Established in 2002, revived in 2023
To celebrate Women's History Month, we've curated this playlist of poems published in Shō Poetry Journal by Ai Khanoum, Allisa Cherry, Amanda Chiado, Kelly Gray, Sarah Jordan, Arah Ko, Whitney Koo, Susan L. Leary, Lisa Mottolo, Alison Pelegrin, Meg Reynolds, Adrie Rose, Jessica Q. Stark, and Claire Taylor.
A playlist for Black History Month, featuring poets Cortney Lamar Charleston, Christian J. Collier, Saddiq Dzukogi, Chiagoziem Jideofor, william o'neal ii, and February Spikener.
Listen to Eliana Chow read her poem “Bamboo Girl,” published in Shō No. 3 (Summer/Fall 2023). This poem was nominated for Best Spiritual Literature.
Listen to Vasvi Kejriwal read her poem “After My Father Died,” published in Shō No. 7 (Summer 2025).
Listen to Nicholas Yingling read his poem “Somewhere Between Salvation and Creation,” published in Shō No. 7 (Summer 2025). We nominated this poem for Best Spiritual Literature.
Read “Self-Portrait as Frida Kahlo with Prickly Pear” by Betsy Mitchell Martinez, one of three poems chosen for the Shō Poetry Prize for Shō No. 8 (Winter 2025/2026).
Read “Lady of the Holler” by Cheyenne C. Fletcher. “Lady of the Holler,” “Obit #1,” and “Obit #2” were selected for the Sita Martin Prize for Shō No. 8.
Read “Uncertainty Principle” by Rebecca Morton, runner-up of the Shō Poetry Prize for Shō No. 8 (Winter 2025/26).
Read and listen to “Harami Ghazal” by Rukan Saif, chosen as the runner-up of the Sita Martin Prize for Shō No. 8 (Winter 2025/2026).
Read “Masked” by Carlos Andrés Gómez, published in Shō No. 8 (Winter 2025/26), accompanied by an audio recording by the author.
Listen to Chen Chen read his poem “That Time You Were Gigging, Giggling, Giggling,” published in Shō No. 8 (Winter 2025/26).
Read and listen to Elizabeth Loudon read her poem “Renunciation,” published in Shō No. 8 (Winter 2025/26). “Renunciation” was selected by guest editor Cecily Parks for inclusion in Best New Poets 2025.
To celebrate Native American Heritage Month, we've curated this selection of poems by Indigenous U.S. poets Danielle Shandiin Emerson (Diné), Chris Hoshnic (Diné), Malia Maxwell (Kanaka Maoli), Tim Moder (Chippewa), Sofia Rasic (Cherokee), and J.K. Tsosie (Diné). Their work was recently published in Shō No. 7 and Shō No. 6.
Listen to Saddiq Dzukogi read “Bakandamiya IX.” published in Shō No. 6 (Winter 2024/25). We nominated this poem for Best Spiritual Literature. This is an excerpt from “Bakandamiya: An Elegy,” a book-length epic poem set in northern Nigeria. “Bakandamiya” will be released on December 1 and is available for preorder from The African Book Fund via University of Nebraska Press.
INTERVIEW A Conversation with Arah Ko Shō Poetry Journal intern Claire Zhou interviews contributor Arah Ko, whose poems “Magpie 까치” and “Fiddleback” appear in Shō No. 4. Arah is the author of Brine Orchid (YesYes Books 2025) and the chapbook Animal Logic (Bull City Press 2026). Claire Zhou Hi Arah! I’ve read both of your …
Listen to Michael Garrigan read “In Last Light We Drive to the River,” published in Shō No. 4 (Winter 2023/24). We nominated this poem for Best Spiritual Literature. About this poem: I wrote this poem in my head as I drove back late at night after fishing an incredible sulphur hatch on the Little Juniata River …
Listen to Kate Pyontek read “Nocturne with Construction Detour” from Shō No. 5 (Summer 2024). About this poem: I wrote the first draft of this poem in an online class I took with Aimee Nezhukumatathil on writing aubades and nocturnes. The poem considers a period where I wasn’t sure whether I still had feelings for …
Listen to Aleks Zywicki read “rewatching the film” from Shō No. 7 (Summer 2025). About this poem: “rewatching the film” is an ekphrasis poem inspired by the 2013 film, Under the Skin. I don’t really like violent movies and I’m not even sure that I can say I enjoyed seeing this one. But right in …
To celebrate National Filipino American Heritage Month, we've curated this selection of poems by by Hannah Keziah Agustin (Shō No. 7); Karla Myn Khine and Akira Ritos (Shō No. 5), and Elise Thi Tran and MT Vallarta (Shō No. 4).
What's Possible When Poetry Is Direct: An Interview with Bobby Elliott, author of “The Same Man,” winner of the 2025 Agnes Lynch Starrett Poetry Prize, selected by Nate Marshall.
Listen to Bobby Elliott read “The Fall of 1990” from Shō No. 7 (Summer 2025).
To celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month, we've curated this selection of poems by US-based Shō Poetry Journal contributors. This playlist features audio recordings by Jenna Martínez, Asheley Nova Navarro, Nina C. Peláez (Shō No. 7); Alejandro Lucero (Shō No. 6); Jasmine Khaliq, José Oseguera, Sara Santistevan (Shō No. 5); Faith Gómez Clark, Nathan Xavier Osorio, Laura Villareal (Shō No. 4); and Alfonso Zapata (Shō No. 3).
“My book manuscript To Punani Camp, set during the Sri Lankan Civil War, comprises sent, unsent, and crossed-out postcards a soldier's wife would write to her husband.”
Two Sonnets from Pierce Junction: No one knew what to make of the pear tree, / why only one side sprouted fruit, as if / the branches were opposed to symmetry / or cursed.
