Tessera

David Milley

@davidmilley.com

Long-time married, queer, gay man, retired developer and tech writer, enjoying time with hubby and writing seriously again, mostly verse and memoir. 🏳️‍🌈 No LGB, or any other letter, without the T: 🏳️‍⚧️

135 Posts685 Follower 1679 Folgt

David Milley @davidmilley.com · last wk.

It's official! My collection of poetry, "Tiller and Shears," has been published this month by Kelsay Books. Copies can be purchased from the Kelsay Books web site: kelsaybooks.com/products/til... or from Amazon: www.amazon.com/Tiller-Shear...

The cover of the book "Tiller and Shears," designed by Shay Culligan for Kelsay Books. The cover image is a photograph of a detail of the Monument aux Girondins fountain in Bordeaux, courtesy of Pierre Borthiry Peiobty on Unsplash. The photograph features a statue of two men, one seated, one standing two the right and slightly below. The men clasp hands and the seated man rests his left arm across his companion's shoulders in a gesture of caring and support. The two men ignore the chaos of the many figures around them. Sprays of water suffuse the scene. The book title appears in black lettering at the top of the cover, along with the word "Poems." The author's name, "David Milley," appears in white against the dark stones at the bottom.

David Milley @davidmilley.com · 2w ago

This afternoon, my contributors's copy of Lansing Community College's Washington Square Review arrived! This issue, Summer 2026 includes my poem, "The Threading Cart," my appreciation of a craftswoman working at the local mall. #poetry #writing #queerwriters #threading #cosmetology #culture

Photograph of the cover of the Summer 2026 issue of Washington Square Review, The literary journal of Lansing Community College, Volume 2, No. 5. The cover is largely covered by a color illustration, in the style of an architectural rendering, of a multistory institutional building with small figures representing people standing and walking on the grounds in front of the building.

David Milley @davidmilley.com · 4w ago

It's award submissions season! Yesterday, the editors at troublemaker firestarter announced submissions for the Pushcart Prize, and they've recommended my poem "Poseidon," from their Volume 10, "Fairweather," for consideration. #poetry #poem #writing #gay #queer #queerwriters #lgbtq #beach #summer

David Milley @davidmilley.com · last mo.

Last night, the editors at @CrayfishMag wrote to tell me that they've nominated my story "Golgotha" for the "Best of the Net" anthology! While the odds are long, I'm thrilled--and honored--to know that the editors liked my bit of memoir enough to put it forward. www.crayfishmag.com/david-milley...

Screen capture of the relevant page at @CrayfishMag. The olive-green page banner displays the journal title "CrayfishMag." The off-white page beneath carries the story title "Golgotha by David Milley," followed by the opening paragraphs of the story at https://www.crayfishmag.com/david-milley-golgotha.

David Milley @davidmilley.com · 2mo ago

This morning, The Ekphrastic Review republished "Tiny Taj," my poem about a porcelain figurine and monuments and love. www.ekphrastic.net/the-ekphrast... #poetry #poem #writing #gay #queer #queerwriters #lgbtq #tajmahal #wadewhimsies

A screen capture of a web page at The Ekphrastic Review, featuring a photograph of a small porcelain reproduction of the Taj Mahal. The yellow-gray figurine stands in featureless field of white. Below the photograph appears the caption "Taj Mahal, Wade Whimsies (England) c.2020." Above the photograph appear the title "The Ekphrastic Review," the navigation menu for that web site, the title of the poem "Tiny Taj, by David Milley" and the date "9/17/2026."

Ross Johnson @rosserford.bsky.social · 2mo ago

We’re going to hear about how everyone loved Dolly, and that feels true. But it’s good to remember, and to her credit, that she was attacked for her AIDS activism, her vaccine advocacy, her LGBTQ+ support and even, more recently, for her reading initiatives. She ALWAYS stood firm when it mattered.

David Milley @davidmilley.com · 3mo ago

Finally got my much-overdue site update done. Added a post there with thirteen month's worth of pubs 🤪 and repaired broken links to a couple of journals that went bust. 😞 Next up: design tweaks. Now, back to writing verse I go! #queerwriters #WritingCommunity #lgbtqwriters

AmaraJLynn 🦹 Fire & Feathers on BK NOW!@amaralynn.bsky.social · 3mo ago

#queerwriters Saturday: Check in Day! How was your week? Did you accomplish what you set out to do? Share your progress, encourage, cheer, and support others! #WritingCommunity #lgbtqwriters

Background: white background with colored pencils along the bottom half.
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#Queerwriters
Check in day! How was your week?

