Saint Louis Poetry Center’s Poetry at the Point will feature Chris Watkins and Grace McGovern on August 25. The poets will read from their work, followed by a conversation with series curators Macallan Lay and Andy Chen. Audiences may attend in person at Focal Point or watch the live stream on Saint Louis Poetry Center’s website and Facebook page. Books may be available directly from the featured poets. The event is free.
Chrysanthemum (Chris) Brook Watkins is a transgender poet, environmental activist, and author of “The Drag Gospel of Queer Jesus.” A board member of Apalachicola Riverkeeper, Watkins received their PhD in poetry with a focus in ecopoetics and environmental writing, poetic forms, and queer literature, from Florida State University (FSU). Watkins works as the academics and partnerships coordinator at FSU’s Office of Sustainability (Sustainable Campus) and teaches both writing and sustainability courses. Their recent work has appeared in Poetry magazine, Ecotone, and on Terrain.org, among other publications. Watkins lives in North Florida.
Grace McGovern is a poet and MFA candidate in poetry at Washington University in St. Louis. She was born in Rhode Island and now lives in St. Louis.