January Gill O'Neil's Blog

My deep gratitude to LitHub for this Cover Reveal of my fourth book Glitter Road. Here’s an excerpt from the article:

Of course, the map has sentimental meaning. I moved from Massachusetts with my two teenagers for the academic year. While there, we immersed ourselves in the culture and landscape of the state. We took trips to the Delta; leaned into the history of the enslaved and the tragic story of Emmett Till,  and explored the rivers and landscapes that shaped the South.

I’m very excited to bring this book into the world, available February 2024.

Read more at LitHub.

Pre-Order Glitter Road.

I created this cute little graphic and didn’t put it on my blog!

Thrilled to be moving through April and May with appearances and gatherings with friends. Looking forward to what’s next and where my poems take me.

I have a new home! Come visit me at https://www.januarygilloneil.com/

Howdy! I’m excited to welcome you to my new space. I created the site after two evenings of work (Thanks, Squarespace!). I forgot how much I like working on a website. When I was blogging regularly at Poetmom, I loved the regular activity. As hard as it was to come up with new posts, I really loved the energy of writing short form blurbs on anything and everything. But I’m in a difference place and I just don’t have the time. That being said, don’t be surprised if I write a bit here and there to get my creativity juices flowing.

In the meantime, here’s a picture of sweet Mabel.

XO

Happy to be featured on It's Lit to spotlight this wonderful anthology. Listen!

This special episode of It’s Lit features the literature of Julie Gardner, Devis S. Laskar, January O'Neil, and Grace Talusan, four contributors to a remarkable collection of poetry and prose that came out this year titled "Alone Together: Love, Grief, and Comfort in the Time of COVID-19", edited by Jennifer Haupt.

Please watch and share this beautiful video from Mass Poetry. ❤️

“In This Place (An American Lyric)” features a stirring choral recitation of a protest-themed poem of the same name by National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman. This short film, released in conjunction with National Poetry Month, features 16 Massachusetts poets hailing from across the state, This video, created in collaboration with videographer Paula Champagne, also marks Mass Poetry’s contribution to a national collaboration by the Poetry Coalition—an alliance of more than 25 independent poetry organizations across the United States—to explore the theme “I am deliberate / and afraid / of nothing: Poetry & Protest.” More info: http://www.masspoetry.org/poetry-coalition-2020

Here's a picture Ella snapped of me yesterday. Decided to put on a dress as a change from jeans. In Mississippi, it was 73 degrees and overcast. Today, 80 and sunny. I'll take it. This is 30 degrees warmer than my home in Massachusetts.

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There are worse places to shelter. Not a day goes by that I don't feel an enormous sense of gratitude. And yes, it's time to think about moving back home. We're ready--almost.

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Blogging keeps me limber. Gives me something to do in between binge-watching episodes of Chicago P.D., and 30 Rock with my daughter. It's also a good way to open up my brainspace to poems.

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I'm participating in two writing groups for National Poetry Month. Pandemic poetry seems to be a theme in both. Truth is, I have been writing fairly consistently for months. It has certainly ramped up the last three weeks after I broke up with my boyfriend.

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Yes, I had a boyfriend. The pandemic sped up our ultimate end. But it was all good. All joy while it lasted.

Oh blogger, why can't I quit you?

There's no good reason why I should be back here again, but, well, sheltering in place brings out the blogger in me. So, I will use this place as my virtual hangout until we return to some normalcy. Although, at this point, it seems like we have weeks to go before I can be in a room with people outside of my family.

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This is Mabel, our pup, after just scaring the two Canadian geese into the pond.

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The pond is on the property of the Grisham House in Oxford, MS. I've been teaching at the University of Mississippi since August. Now I'm teaching classes online, which is cool--but not how I expected to spend my last months here. The house is beautiful. Can't go into too much detail about the house, but there are 77 acres. Very isolated.

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The high today will be 83 with thunderstorms later. Pollen everywhere, even on my keyboard as I type this on my porch.

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My kids and I have been somewhat isolated since we've been here--just a handful of friends and no buddies who are my kids' age. So while the nation hunkers down with self-distancing, believe me when I say we've been doing this for months. We're used to it.

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This is a weird, weird time.

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I have enough poems to put together a new manuscript, which has some of the best work of my life.  Mississippi has been nothing but inspiring for me. And I continue to be inspired by its wondrous and tragic sides. This morning I started four new drafts, which I think I'll finish today. I mean, I have an abundance of time.

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We are good. There are worse places to shelter in place. We miss Massachusetts but my hope is that by the time we're ready to return in May, the state has hit its peak. Mississippi is a few weeks behind the curve (in many respects).

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This seems like a good place to stop. More to come.  XO

Happy 2020!


For more than 10 years I have LOVED this space. It has been a place of growth and healing. When I think about all the poems discussed, pictures posted, and lists created on this blog--not to mention the Poetry Action Plans--I feel a great sense of pride. The Poet Mom blog has been a virtual home for me. I've documented the growth of my children, the demise of a marriage, and the start of a career.

But now, it's time to let it go. I'm just not feeling the urge to post regularly. I tend to move toward the things that bring me joy; I think the blog and I have run its course.

So for now, this will be my last post. I may keep it live, just not updated. Not sure. Will probably decide by end of January.

To all who have read Poet Mom off and on for years, I love you. Thanks for the support. More important, thanks for putting up with my typos!

Here's hoping we continue to try again, fail again, fail better. Always.

Um, hello? Is this thing on?

I am writing from the Central Time Zone, as we have officially moved to Oxford, Mississippi for the academic year! And I have to say, Oxford is beautiful. It is a growing, bustling college town. Ole Miss is quite impressive, though the kids and I still don't know where the phrase "Hotty Totty" comes from.

Everyone here is nice--like, too nice. Not use to it. I like a bit of disdain in my interactions with folks. But seriously, so far so good.

I'm feeling a little guilty for not keeping up with this space, but now that I'm settled I have the time. So I'm planning on posting weekly. My guilt is outweighed by having an astounding spring book tour! I went to places I really wanted to go, and not a dud in the bunch. I had fun everywhere I went. There were a few venues not on the tour originally, such a a visit to Nigeria (!) and the Salem Poetry Seminar/Salem Arts Fest.

Reader, I have to tell you, I am shocked I was able to do so many events this spring. Couldn't do it without lots of help at home, and two understanding children.

I said yes to almost everything. I made it work.