically about Tiana Clark, Jennifer Givhan, and Zeina Hashem Beck, but there are plenty others. On the other hand, they've been supportive of poets who I can only describe as
Migration Pattern: Chen Chen
First of all, I just wanted to say congratulations on all of your achievements so far: you're a Kundiman fellow, have had a wide variety of publications, and your book When I Grow Up I Want to Be a List of Further Possibilities was the recipient of the A. Poulin, Jr. Poetry Prize! Why do you think writing is so important in this day and age? Thank you for the kind words and for this (magnificent!) question. Here goes. . .Writing
is important because without writing—and I mea