Women organized the first protest in front of the White House
“Suffs” The Musical should encourage everyone to exercise their right to vote
Read moreAuthor: Marlena Chertock
Marlena is a digital storyteller and poetry editor at District Lit. Her first poetry book, On that one-way trip to Mars, is available from Bottlecap Press.
35 Things I’ve Learned in 35 Years
Thirty-five feels like a big birthday. I’m over a dozen years past my teenage era, feeling a little more stability in my […]
Read more
What Happens When Over 1,000 Artists Play a Game of Telephone Around the World
Did we create 1,000+ artworks or one collective worldwide masterpiece When you were a kid, did you ever play the telephone game? […]
Read more
A Love Poem for Pride Month
My poem, “She gave me COVID on our first date”, is out now on DC Pride Poems. This poem is pretty self-explanatory 😂. And […]
Read more
Why I Report on Mental Health
Suicide prevention programs train employers and employees on skills to help colleagues in crisis The suicide rate among U.S. construction workers is […]
Read more
My book turns 10 this year!
I had a dream come true ten years ago. My book On that one-way trip to Mars was published in May 2016 — which is somehow a decade ago!
Read more
‘She’s a wild, wild woman’
Writing poetry inspired by wronged women Xochi Quetzali Cartland, one of my fellow poets in the 2026 cohort of Pride Poets-in-Residence through […]
Read more
Catch a falling poem, put it in your pocket
How to celebrate Poem in Your Pocket Day & upcoming readings The Mid-Atlantic Review is hosting a community reading and fundraiser this […]
Read more
A Very Narrow Bridge
Gesher Tzar Me’od My sister and I barely made our transfer in Frankfurt. We were meeting my dad and stepmom in Kraków, […]
Read more
Day of (No) Silence
On April 10, 2006, I went to school with a whiteboard and a sign around my neck, signaling to my teachers and […]
Read more
1 year since surgery
It’s been one year since my hip replacement. Time is a weird, fluid thing. It feels like it’s only been a few […]
Read more
Writing Queer “After” Poems
Last week, 20 poets gathered at the Arts Club of Washington for my workshop. Thank you so much to those who came out! It was […]
Read more
Upcoming Poetry Workshop: Queer Homage
Ever found yourself singing a song in the shower? Being moved by a painting? Touched by a poet’s words? Harness that frisson […]
Read more
Arts Club of Washington Pride Poet-in-Residence
Sharing some exciting news: I’m honored to have been selected for the 2026 Pride Poet-in-Residence program at the Arts Club of Washington! My fellow cohort […]
Read more
100 articles for Electrical Contractor Magazine
I reached a milestone in freelance writing this year — 100 articles written for Electrical Contractor Magazine! The magazine, in existence since 1935, is […]
Read more
Gooey, fresh out of the oven “Puberty cookies”
What’s your favorite cookie? Is it gooey, fresh out of the oven? Does it have a sprinkle of sea salt on top? […]
Read more
Poetry and mixtapes: Writing inspired by music
When I learned about The Mixtape Review literary magazine, I was excited to submit one of my poems inspired by a song. Each poem and prose […]
Read more
An anthology of contemporary medical poems
I’m honored to be published again by Grey Matter: A Narrative Medicine Poetry Journal, the poetry journal of the Narrative Medicine program at the University of Arizona College […]
Read more
3 poems published in a new literary magazine
I’m so honored and excited to have three poems published in Paper Cranes Literary! The literary magazine was established this year in […]
Read more
2 poems published in a body image zine
Love Me, Love My Belly I had two poems published recently in Porkbelly Press’ Love Me, Love My Belly zine, issue 7. Porkbelly Press, an […]
Read more