The {Not So} Secret Poet
The {Not So} Secret Poet
The Not So Secret Poet is a blog by Taylor Nunez—poet, storyteller, and literary witch—exploring the soft, strange spaces between grief, girlhood, and growth. Here you’ll find lyrical essays, microfictions, and writing rituals rooted in beauty, mystery, and emotion. This is a place where ghosts bloom, flowers remember, and language heals.
If you would like to read more of her work, you can visit her newsletter, Letters from the Garden. This newsletter is a curation of what she’s reading, studying, writing, and making—woven with occasional rituals, hard-won wisdom, and keen observations from a life lived lyrically.
Still need more? You can see what she’s written online and in print.
Unseen, Unspoken: A Poem For The Bad*ss Women Battling PCOS
Dealing with chronic pain as a woman is not easy. Our discomfort is dismissed. People suggest healthier alternatives. Read the poem in this post about how hormones are just one battle if you want to be a mother.
Beneath the Surface: A Poem About Living With Skin Cancer
Invisible illnesses like skin cancer are no joke. In this post, I write about wearing joy and laughter on the day of getting bad news… and the nostalgia for old times with an old friend.
On a Soul Level: A Poem About Loving The Person, Not The Gender
Loving the person and not their gender is not as complicated as others make it seem. Read the poem I wrote about my own pansexual desire by clicking the link below.
More Than This: A Poem on Emotional Attraction and Depth
For me, searching for love is like searching for the right story. In this post, I wrote a poem about this deeper kind of love… and a soft reflection for you to think about—truly—how deep yours is.
To Be Distant: A Poem from Ocean Vuong
Happy Pride Month to the gays, theys, ladies, and anyone else whose sexuality does not fit into a box neatly! This week, I am introducing a poem by Ocean Vuong and talking about persona poetry. Read this post to learn more about this type of poem and to practice writing your own.
When They Only Saw The Fire: On Bipolar Anger & Misrecognition
May is Mental Health Awareness Month—so I got real about my mood disorder and how intensely I feel emotions like anger in a poem. Read the poem and more by clicking the link below.
Professional Agitations: An Interview With Rita Mookerjee
April is almost over… but that doesn’t mean multi-hyphenate poet Rita Mookerjee should fade from your mind too! In this interview, Rita talks about writing as a form of resistance and how dancing for her is embodied poetry.
Haunted By Mood: An Interview with Lisa Marie Basile
What does poetry look like when it connects to prose? In this post, poet/writer Lisa Marie Basile and I talk about writing within a concept, lyrical poetry, and obsession.
Musical Echoes: A Poem by Franny Choi
What is repetition—and how can we make it more musical? In this week’s post, I will be exploring a poem by Franny Choi and how repetition is not a technique for the weak.
A Woman’s Magic: A Poem from Audre Lorde
Where do you find your voice? For this week, I’ll be exploring poetic voice in a poem by Audre Lorde and how a woman’s confidence is closely associated to this.
Quiet Worthy: A Poem From Morgan Harper Nichols
Why is self-love so downplayed in today’s world? In this week’s post, I’ll be looking at a poem by Morgan Harper Nichols and exploring the self-awareness of a quiet moment.
Ode to Self: A Poem From Lucille Clifton
Why is it so hard to celebrate yourself? In this week’s post, I’ll explore a poem by Lucille Clifton and how digging deep into your identity radiate joy and positivity.
Romanticizing Brevity: A Poem from Patrizia Cavalli
Should love be complex? This week, I’ll be exploring a translated poem by Patrizia Cavalli and how a poem in a different language may hit differently when you hear it in its mother tongue.