Writing for Adults
Laura’s poems and short stories are featured in numerous anthologies, literary magazines, and online publications.
Poems | Articles & Essays | Interviews | Anthologies | Books
Poems Available Online:
A selection of poetry by Laura Shovan that can be read online:
“Fractal,” Pergola Literary Magazine (2026)
“Aphids,” Qarrtsiluni
“Baking Challah,” The Poet’s Billow, Bermuda Triangle Finalists
“Greetings from Fort McClellan, 1944-1995,” The New Verse News
“The Listening of Plants,” Verse Daily
“Millicent Patrick Speaks of Monsters,” Baltimore Science Fiction Society
“New Icthyosaur,” “That Strange Pull,” “Ode to Spring,” The BeZine
“Rattlesnake Bites Man in Walmart Garden Center,” Qarrtsiluni
“The Skiff,” Bowery Gothic
“Triolet,” Innisfree
Articles, Essays, Guest Posts:
“Audacity, 50s Style,” Little Patuxent Review
“Entry Point” essay, You Might Need to Hear This
“For National Poetry Month, a Social Justice Poetry Project for Teens,” School Library Journal, Teen Librarian Toolbox
“A Long Way to Go on Gun Violence,” HoCoPoLitSo
“‘My Brother Won’t Stop Hitting’: When Children Write about Abuse,” Nerdy Book Club
“Parental Depression + Finding One’s Place as a 1st-Gen Child,” A Novel Mind
“Tasting a Memory” guest post with classroom-friendly writing prompt, Ethical ELA, with a poem for kids, “Mushy Peas”
“Welcome Back Authors,” School Library Journal, A Fuse-8 Production
“Welcome to Monsterville (SEL),” A Novel Mind - with a poem for kids, “Green Cave”
“What You Eat: Pesto Change-o,” Little Patuxent Review
“Why Are We Like This: Heartstopper Models Respectful Queer Discourse, so Why Aren’t Fans Listening?” School Library Journal, Teen Librarian Toolbox
Interviews:
Laura interviewed by former Maryland Poet Laureate Grace Cavalieri on “The Poet and the Poem” (2017, mp3) and in 2024 (video)
Laura interviewed by Just YA editor Sarah J. Donovan on Author Talk
Laura interviews Jason Reynolds for HoCoPoLitSo’s The Writing Life
Anthologies Featuring Laura’s Work
-
Bay to Ocean Journal
2025
Check out Laura's poems "A Knitter Considers Fascia" and "Pegasus." -
America’s Future
2025
Poetry & Prose in Response to Tomorrow -
Poems Are Teachers
2017
How Studying Poetry Strengthens Writing in All Genres -
Bay to Ocean Journal
2024
The Year's Best Writing from the Eastern Shore Writers Association -
100 Thousand Poets for Change
2023
10+ Years of Poetic Activism -
Greening the Earth: A Global Anthology of Poetry
2023
Penguin Random House India
-
The Power of the Pause
2022
The Wonder of Our Here & Now
A Wising Up Anthology -
Writing the Land®
-
Plant People: An Anthology of Environmental Artists
Laura’s poem “Hibiscus” appears on page 97 of the anthology.
Books & Anthologies by Laura
-
Mountain, Log, Salt, and Stone
2010
Poetry Chapbook by Laura ShovanWinner of the Inaugural Clarinda Harriss Poetry Awards
“Laura Shovan mines gems from the everyday caverns of life.” – Michael Salcman
-
Life in Me Like Grass on Fire
2021
Poetry Anthology edited by Laura Shovan
A Maryland Writers' Association Book“This anthology, so full of our human experience, communicates the fires, fierce and/or gentle, that inspired its poets to write.” – Dan Cuddy, Loch Raven Review
-
Voices Fly
2012
Exercises and Poems from the Maryland State Arts Council Artist-in-Residence ProgramEdited by Poets-in-Residence Virginia Crawford and Laura Shovan
Free PDF available for educators