John Hesselbein has had work published in Consumers River Journal, Rattlesnake Review, and Poetry Now. His work was chosen by United States Poet Laureate Kay Ryan for her anthology “Poetry For the Mind’s Joy,” sponsored by the Library of Congress. He has toured most of California’s prison system since his incarceration as a teenager, and after sitting down for so long he now looks for a place to stand in the free world since his release in late 2024. He credits his breathing to the words of others and to places like PEN America, who provided a finger hold when much of the world was a ledge. His thoughts go out to the dreamers who find meter in the days like those in Ms L’s writing group and others across the country.