Authors Unbound Unbound Edition Press

Jesse Nathan has carved his name into the poetry landscape through a seemingly effortless sense of modern movement inspired by poetry from centuries past. 

His work is highly informed and poignant yet presents a sort of warmth that is human and accessible. Jesse’s poems have earned notable attention, appearing in publications like the Paris Review, Yale Review, American Poetry Review, Jubilant, the Nation, FENCE, and many more. 

He is also the recipient of fellowships from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Stanford University, UC Berkley, the Community of Writers, the Kansas State Arts Commission, and the Ashbery Home School. His debut collection of poetry, Eggtooth, is set for publication in the fall of 2023 from Unbound Edition Press. We talk with Jesse about his writerly process, and the ways in which he paints a scene with physicality and relatability. 

In this same context, we also dive into his conception of the “you” within his work with his reading of “Straw Refrain” serving as a perfect example. We take a deep dive into his personal background and identity, exploring how spirituality, farming, and queerness shape his writing. 

Listeners can also see Jesse’s work at McSweeney’s, where he masterfully conducts and writes a series of interviews called “Short Conversations with Poets.” This is Jesse Nathan, unbound.

A dedicated, engaged, and engaging student of the cultural experience surrounding gender and identity, Sophia Anfinn Tonnessen channels her personal journey through transition in poetic works that challenge traditional notions of self-discovery and syntax, alike. She is a truly original poet with the ability to translate misunderstood or unacknowledged areas of life and society that many find difficult to grasp. She makes complex subjects accessible in unexpected ways, using humor to balance the brutality that can come with defining oneself against expected norms. 

Ecologia, her debut poetry collection (Unbound Edition Press, 2021), put the poetry world on notice – earning a coveted Kirkus Reviews star and a spot on their list of 100 best independent books. Our very own Peter Campion writes of Ecologia: “With passion and precision, ardor and humor, Whitmanian exuberance and Dickinsonian canniness, Sophia Anfinn Tonnessen’s Ecologia springs up from the ‘wounded place’ that is also ‘holy ground’.” Her poem “Layaway” was the second-place finalist for the Sappho Prize in 2021. 

This is Sophia Anfinn Tonnessen, unbound.

Author and renowned poet, Atsuro Riley is known for a unique and compressed style that blends complex linguistic structure with striking, refined brevity. We sat down with Atsuro to discover how his upbringing in South Carolina’s lowcountry contributed to southern stylings and diverse cultural awareness. His upbringing and path seem anything but ordinary, and his work speaks to the way in which he challenged traditional training methods, building processes and techniques that provide an unmatched richness to his poetry.

From world-building to constructing his own lexical roadmap, Atsuro has manifested a lifetime of work into two incredible pieces. We dive head-first into his most recent work, Heard-Hoard (University of Chicago Press 2021), winner of the Alice Fay di Castagnola Award from the Poetry Society of America, to realize portions of his aforementioned process and the rationale behind this work. A reading of Creekthroat and Origin are the reward.

While Heard-Hoard continues to take the literary world by storm, his first book, released in 2010, Romey’s Order, garnered the recipit of countless accolades including the Whiting Writers’ Award, the Library of Congress’ Witter Bynner Award, the Kate Tufts Discovery Award, and The Believer Poetry Award. Atsuro Riley is no stranger to achievement.

One thing is clear. Decades of dedication to one’s work brings decades of longevity and truly exceptional form of poetry that will undoubtedly stand the test of time.

This is Atsuro Riley, unbound.

A podcast connecting passionate writers with passionate readers.