I’ve been a published poet since the 1990s, with my early work appearing in local poetry journals for young adults in Dayton, Ohio. Below, you’ll find additional samples of my poetry.
2023:
“The Beauty of Cyan”: Click here
2022:
“You Feel Like Home”: Click here
“On Duality”: Click here
2021
“To My Muse”: Click here
“I Leash, You Lead”: Click here
“The Goblet Drum”: Click here
“A Divine Gift”: Click here
“The Science of Poetry”: Click here
2013-2014:
“The Choir of Flight”: Click here
“Free Falling”: Click here
“In Reply to Amanda Palmer’s ‘Ukulele Anthem'”: Click here
“Love is…”: Click here
“Of a Mockingbird”: Click here
“Welcome to My Wonderland”: Click here
1998:
“Crooked Crag Bridge”: Click here
Published Poetry
Emerging: The Collective Poems 2000-2011 by Leslie I. Benson
On sale now in paperback or hardback: Click here.
Excerpts from “Emerging: The Collected Poems”:
Poetry Series: No. 1 – “Out from the Inside”: Click here
Poetry Series: No. 2 – “I Wrote to Be Cured”: Click here
Poetry Series: No. 3 – “Armor of a Sullen Girl”: Click here
Poetry Series: No. 4 – “From Mind to Pen”: Click here
Poetry Series: No. 5 – “Shards of Glass”: Click here
Poetry Series: No. 6 – “Awake”: Click here
Poetry Series: No. 7 – “Blesséd Are”: Click here
Poetry Series: No. 8 – “Blue Sunrise”: Click here
Poetry Series: No. 9 – “Ferrets Do Not Belong in Dishwashers”: Click here
Poetry Series: No. 10 – “Emerging”: Click here
Grand Lake Review, 2005: Click here.
Why I Dyed My Hair Red: Poetry Chapbook, 2004: Click here.
In 2003, I and about seven other local poets read aloud their original spoken word poetry on a CD published by the editors of Wright State University’s Nexus literary magazine, entitled: Rhythm & Movement Volume 1. Listen to me reading “I Am Woman” and “Gratitude,” in Dayton, Ohio, a year before I graduated with my bachelor’s degree in English – creative writing.
Spoken Word Poetry
Listen to I Am Woman: Click here.
Listen to Gratitude: Click here.
The links above will take you to the published poetic works of Leslie I. Benson. None of these poems may be copied or printed without her permission. Thank you.
Photo by Leslie I. Benson.
The Art of Storytelling by Leslie I. Benson 