Micah Towery on THEthe

When did you start THEthe, and why?

First, it's important for me to point out that I'm not really the moving force behind THEthe. I'm more of a facilitator. If this were an interview with the real movers and shakers, I'd have forwarded these questions to everyone who has ever posted something on THEthe.

The origin story of THEthe is similarly murky. It started out as a blog for Joe Weil; Adam Fitzgerald and I were going to help him maintain it. Adam had the idea of opening it up as a blog platform for many authors. Some people posted reviews, others interviews, reflections on poetry-related items. Others wanted to get involved with ideas we'd never thought of...and we just never said no.

What makes THEthe different from other places to read poetry on the internet?

THEthe really isn't supposed to be a literary journal—just a blog about poetry. There is no editorial vision. When we do publish poetry it's less about a vision of poetry or finding new talent. We do have a poem of the week feature, but that's more about monthly curators showcasing the work of people who interest them. THEthe also featured a regular series of Australian writers, but that was mostly about showcasing the work of The Red Room Company.

I would say if there is one thing that is unique about THEthe is that it's driven more by community and friendship than by any particular ideas about poetry. Or perhaps it's that community is an idea about poetry.

What is something that you have recently published that really excited you, and why?

Every week we publish something that excites that poem of the week editor. I think what has been exciting has been all the different aesthetics that have been sampled. The selections say a lot about the monthly editor—their community, their sense of poetics.

What should someone submitting new work to THEthe know about the site?

THEthe is always looking for writers—not for poetry, but writers who like writing about poetry. If someone is interested in helping, that person should email us.

THEthe has no open poetry submissions. Some people have gotten angry about that, but they misunderstand what THEthe is. Besides, the internet has lots of places to submit poetry. Let a thousand flowers bloom. We're more the bees that drift lazily from one flower to another.

What other literary journals, online or print, are your favorites?

This is Micah—speaking only for myself and not THEthe. I've enjoyed reading everything from the big regulars like AGNI to Big Hammer, which Dave Roskos publishes whenever he feels like it.



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Micah Towery has an MFA from Hunter College and teaches literature. His writing appears in magazines like The Writer's Chronicle and Cimarron Review.