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Marlena Chertock

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Marlena Chertock

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Marlena Chertock

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Poem in Your Pocket Day

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 […]

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April 17, 2026April 16, 2026
Chertock family in Grodno, Poland

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, […]

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April 14, 2026April 16, 2026
Queer female high school student standing in a school hallway with lockers and other students behind her. She wears a whiteboard around her neck with the words "I am participating in the Day of Silence" written on it.

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 […]

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April 10, 2026April 10, 2026
My six-month post-op X-ray. Check out that artificial hip!

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 […]

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April 1, 2026April 10, 2026
Free pride flag image, public domain LGBTQ CC0 photo.

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 […]

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March 30, 2026March 29, 2026
a black woman's hand holding a pen writing on a journal

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 […]

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March 19, 2026April 10, 2026
Arts Club of Washington on I Street NW

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 […]

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December 10, 2025April 10, 2026
cover of Electrical Contractor Magazine

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 […]

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November 21, 2025April 10, 2026
gooey cookies stacked on top of each other on a pink table with a glass of milk in the background

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? […]

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August 21, 2025April 10, 2026
cover of Mixtape Review Issue III

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 […]

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June 5, 2025April 10, 2026
A flier in black and white and taupe. Headline says Grey Matter: An Anthology of Contemporary Medical Poems. There is a screen printed drawing of two figures, one upside down and one right-side up. They have flowers drawn on them, perhaps as tattoos, hearts, and other linework on their faces and surrounding their heads. Underneath the drawing is more text that says Virtual Launch Event April 30 6 PM (AZ Time) Scan QR code for Zoom link. There is a QR code on the right bottom side. And on the left is Grey Matter's logo, a brain illustration with Grey Matter written inside of it.

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 […]

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April 25, 2025April 10, 2026
My poem "A diagnosis VI" layed out in Paper Cranes Literary Magazine, with an illustration of the skeletal system, spine, pelvis, and flowers on top.

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 […]

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December 1, 2024April 10, 2026
cover of Love Me, Love My Belly zine, dedicated to body image and self love. There are illustrations of faces with long hair, short hair, intense eyes, and a person wearing a shirt with a skull on it.

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 […]

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November 8, 2024April 10, 2026
An X-ray of my right hip, showing joint degeneration.

Getting hip

Last month, I participated in the live reading of “Squishy But Firm: Sexcapades of a Crip Girl”, as part of the Kennedy […]

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October 4, 2024April 10, 2026
a typewriter on a wooden table with a gray wall in the back

Resigning from the Split This Rock Board

My heart is breaking. I no longer feel safe or welcome in Split This Rock. Staff released this statement last Friday, in […]

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October 31, 2023April 10, 2026
Malik Thompson and me standing in front of an event sign for one of the OutWrite events we organized.

Saying farewell to OutWrite (for now)

After this year’s festival, coming up this weekend, I’m stepping down as Co-Chair of OutWrite, along with Malik Thompson. It’s been an […]

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August 3, 2022April 10, 2026
Crip Time in Pandemic Times graphic

Crip Time in Pandemic Times at AWP 2022

I’m so excited to be speaking on a panel at AWP again! Next year, at AWP 2022, I’ll be joining Crip Time […]

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October 19, 2021April 10, 2026
Flooding in Angyalföld, Budapest, Budapest in 2013. Photo by Joost (formerly habeebee).

‘Nothing About Us Without Us’: Disability Justice is Climate Justice

I’m one little person. That’s partly a pun, because I have dwarfism and am quite short. And partly a play on words […]

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July 15, 2021April 10, 2026
Summer Wood, Belinda Kremer, me, and Samantha Tetangco speaking on Plume for Writers podcast.

Interviewed on Plume for Writers Podcast

I was so happy to receive an email from Sam Tetangco to join an LGBTQ writers roundtable for the Plume: a writer’s […]

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June 24, 2021April 10, 2026
DC Public Library’s Podcast logo, with a microphone

Interviewed on DC Public Library’s Podcast

When Jenny Cavallero, a D.C.-based comedian, writer, filmmaker, actor, and disabled person, approached me about being interviewed for DCPL’s Access This podcast, […]

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June 15, 2021April 10, 2026

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