October was an excellent month for poetry, both reading and writing. The big news was the release of The Confluence, the first anthology published by the Grand River Poetry Collective, celebrating ten books of poetry published by individual authors.

I like the symmetry of October, exactly half a year from National Poetry Month in April, was also full of poetry. Now we just need to fill in the other ten months.

Acquisitions

62. The Confluence: An Anthology of Grand Rapids Poets (Grand River Poetry Collective) [2026.10.08] – Received at the book launch and open mic event. I have two poems in this anthology, “Faces” and “Bike Riders.” I read “Faces” during the open mic portion of the evening.
63. Pablo Neruda (Mark Eisner, editor), The Essential Neruda (City Lights Books) [2026.10.16] – I picked this up from the free book box at the Poetry Saves Lives event at the 106 Gallery in downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan.
64. Shayna “Akanke” Marie, Pain & Pleasure [2026.10.17] – Purchased at the Poetry Saves Lives event.
65. William T. Vollmann, A Table for Fortune [2026.10.17] – Purchased from Books and Mortar. At 3,000+ pages, I probably won’t be finishing this one any time soon.
66. Peninsula Poets, Fall 2026 [ 2026.10.23] – One of the perks of my membership to the Poetry Society of Michigan
67. The Power of Place: A Five-Year Anthology Celebrating 90 Years of Michigan Poetry [2026.10.23]

Reading List

Books

44. William “Endlesswill” Davis, Jr., Lost Poems [2026.10.01]
45. G.F. Korreck, The Pope’s Astronomer [2026.10.04]
46. Diane Seuss, frank: sonnets [2026.10.09]
47. Roger Zelazny, Damnation Alley [2026.10.10]
48. The Confluence: An Anthology of Grand Rapids Poets [2026.10.13]
49. Shayna “Akanke” Marie, Pain & Pleasure [2026.10.20]
50. Pablo Neruda (Mark Eisner, editor), The Essential Neruda [2026.10.28]
51. Peninsula Poets, Fall 2026 [2026.10.31]

Short Prose

53. Kameron Hurley, “Who Doesn’t Want a Wife?” [2026.10.04]