Rhino Poetry

10/08/2025

“I aspire to create plays where a character is struggling with something that’s like a universal human dilemma, with the specifics of who they are in this world."

—Kimberly Dixon-Mays, RHINO Senior Editor, speaking with WBEZ about her recent play, RABBITS IN THEIR POCKETS. 🐰

Jojo Jones and Kimberly Dixon-Mays had different journeys to their coveted first stage productions, but they show similarities in connecting with audiences.

10/01/2025

Join us for an evening of poetry with Rosa Lane and Stephen Haven at Bookends & Beginnings! 🎉

Rosa will read from her fourth poetry collection, Called Back, a title memorializing the last two words Emily Dickinson wrote; the collection gives voice to the LGBTQ+ dimension of one of America’s greatest poets

Stephen Haven will read from his latest work, The Flight from Meaning, which contains meditations American history—on the nature of religion in our time, and on racism and its legacy in the post-Civil Rights era.

The event will be hosted by RHINOs Naoko Fujimoto and Anna Jung.

09/30/2025

Join us tonight! 🤩

Women’s Writers Showcase
September 30 @ 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
Haymarket House, 800 W Buena

The Guild Complex and Haymarket Books feature six new books by six amazing, local self- identifying female authors, centering fiction, poetry and short stories about the magic of water, ancestral legacy, grief, longing and memory. A lineup not to be missed!
$5 suggested - TICKET INFO IN LINKTREE

Featuring Virginia Bell, Eiren Caffall, Marcy Ray Henry, I.S. Jones, Maud Lavin, & Sahar Mustafah

09/29/2025

Congratulations to RHINO Senior Editor Kimberly Dixon-Mays on the successful run of her play RABBITS IN THEIR POCKETS at the Lifeline Theatre! See it before October 5. 💖

And thank you to Andrea Change of the Guild Literary Complex for leading the post-show Q&A this weekend!

09/28/2025

The new edition of RHINO Reviews is live, and it's the 7th anniversary of our Graphic Reviews! 🎉

The issue:

✨ is guest edited by Maggie Queeney
✨ includes an interview with Monica Ong about her new book PLANETARIA
✨ is chock full of beautiful visual reviews, ready to inspire you

Read it all: https://rhinopoetry.org/reviews-1

09/27/2025

Women’s Writers Showcase
September 30 @ 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
Haymarket House, 800 W Buena

The Guild Complex and Haymarket Books feature six new books by six amazing, local self- identifying female authors, centering fiction, poetry and short stories about the magic of water, ancestral legacy, grief, longing and memory. A lineup not to be missed!
$5 suggested - TICKET INFO IN LINKTREE

Featuring Virginia Bell, Eiren Caffall, Marcy Ray Henry, I.S. Jones, Maud Lavin, & Sahar Mustafah

09/27/2025

RHINO Poetry is partnering with the Guild to publish the GBOMA winner! Come out and vote!

📣 ANNOUNCING THE FINALISTS FOR GBOMA 2025
The Gwendolyn Brooks Open Mic Awards (GBOMA) is returning for its 31st year! GBOMA is an annual poetry competition founded by Gwendolyn Brooks, Illinois’ first Poet Laureate. ⭐️ This year, the top contestants were selected by guest judge Dan “Sully” Sullivan, and are invited to perform their original poems at this live finals event on October 2, where the audience favorite is awarded the $500 prize.

🕛Thursday, October 2 at 6:30 PM, Doors: 6PM
📍Epiphany Center for the Arts: 1201 S Ashland Ave.
🎟️ $15 in advance, $20 at the door
🔗 Ticket link in our bio - Limited seating available!

Come out and support the 2025 finalists for the Gwendolyn Brooks Open Mic Awards (GBOMA) as they perform their works live 🎙️ Join us for an all-ages event of poetry and community.

2025 GBOMA Finalists:
Barbara Barrows
Chirskira Caillouet
Mars April Caulton
Sylvia Ewing
Lisa Farver
Rocio Franco
Gregorio Gomez
Crystal Vance Guerra
Wesley Frazier Keys
Miguel Marzana
Ciara Miller
Hilesh Patel
Sayeda Qader
Sandra Santiago
Samina Hadi-Tabassum
Kara Rose Trojan

09/25/2025

Shout out RHINO Senior Editor, Kimberly Dixon-Mays, for this review of her play "Rabbits In Their Pockets" in Newcity! 🤩

Kimberly Dixon-Mays’ contemporary play at Lifeline Theatre features a story interwoven with references from the Br’er Rabbit African American folktales.

09/22/2025

⏰ DEADLINE APPROACHING ⏰

Submissions for our Founders' Prize close on SEPTEMBER 30.
We want to read the poem you're most excited about, the one burning a hole in your desk.

It's ready. We're ready. You're ready.

Details in comments.

09/18/2025

Massive congratulations to RHINO contributors Maja and Steven Teref for their collection of translations of Milena Marković, “sympathy for the salami, which has been longlisted for the National Translation Award in Poetry! 🎉🎉🎉

The poem “history, juice, salami” won our 2023 Translation Prize. 🏆

09/12/2025

What are you reading this weekend?
Other than RHINO, of course! 🤓

Or maybe you’re putting the final touches on your submission to our Founders’ Prize?

09/09/2025

Mark your calendars! On September 21 RHINO Senior Editor Naoko Fujimoto will celebrate the launch of Monica Ong’s new book PLANETARIA with Kelcey Ervick. 📖