There’s often a disconnect for some audiences regarding poetry—that it lives at a distance in some academic or romantic way. But if you’re familiar with Tina Cane’s writing, you’ll recognize how well she bridges that gap. It’s a byproduct of congruence at her core, a result of the hard work she’s done to resolve some resistance on multiple levels and lean into her gifts.

If you’re new to Tina’s work, there’s a lot to uncover. She served as the poet laureate of Rhode Island from 2016 to 2024. She’s also taught French, English, and creative writing in public and private schools throughout New York City and Rhode Island for the last quarter century. Her poetry collections include Once More With Feeling and Body of Work, and most recently, she’s entered the YA sphere with two books for Penguin/Random House, the latest of which was released last year entitled Are You Nobody Too?

It’s Tina’s work as an educator and activist that keeps her work so close to the earth. It’s beautiful and accessible. It’s meaningfully grounded. And after spending some time in conversation with her, it’s clear that her ability to be so authentic in her craft is the important result of being so intentional. In short, her internal work—of staying true to herself, of pushing against resistance—is made so clear in her external work. 

VISIT: Tina Cane