Essays
Longer pieces around the poems.
Some poems are entry points. These essays are what came after — the memories, the questions, and the moments that shaped them. Each is also available, in full, on Substack.
June 18, 2026
Name Tag: Reunion II
A reunion sequel.
I wrote Reunion the week before mine in a sort of fever-dream state. The way I wrote when I was a teenager: a song on repeat, eyes closed, listening over and over until the words just flowed out of me in a trance. I wrote by hand, in a journal, just like I used to. Then I turned…
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May 25, 2026
The Highest-Paying Job on Campus
A poem, a memory, and the question no one asked.
Nearly 30 years ago, as an incoming freshman, I signed up for the highest-paying job on campus. It gave me money, friends, and experiences that still shape how I see the world. But on some days, walking through the Yard as a naive 18-year-old kid, I'd see other freshmen relaxing…
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