the year is nineteen ninety-nine
judge judy is playing
with my pre-rolls some group sings happy
birthday in the distance
my aunt wonders what it’s
all for i watch the birds the cats
watch i’m dingy-dangy in this realm too
Dana Belott is a trans poet, multidisciplinary artist, and teacher from New Jersey. Their work explores ghosts, liminal spaces, and the body. dana received their MFA from Pratt Institute after 5 years teaching creative writing in middle and high schools and publishing over 50 volumes of their students’ writing. dana’s poetry has been published by literary magazines including Hooligan and Bloodletter and their visual art has been displayed at The Brooklyn Artery and Rock Paper Scissors Collective. Their first chapbook, night terrors, is forthcoming with Seven Kitchens Press in 2026.
