Mid/South Anthology Writers: Whitney Rio-Ross

Learn more about another poet in our forthcoming anthology.

Whitney has been kind enough to feature some of my work in Fare Forward; I was thrilled to get the chance to include three of her poems in the Mid/South Anthology. Learn more about her below and pre-order your copy here!

Name: Whitney Rio-Ross

Current Location: Nashville, TN

Twitter: @whitlynnrioross

Bio: Whitney Rio-Ross is the author of the chapbook Birthmarks (Wipf & Stock) and poetry editor at Fare Forward. Her poetry has appeared in America Magazine, New South, Presence Journal, and elsewhere. She lives with her husband and pup in Nashville, Tennessee.

1. Is there anything else you’d like us to know about your work that will appear in the anthology?

I’m terrible at remembering to take photos and am not a very good photographer. To plant a moment or place in my memory, I write about it. I have no photos of the places or days I recount in these poems, so these words are my keepsakes.

2. How would you describe your work overall? Do you have other publications you’d like us to highlight?

I can’t shake God in my poems, be it in topic or simply imagery and language. My chapbook Birthmarks embraces how biblical narratives have shaped my imagination and the questions I have about the world. Those were largely midrashic poems. Lately I’ve moved into some more autobiographical content, which feels more vulnerable.

3. How does the Mid-South and/or larger Southern region influence your perspective (personally and/or in your writing)?

I come from two lines of Kentucky farmers. The South runs deep in my family, but my parents are also big travelers and have always wanted their kids to know about other terrains and cultures. That was a real gift, and it infected all of us with a love for exploring new places, be it through study abroad, work, or leisure. Still, Tennessee remains my internal landscape. It’s evident in many of my recent poems, which focus on being a girl raised in the Southern Baptist Belt.

4. What do you wish more people knew about this area?

A lot of the stereotypes about the South are true. Some of them are sad truths about a brutal history of racism that is all-too-often still revered. But other stereotypes (about our food, aesthetics, etc.) don’t have to be an embarrassment; they’re simply part of a unique culture. One thing’s for sure—that culture has resulted in some incredible literature.