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William Bortz

Goodreads Author

Born

in Sioux City, The United States

Website

https://williambortz.com/

Twitter

william_bortz

Genre

Poetry

Member Since

October 2011

URL

https://www.goodreads.com/williambortz

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William Bortz (he/him) is a husband, poet, and editor from Des Moines, IA. His poems appear in Okay Donkey, Oxidant Engine, Empty Mirror, honey & lime, Turnpike Magazine, Back Patio Press, the Lyrical Iowa Anthology, and others. He is the author of Many Small Hungerings (Andrews McMeel, 2023) and The Grief We're Given (Central Avenue, 2021). Growing up, William spent time in foster care, in homelessness, and in shelters. His aim in writing is to explore how joy lives in uncertainty and mourning. ...more

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Average rating: 3.98 · 477 ratings · 125 reviews · 10 distinct works • Similar authors

	The Grief We're Given 3.83 avg rating — 204 ratings — published 2021 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Many Small Hungerings: Poetry 3.95 avg rating — 148 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Sky Grew Back With Clouds 4.38 avg rating — 37 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Shards 4.31 avg rating — 36 ratings — published 2018 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Lately, I've Been Drinking Alone. 4.21 avg rating — 28 ratings — published 2014 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	I'll Leave a Light On for You: Poems 3.75 avg rating — 16 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	These Ties it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 5 ratings — published 2012 — 6 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Petrichor it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 1 rating — published 2012 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Noema really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 1 rating — published 2013	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	I'll Leave a Light On for You: Poems it was ok 2.00 avg rating — 1 rating — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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The World Keeps Ending, and the World Goes On

by Franny Choi

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Feb 26, 2024 09:25AM

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Me Talk Pretty One Day

by David Sedaris

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She Had Some Horses

by Joy Harjo (Goodreads Author)

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May 24, 2022 10:53AM

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William Bortz rated a book it was amazing I'll Leave a Light On for You: Poems by William Bortz (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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William Bortz rated a book liked it Dreamseller by Brandon Novak	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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William Bortz rated a book liked it Fahrenheit-182: A Memoir by Mark Hoppus	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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William Bortz rated a book really liked it War of the Foxes by Richard Siken	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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William Bortz finished reading The Return of the Prodigal Son: A Story of Homecoming by Henri J.M. Nouwen	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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Quotes by William Bortz (?)

“I have no family here - the nest is on the tallest limb
I cannot fly or coast on rain-thick air.
it'll be tomorrow soon, and by then
you'll have forgotten I was ever here.”
― William Bortz, Many Small Hungerings: Poetry

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“When we talk about missing someone
we are talking about their ghost
we're pulling color from whatever
is most vibrant to fill in what
isn't there”
― William Bortz, Many Small Hungerings: Poetry

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“I am holding on to memory
like it is my breathing
so many lives I have lived
that I didn't believe
I deserved”
― William Bortz, Many Small Hungerings: Poetry

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