poetry

Beyond my Wildest Dreams: Queer Joy at 60

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Mary Vermillion and Ben Thiel

This April brought me two new joys. I turned sixty, and I made my debut in Sinister Wisdom, the oldest lesbian literary journal in the U.S. me with Sinister Wisdom 132photo by Ben Thiel When I was in my thirties and forties, I never imagined that I’d be happy about turning sixty. In fact, I … Read more

First Day of School Never Gets Old

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Mount Mercy University hill

This year marked my 29th first day of school as a professor at Mount Mercy, and my 37th as a teacher. If you count my student years, it was my 55th first day of school! That fresh fall start never gets old. Sure, there is sadness about leaving summer behind and having less time to … Read more

Poetry, The Bittersweet, and Literary Serendipity

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pen with variegated hosta

Serendipitous. Elated. Energized. That’s how I felt when I read the title poem of Andrea Cohen’s 2019 collection, Nightshade. On the surface, the short poem is about a plant:

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Queer Visibility at a Small Catholic University

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MMU faculty staff GSA at Lavender Commemoration

This Pride month, I want to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community and its many allies at Mount Mercy, a small Catholic university in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. I’ve taught English there my entire career. Twenty-seven years! As a Queer elder, I’ve enjoyed witnessing and contributing to the increased visibility of the LGBTQ+ community on campus. Queer Visibility … Read more

In Praise of In-Person Readings

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When my friend Mary Helen Stefaniak launches her third novel, The World of Pondside, her April 19th reading will be the first in-person author event I’ve attended at Prairie Lights since COVID. This momentous occasion has led me to reflect on the many readings that have enriched and shaped my life—both professionally and personally. Professionally, … Read more

Teaching LGBTQ+ Literature During the Pandemic

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books taught in LGBTQ Lit

During the pandemic, students focused on queer trauma, but next time, I plan to ensure that they also explore queer joy.

How Do You Keep Writing After You Graduate?

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Do you still write? This question gets asked every semester when Mount Mercy English hosts one of its alumni career panels—What Can You Do With An English Major? Do you still write? The question is usually asked by students who adore creative writing and who are on the verge of graduating. These students and their … Read more

Reading Is Everything

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When I was a child, before I found my tribe, reading was my everything. Bulwark. Solace. Goad. Delight. Of course, I did not know those words back then. What I did know was that I could trust books. Completely. They would always offer an alternative reality. If not insight, then escape. Now I have the … Read more