When a friend forwarded me Kate Gaskin’s poem “21 Weeks,” it elicited the kind of awe I associate with reading the greats (Elizabeth Bishop comes to mind). Gaskin balances music, narrative, and structure with striking control. The poem opens in a hospital room, as the speaker renders, in painstaking detail, the experience of miscarriage. I wanted to read more of her work immediately. Luckily, I didn't have to wait long.
Gaskin’s new book, A Red Knock-Knocking Like a Heart (LSU Press, 2026) came out in February. It contains “21 Weeks” alongside explorations of the struggles, triumphs, and monotony of motherhood. Parents of neurodivergent children and those who have lost a child to miscarriage will find these topics treated with care, craft, and a gritty honesty. I count myself among both groups, and felt a companionship in these poems.
In her first book, Forever War (YesYes Books, 2020), Gaskin explores the complexities of being a military spouse. "In A Red Knock-Knocking Like a Heart," Gaskin writes, "I'm still pondering motherhood but this time through the lens of grief due to experiencing infant loss and the mental health challenges that have come with learning how to be a neuro-affirming parent to a neurodivergent child."
Gaskin describes the poems as "vulnerable, searching, earnest and as close to the bone as poems get." At the same time, they deliver delight and wonder, "honeysuckle, barred owls, space aliens, Mars, oceans, prairies, and live oaks.”
Read on to learn more about Gaskin's literary influences and book recommendations.
Welcome to the Poetry Shop 5, Kate Gaskin! We always start by asking: who was the first writer that sparked your interest in poetry?
Mark Doty. When I was a teenager, my aunt gave me Doty's books Atlantis and Sweet Machine. These books opened up a world of feeling, lyricism, and beauty in a way that split me open. I felt instantly transported to the divine.
Which poetry book are you currently reading?
A Real Man Would Have a Gun (Unm Press) by Stacey Waite. This book is so tender and moving--an exploration of the complexities of gender and violence and parenthood. It's also hilarious at times.
Is there a book on the craft of writing that you recommend to poets?
Poetry as Survival (University of Georgia Press) by Gregory Orr. This book argues that processing grief in the form of writing lyrical poetry is fundamental to the human experience. Orr is a tremendous resource on how using the lyric "I" helps us to process trauma and bereavement. It's such an empathetic text, and one I have benefited from immensely.
Who is a new voice in poetry that we need to check out–someone with a debut book or recent release?
Nicole Lachat. Lachat's debut book of poetry The Red We Silk won the Michael Waters Poetry Prize. Her voice is so achingly beautiful. She examines--among other things--the futility of borders, matrilineal sacrifice and wisdom, the gift of poetic mentorship, and the abundances of the sensory world. She's fluent in Spanish, French, and English (at least?), and her poems weave in and out of language, culture, and time. She's such an expansive and generous poet. I love this book.
Finally, what’s a poetry book that others may not know about but deserves a shout out?
To Let the Sun (University of Arkansas Press) by John Allen Taylor. This book came out in 2025, and it is a stunning reclamation of joy and selfhood in the face of childhood abuse. These poems are so gentle and yet also firm in their grace and dignity. Reading Taylor's work is like listening to a psalm. I can only describe this book as a gift.
About Kate Gaskin
Katie Gaskin is the author of A Red Knock-Knocking Like a Heart (LSU Press) and Forever War (YesYes Books), winner of the Pamet River Prize. Her poems have appeared in American Poetry Review, Southern Review, and Ploughshares, among others. She directs The Adroit Journal’s summer mentorship program and is an assistant editor for TPR: The University Press of SHSU. To read more, visit: https://katebgaskin.com
Books referenced in this article.
A Red Knock-Knocking Like a Heart (LSU Press) and Forever War (YesYes Books) by Kate Gaskin
Atlantis and Sweet Machine by Mark Doty
A Real Man Would Have a Gun (Unm Press) by Stacey Waite
Poetry as Survival (University of Georgia Press) by Gregory Orr
The Red We Silk (Southern Indiana Review Press) by Nicole Lachat
To Let the Sun (University of Arkansas Press) by John Allen Taylor
