HOPKINSON: Tell me a little bit about BROWN STUDY.
DE LA O: BROWN STUDY is a monthly deep-dive into a single poem arranged in three parts: an interactive, annotated version of the poem, an analysis of the text, and a Q & A with the author.
HOPKINSON: How/why was BROWN STUDY originally started?
DE LA O: I pitched BROWN STUDY to Christ at The Poetry Question because there is so much good poetry flying around that the landscape can feel overwhelming. I wanted to curate a space where close attention is paid to just one poem, where we can put the same care in enjoying the poem that the author took in penning it. There is a tendency in literary criticism or analysis to give concerted attention to the techniques and rhetorical tricks poetry giants use in their work. When we don’t “get” a poem by an established poet, the assumption is often that we, the reader, need to think more deeply–perhaps do some contextualizing. Why not apply the same care to emerging writers? Instead of dismissing a poem out of hand with “I don’t get it” or “it’s not very good,” why not give our attention to the techniques and rhetorical tricks emerging poets are using? Why not do a little research and contextualize their work, too? In this column, emerging poetry is given the same attention and care usually reserved for established poets.
HOPKINSON: Who is your target reader audience?
DE LA O: Emerging poets, established poets, the poetry-curious. BROWN STUDY is for anyone who wants a moment to slow down and take an intimate look at the craft, meaning, and implications of a poem.
HOPKINSON: What type of work are you looking for?
DE LA O: I’m a fan of poems that work within and challenge form. We’re looking for the poems that you labored over, that you packed with intention. BROWN STUDY is for the poems that make you want to sit next to people while they read it, so you can explain just what you meant when you used that em dash instead of a comma.
HOPKINSON: What do you wish you’d see submitted, but rarely comes in?
DE LA O: I would relish the chance to dig into a visual poem, and there are so many great emerging voices in visual poetry!
HOPKINSON: What are some of your favorite lit mags/journals?
DE LA O: There are so many fantastic small presses and magazines it’s hard to choose, but top of mind are: Rigorous Magazine, Diagram, Gigantic Sequins, Hellebore Press, Borderlands: Texas Poetry Review, Kissing Dynamite Poetry (full disclosure I’m an editor there), Hooligan, Knights Library, and Obsidian Art & Literature in the African Diaspora.
HOPKINSON: What is your favorite part of being on staff with The Poetry Question?
DE LA O: TPQ has a brilliant team of writers and I’m sort of blown away I get to call them colleagues, lol. BROWN STUDY asks the reader to tune everything out for a moment, to focus only on one thing–that’s a little antithetical to how our culture works right now, I love that TPQ understands the literary ecosystem has space for both hot takes and deep dives.
HOPKINSON: Where can women ages 50+ send submissions?
DE LA O: Via this Google Form
HOPKINSON: If someone has a question, how can they contact you?
DE LA O: brownstudytpq@gmail.com
Click here to read submission guidelines.
SUBMISSION DEADLINE: Rolling
FORMS: Poetry of all forms
SUBMISSION FEE: None
FORMAT: BROWN STUDY is an online column hosted at The Poetry Question.
ISSUE FREQUENCY: Monthly on the last Thursday of the month.
AVERAGE RESPONSE TIME: 2-6 weeks
SUBMISSION METHOD: Google form
SIMULTANEOUS SUBMISSIONS: “No, BROWN STUDY is a column, not a magazine, so I would advise against sending unpublished work as many publications will not consider work that has previously appeared online.”
PAYMENT: None
SOCIAL MEDIA: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram
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