My poems can make a difference!

Poet Bio: Tara Ballard was born and raised in Alaska. She and her husband have spent the last seven years in the Middle East and West Africa, where they teach English at local area schools. She currently lives in the Arabian Peninsula, where she spends the majority of her time analyzing pieces of literature with a fantastic group of middle- and high-school students. She holds an MFA from the University of Alaska, Anchorage, and her poems have been published or recently accepted by Cutthroat: A Journal of the Arts, HEArt Online, One, TSR: The Southampton Review, Salamander, and other literary journals. More information can be found on her website: www.tarajballard.com.

Author Statement: Living overseas has taught Tara a lot about what she is thankful for and what she needs to appreciate. Through her travels, she has experienced the power of literature, learning from the people and lands around her. In locations facing a range of struggles, poetry continuously surfaces as a true voice for the community, whether oppressed or empowered. She believes that poetry is integral to the times past and the future of our societies, and she has come to see that the writing and reading of poetry is a responsibility, a social act: one as important to our existence as bread or water. She cannot help but feel compelled to learn, grow, observe, read, listen, and write. She hopes that, through poetry, she may develop into a better person than she was yesterday, and that, through poetry, she may sing with others the beauty of being human in such a time as this.

Your support gives me vital inspiration as I write for thirty days this month.

Tupelo Press provides the canvas, I bring my words, accompanied by other fine poets, writing thirty poems in thirty days, all ours to edit and submit as we wish. 30/30 poems have been taken by over 90 journals and featured in over 40 published chapbooks, all so Tupelo Press can keep publishing exquisite and diverse voices that might never be heard otherwise.

Every dollar gives me confidence to write more, and helps the press place more poems in gorgeous books. Help me to help this distinguished press. Give today!