Nora Chesnut

Nora Chesnut holds an M.A. in English from NYU and a B.A. in the same from Sewanee. Her research has focused on masculinity in the early modern Christian epic, and her interests include mirrors, age and aging, puberty, prophecy, and poetic sound. Nora is currently an MFA candidate in Fiction at Texas State University. She lives in Austin.

Content by Nora Chesnut

Field Notes,

Erasure Poetry: Is There Emotional Risk?

BY Nora Chesnut

To be honest, when I encounter an erasure poem, my initial reaction is a hurried inward nod, like—yes, I get it, okay. As if, grasping the concept, I’ve already read and grasped the poem itself. When I actually read it, of course, there’s usually plenty that’s of interest.