POETICS:Grain

I am pleased to announce that my work has been included in POETICS: Grain, a print anthology showcasing just under ninety poems on the theme of grain.

When I first saw the call for work on Submittable, there was no request for previously unpublished work. Upon looking through my poems, I was surprised at the number of pieces I have published online in the past that drew on this theme. I was thrilled to have work selected from the several pieces I submitted, and even more thrilled upon reading the first draft and seeing the high quality of the acceptances. I have found my literary family in this volume.

The book is divided into four sections, from field to harvest, bread to communion. The word grain is examined in all its possibilities. Whether growing as edible ears or grains of sand, grains are the basis of life and this group of poems respects all that goes into growing and preparing them, kneading them into life experiences, community, the politics of food, and nourishment. Featured poets include those from all walks of life, many cultures and many professions, our commonality- the staff of life, or lack thereof, whether it is corn, rice, wheat or some other less common food in our experience.

As Tamarah Rockwood, poet and editor at Bainbridge Island Press, states in the beginning of her introduction to the volume, " Before the loaf, before the dough, before the flour, before the millstone, before the gathering of the sheaves into the wagon, before the cutting and the threshing, before the long days of standing in the sun, there was a single seed, and someone, somewhere, decided to plant it rather than eat it."

The volume is available for pre-order in paperback from Bainbridge Island Press, a relative newcomer in the world of poetry publishing, run by editor Tamara Rockwood and her husband Ben. It will begin shipping on July 31st, 2026. The anthology has 162 pages and includes an introduction from the editor as well as a short bio on each poet. A link to pre-order the volume is provided here, as well as at the end of this article.

In the nearly four years Bainbridge Island Press has been in operation, the press has gathered accolades for publishing in the field of poetry, including being named to the 101 Best Websites for Writers in 2026, a national US list compiled by Writer’s Digest for the past 28 years. The press was chosen to rub elbows along with veteran poetry publisher Rattle and

Previous themed titles in the POETICS series include Water Life & Death, Corvids and Coyote. The press also publishes work by individual poets both in print and in online chapbook form and runs a regular newsletter and podcast. Tamara Rockwood writes a thought-provoking essay series covering aspects of poetry on her Substack page.

Bainbridge Island is located in the Puget Sound, Washington State, USA. The press is dedicated to providing opportunities to new poets.

Purchase a copy of POETICS:Grain here.

A general link to the Bainbridge Island Press website is here. If you are interested in purchasing more than one book, I can recommend one of their more recent works entitled As of Fire Poets & Pentecost. I particularly loved the poems Bonekindled by Amit Majmudar and Inflammatory Words by Frank Desiderio which happen to face each other in the volume.

A link to Tamara Rockwood's Substack here.

As always, I appreciate your support here on Vocal Media, and on Medium and Substack. Vocal Media was the first place to publish my writing when I began, and I appreciate all it has enabled me to develop in my writing.

Natalie