AT A LOSS OF...

Mar 06, 2026

Today’s poem is by Kani Krishnan, author of the chapbook New Horizons, which you can digitally download here.

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published

AT A LOSS OF…

Dear moment 
Bring my life back
To me

When I feel 
All is lost
Nowhere to turn
Dear moment
Please…

Quite a distressed me
Is blind to the blessings
Left behind
Still return my life
Back to me
Please…

Perhaps I am not seeing straight
Through the events
That unfold 
In varying trajectories
And the million possibilities

Then enlighten me
I am ready to explore 
My choices
Lift me please
Out of this pit
And take me up
High enough
To see the smallness
Of this setback

Dear moment 
Bring my life back
To me

You know I need you now
More than ever

Good Morning & Good Evening

Unrestricted Interest

Feb 27, 2026

This week’s poems come from Tosj Brooks. Readers are encouraged to read the poems forwards and backwards, and notice what changes for them about each experience.

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published

Good Morning


Reds and oranges alight the sky

Morning is coming soon, you can tell by the colors

As it slowly turns to day, the sun hits my face, warming up my body

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published

Good Evening


As the new moon manifests itself

We await new beginnings

The stars tell us stories

The sky illustrates our mind

Orange peels on my face

Unrestricted Interest

Feb 20, 2026

This week’s poem comes from Max Eati, who lives in Minnesota.

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published

Orange peels on my face 

I screamed at first 
Until I realized
It’s sunshine through the window sills 

I squeezed the peels 
Wet, soft and gritty 
I like their texture 

A shield of citrus light 
A sensory sun 
I can control 

Sometimes faces are confusing 
Eyebrows mean things
Smiles mean other things 

But, orange peels 
Mean orange peels 
And that makes all the difference

Spreads from the Multiverse

Unrestricted Interest

Feb 13, 2026

This past week, we had the opportunity to celebrate the work of three Unrestricted writers as part of an exhibition at the Blackwood Gallery, which is located at the University of Toronto’s Mississauga campus. The exhibition is called Spreads from the Multiverse and spreads from four books were chosen to be displayed in 6-foot by 9-foot lightboxes, which are spread throughout the campus. Imagine walking from one class to another when you encounter Hannah Emerson’s “Keep Yourself at the Beginning of the Beginning.” Or you are suddenly caught by Adam Wolfond’s lines: “I am thinking about the ways I am needed / to perform this dance-like movement.” Or you find yourself nodding conspiratorially at Imane Boukaila’s lines, “distancing totally ourselves / from OMG dusty norms.” These contact sheets below will give you some idea of what it might feel like.

And some photos from the snowy reading tour, courtesy of M. Remi Yergeau!

peaceful protest

Unrestricted Interest

Jan 30, 2026

This week’s poem comes from Graciela Lotharius, a nonspeaking autistic writer who lives in Georgia.

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published

peaceful protest


it is powerful people 
who think they rule the world

I think that we are able 
to make their power weak 
through our communities
woven together by threads 
of love, deep concern, 
and feelings of despair

I think our power sings 
and reverberates with hope 
that will conquer the hate
hiding in plain sight 
in the neighborhoods 
we cherish 

with our heads held high 
we have to show our solidarity,
our power, and our heart 
for one another

We’ll be celebrating Graciela’s debut chapbook, What We Are, at the Neurolyrical Cafe tonight. Join us!

https://i-asc.org/events/neurolyrical-cafe/

Loading more posts…

The Listening World

AT A LOSS OF...

Good Morning & Good Evening

Orange peels on my face

Spreads from the Multiverse

peaceful protest