Brook Bhagat

Only Flying

June 28, 2021June 12, 2022 brookbhagat

book shadow

Only Flying is a collection of surreal free verse and prose poetry that celebrates transformation and paradox, exploring both the silence of the seeker and the outrageous wilderness of the imagination. Thematic threads like rebellion, enlightenment, risk, courage, love, loss, and triumph dance to life with pictures that swing from dark to light, surreal to whimsical, and strange to familiar. There are intimate goddesses here, black widows, buddhas, alley cats, a kangaroo, and magic pants—blacklight-blue Hendrix flares that hang from a fire escape, just waiting for the right person to jump up and steal them. That person is you.

Order Only Flying now!

Student/Faculty/Nearby Universe Reading featuring Poet Laureate Ashley Cornelius

March 6, 2023 brookbhagat

The event I’ve been organizing for almost a year is almost here! Pikes Peak Poet Laureate Ashley Cornelius is coming to Pikes Peak State College on Thurs., Mar. 23. Ashley is an award-winning, nationally recognized spoken word artist and speaker committed to using her voice to uplift marginalized communities. The evening will begin with refreshments and hot drinks at 5:30 in the Art Gallery at Studio West downtown, featuring the “Latinx Voices” art show. The reading begins at 6 pm in the Studio West black box theater with PPSC students, faculty, and members of The Nearby Universe, the writers’ group for faculty and staff I founded and have been facilitating for over five years. At 7 pm, Ashley Cornelius takes the stage! Finally, at 8, we’ll pull the winners of the book raffle. Winners get to choose from fantasy, sci-fi, poetry, and signed faculty publications, including my poetry/flash fiction collection, Only Flying. Free and open to the public. If you can’t make it in person, we’ll be streaming, too–scan the QR code on the flyer to pre-register. Join us!

“Nightfall” published in Rat’s Ass Review

February 16, 2023February 16, 2023 brookbhagat

I’m happy to share that my poem, “Nightfall,” was published this month in the spring issue of The Rat’s Ass Review, an online poetry journal whose past and present editors make no apologies for their subjectivity. They publish what they like, and if you disagree, they don’t give a rat’s ass. Check out “Nightfall” here.

“The Torch” in “Glissade” from The Pine Cone Review

November 8, 2022 brookbhagat

I’m so honored to have my poem, “The Torch,” selected for publication in “Glissade,” a special issue on dance, released yesterday from The Pine Cone Review. This poem was inspired by my favorite part of the Winter Olympics–watching the figure skaters disappear like dancers dissolving into the dance. Read the whole spectacular issue here.

Featured author: The Dribble Drabble Review

October 2, 2022 brookbhagat

I’m so proud to be a featured author in the gorgeous fall issue of The Dribble Drabble Review! Two 50-word prose poems and two 100-word ones were published here today; three of the four are adapted from pieces in Only Flying. TDDR has been recognized by the Communicator Awards and is a 2021 International Webby Awards honoree. The fall issue is full of stunning images and some of the most sublime microfiction around: TDDR Fall 2022

“August Drops” on A Story in 100 Words

September 20, 2022 brookbhagat

I’m pleased to announce that my prose poem, “August Drops,” celebrating the joy of summertime in my backyard, was published on A Story in 100 Words. Read it here.