In the Pockets of Small Gods

Anis Mojgani's latest collection of poetry explores what we do with grief, long after the initial sadness has faded from our daily lives: how we learn to carry it without holding it, how our joy and our pain touch, and at times need one another. In the Pockets of Small Gods touches on many kinds of sorrow, from the suicide of a best friend to a broken marriage to the current political climate.

Mojgani swings between the surreal imagery and direct vulnerability he is known for, all while giving the poems a direct frankness, softening whatever the weight may be. A book of leaves and petals as opposed to a book of stones, In the Pockets of Small Gods encapsulates the human experience in a way that is both deeply personal and astoundingly universal.

"...is a gale force talent, a twirling dervish of lyric & the body's music..." Patricia Smith

Anis Mojgani is the author of four books, most recently, The Pocketknife Bible, a fully illustrated poetry memoir. A national and international Poetry Slam Champion, and TEDx Speaker, he has been awarded residencies from the Vermont Studio Center, AIRSrenbe, and the Oregon WITS Program. Anis' work has appeared on HBO, NPR, and in journals Rattle, Forklift Ohio, and Bat City Review, amongst others, and has performed for varied audiences all over, ranging from the United Nations to the Getty Museum. Originally from New Orleans, he currently lives in Portland OR.