Rodrigo Toscano

Rodrigo Toscano is a poet and dialogist based in New Orleans. He is the author of eleven books of poetry. His latest books are The Cut Point (Counterpath, 2023) and The Charm & The Dread (Fence, 2022). Forthcoming is WHITMAN. CANNONBALL. PUEBLA. (2025). His previous books include In Range (Counterpath, 2019), Explosion Rocks Springfield (Fence Books, 2017), Deck of Deeds (Counterpath, 2012), Collapsible Poetics Theater (a National Poetry Series selection; Fence Books, 2008), To Leveling Swerve (Krupskaya, 2004), Platform (Atelos, 2003), Partisans (O Books, 1999), and The Disparities (Green Integer, 2002). His poetry has appeared in over twenty anthologies, including, Best American Experimental Poetry (BAX), Best American Poetry (2023, 2004). Voices Without Borders, Diasporic Avant Gardes, Imagined Theatres, In the Criminal’s Cabinet, Latino Poetry (The Library of America Anthology, 2024). His poetry has recently appeared in the Boston Review, Protean, Poetry Magazine, The Kenyon Review, The Harvard Advocate, Georgia Review, Yale Review, Fence, Annulet, Diagram, among many others. Toscano has received a New York State Fellowship in Poetry. He won the Edwin Markham 2019 prize for poetry. Toscano’s poetry has been translated into French, Dutch, Italian, German, Portuguese, Norwegian, and Catalan. He works for the Labor Institute in conjunction with the United Steelworkers, the National Institute for Environmental Health Science, Communication Workers of America, National Day Laborers Organizing Network, and Northwest tribes (Umatilla, Cayuse, Yakima, Nez Perce) working on educational/training projects that involve environmental and labor justice and health and safety culture transformation. rodrigotoscano.com @Toscano200