"Anger Is A Gift" Anthology is Now Available!

Dear Readers,

I originally announced the inclusion of my poem in this anthology in July of 2025. Due to some editorial and publication delays, it is now available for order in July of 2026. Given the topic of my poem, “Blessed Be the Froot Loops” it seems fitting that it would be released during Disability Pride Month.

A one-year delay in the world of publishing is not too unusual. I have some work I submitted to the New Yorker over two years ago that is still “pending” in their queue. I don’t worry about it. It’s not like they are actually going to publish me, but I can brag that I have work on sub to the New Yorker.

Here is the actual pre-order link: Anger is a Gift: An Anthology of Resistance and Response Poems to the 2024 Election

I’m sharing the poem below, but please order the anthology to read great writing from dozens of other fabulous poets.

Blessed Be the Froot Loops
Some of us were born in the wrong grocery aisle
all generics, markdowns, no name brands,
bad ingredients, genetics, GMO abound.
Someone lost the twist-tie at the end of our DNA,
folded the bread bag over, hoping it stays fresh.
Squeaky wheel on the cart gives us away.
Medical miracles happen every day,
survivors beam their shiny lives of cure.
Surgeon’s blades flash for those with cash,
or insurance to pay the way.
Medicines sell for as much as a Porsche,
covered only by certain pharmacies
who struck sweetheart deals with formularies.
If you’re born with it, “Pre-existing condition”
means you can be denied coverage,
denied care,
for the entirety of your life.
You can only be covered through an employer,
but if you’re too sick to work,
you’re too sick for medical coverage.
The Affordable Care Act did away with
the devil disguised as a pre-existing condition –
everyone qualified for coverage.
Lobbyists fought the law for a decade,
paying politicians to make it go away.
Today, you voted to elect those politicians.
You knew signing your ballot was the same as
signing my death certificate.
“But I struggle to feed my children breakfast,”
you said, “the price of cereal is too high.”
Those prices won’t come down even if I die,
but I guess it makes you feel better if I do.
Blessed be the Froot Loops.

I’m excited to announce that my poem, “Blessed Be the Froot Loops” will be published in Anger is a Gift: An Anthology of Resistance and Response Poems to the 2024 Election by Flowersong Press on August 4, 2025. I received the email with the pre-order link last month when I was in Tennessee, but I was so busy with everything that I forgot to share it here until now.

I wrote the poem in November of 2024, but it’s especially relevant in light of the budget bill that passed this week, stripping Medicaid from millions.

From the publisher’s website:

Anger is a Gift: An Anthology of Resistance and Response Poems to the 2024 Elections offers a compelling collection of over 80 poets and artists grappling with the sociopolitical landscape following the 2024 elections.

This anthology serves as a vital resource for exploring themes of resilience, dissent, and the channeling of collective anxieties in contemporary American society. The diverse voices within this volume articulate both the despair and the enduring hope that characterize our present moment, providing rich material for classroom discussions on civic engagement, artistic expression as social commentary, and the power of language in times of political upheaval.

Inspired by Ismail Kadaré's assertion that writing can be an act of resistance, Anger is a Gift not only reflects the spirit of defiance but also encourages students to consider their own roles in fostering critical dialogue and creative action within their communities and the nation.

Anger is a Gift showcases work from award winning poets that include Cynthia Pelayo, V. Castro, Viviana Gonzales, Fernando Esteban Flores & Alma Luz Villanueva along with Poet Laureates: Jen Cheng, Teresa Mei Chuc & Camille Hernandez and Artists: Violeta Moreno & Lilia Ramirez.

If you would like to pre-order a copy prior to its release on August 4, you can find it here: Pre-order link

Join me in reading words of resistance from many talented poets.

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