created & maintained by Chris Biles
Hello to those who are also members of the Substack Community! I’m excited to start connecting with you all. Because I’m new to Substack, I wanted to post a little introduction. If you're on Substack too, give me a follow! I am a writer and artist (alongside my unrelated fulltime day job) currently living and …
Each year in April, some poets attempt the poem-a-day challenge for National Poetry Month. My first attempt was last year, 2024, and I decided to write one ekphrastic poem each day based on my nature-centric photography. I really enjoyed the exercise, so decided to create another challenge for myself this year. After some brainstorming, I …
I'm thrilled to be included in a new publication out now in print from Washington Writers' Publishing House. Capital Queer: A Pride Celebration is a collection of poetry and prose from queer Washington, DC area writers. Included (on page 12) is my very first villanelle!- "A Villanelle for Lost Quiltbaggers." According to poets.org... "The villanelle …
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Happy to share my poem published with the Washington Writers' Publishing House in Issue 91 of WWPH Writes. "WWPH Writes 91… comes to you with rapt joy in the poem SUNRISE SAILBOAT from Chris Biles..." “Sunrise Sailboat” is another product of my personal ekphrastic poem-a-day challenge for last year’s National Poetry month. Each day in April …
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Very excited to have my poem published with the Hill Rag's Poetic Hill, curated by Sandra Beasley. Screenshot I wrote "Spider Web After Rain" during my personal ekphrastic poem-a-day challenge for this year's National Poetry month. Each day in April 2024, I selected one of my nature-centric photographs and wrote a short poem inspired by …
Continue reading "Spider Web After Rain – Poetic Hill Publication"
In June of this year, I was excited to be featured on the new / re-vamped Peace Corps website. On the site, they now have a wide selection of profiles in the "After Service" section to showcase the stories of now returned volunteers. I am always a big supporter of storytelling and think these profiles …
Continue reading "Featured Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Profile"
When surrounded by the ocean, you open and your feasting feathers find food too small for the human eye you harvest – underwater fishing families casting nets, sifting the sea This is a tiny ode, published by Washington Writers Publishing House in August, 2024. I pulled this ode from a slightly longer poem written during …
I tried writing a poem a day for a full year back in college, and was mostly successful... at the very least I succeeded in writing a whole bunch of often amusingly pointless musings, but that is success nonetheless. And maybe one day I'll go back to that packed notebook to search for a phrase …
Very excited to have a poem and image included in San Fedele Press's American Writers Review. This is a collection of ekphrastic poetry, writing inspired by images. Be sure to visit the American Writers Review website and purchase your copy of the journal today. Here's my piece to tempt you!
Very excited to share my first formally published non-fiction piece - "Balancing a Heritage of Hate" - published by HerStryBlg. I used a poem, "Love of Hate of Love," as the backbone for this piece and to weave together three stories from different periods in my life. Here's an excerpt... https://herstryblg.com/theme/2023/6/29/balancing-a-heritage-of-hate I practice punching at …
marks in the sand 