Monday, Saturday, Sunday
All LGBTQIAP writers welcome

David Milley @davidmilley.com · 3mo ago

The first issue of Coastlines Review has just been published, which includes my poem "In the Photograph by Moses Rice," along with a recording of me reading it: coastlinesreview.org/issues/one/i... #poetry #poem #writing #gay #queer #queerwriters #lgbtq #whitman

Screen capture of part of the Coastlines Review home page, including detail of the journal's header photograph by Rachel Coyne. The words "coastline review/a journal of documentary poetics" appear in gray-green over a light yellow background. Below, cumulus clounds arise above gray-green breakers on their way to shore.

David Milley @davidmilley.com · 3mo ago

Today, my prose/almost-poem piece "Apistry" appears in Hyacinth Review: hyacinthreview.org/david-milley... This piece shows Warren caring for his honeybees through the four seasons. It's brief and readable. #prose #writing #queer #queerwriters #lgbtq #apiary #honeybees #seasons

Detail of the painting "Beekeeper," by Ivan Kramskoy, 1872. A white-haired, white-bearded man in a rustic, off-white shirt holds a staff while he sits in a field of wildflowers gone to seed.

David Milley @davidmilley.com · 4mo ago

This week's Former Flame Fridays at troublemaker firestarter features my poem "Poseidon," which appeared in Volume 10. Follow the link to read this whole poem full of queer joy! open.substack.com/pub/troublem... #poetry #writing #queer #queerwriters #lgbtq #poseidon

David Milley @davidmilley.com · 4mo ago

Today, my author's copy of RFD Magazine Issue #206, "Nature," arrived in the mail. This issue includes "Elephant Walk," a piece of memoir about how Warren taught me to be deliberate in my movement. www.rfdmag.org/online-issue... #poem #poetry #writing #nature #woods #queerwriters #lgbtq

Cover of RFD Magazine #206, Summer 2026, "Nature" issue. Detail of "Loutre, Uffita & Coco" my Miscanthus. Three nude, bearded men share an embrace while reclining in a field of grass beside a green woods.

David Milley @davidmilley.com · 5mo ago

Yesterday, @CrayfishMag Issue Number 3 went live! This issue includes my bit of memoir, "Golgotha:" www.crayfishmag.com/david-milley... #memoir #writing #crayfishmag #orangeburg #jimcrow #queerwriters #lgbtq

Silly Goose Press @sillygoosepress.bsky.social · 5mo ago

🪿PRIDE OUT LOUD 🌈 POETRY🪿 Such a sweet and beautiful poem for you today by @davidmilley.com Take a gander: sillygoosepress.com/pride-out-lo...

David Milley @davidmilley.com · 5mo ago

June 12, 2016. Ten years. Remember.

David Milley @davidmilley.com · 5mo ago

This morning, Silly Goose Press published their "Pride Out Loud" issue, including my poem "Gawayne Ever After," in which Warren does green stuff. #poem #poetry #writing #gay #queer #queerwriters #lgbtq #green #pride @sillygoosepress.bsky.social

Screen capture of the banner at the Silly Goose Press web site. The words "Pride Out Loud" appear in white against a rainbow background. Below, the words "Letter from the Editor" and "PDF" appear n white against a purple background.

Silly Goose Press @sillygoosepress.bsky.social · 5mo ago

PRIDE OUT LOUD IS OUT NOW! This is a special one, flockers, and we're so honored to share this incredible mini issue with you 🪿🌈✨ Spend some time with our amazing contributors (and listen to their audio recordings, too!) by visiting sillygoosepress.com/pride-out-loud

Theodore Snapdragon (Transcendragons)@theodoresnapdragon.bsky.social · 5mo ago

30 Days of Pride: Day 3, lesbian! Check out my 30 Days of Pride graphic for the Pride flags to come, and feel free to post your own art! What a beautiful flag, I have so much art themed to it #lesbianflag #lesbiancolors #prideart #30daysofpride #queerartist #transartist #pridemonth #happypridemonth

a small dragon-creature floats in a jar on the sea, watching the sunrise over to the left half out of frame. The horizon is white with clouds and light. The Sunrise turns the water shades of pink and purple and turns the sky shades of light orange to red. Beans of lights go over the sky, getting darker further up and to the right. The water gets darker as it gets deeper and further from the bright white sun, and is gently textured with water movement. The jar is lit bright oranges and pinks in the light of the sunrise and shows clearly a small dragon creature within. The creature is red-pink with cured back horns and deer-like ears, with big eyes that have light orange irises. The creature has a long sloping neck and, just visible with the bottle the creature is in partially submerged, a curling tail. The creature has four limbs and is standing on her hind limbs, her front limbs reaching out and pressed against the jar. The creature’s neck slopes out of the short, thin neck of the bottle to reach her head forward and look out toward dawn. The colors are themed to the dark purple, pink, light pink, white, light orange, orange, and red of the sunset lesbian pride flag.

Digital art of a sunset over the ocean themed to the lesbian pride flag. The sunset is reflected in the water, with the orange sky turning the water pink.

a 3-by-3 moodboard with the five stripe lesbian flag in the middle. The top row left to right shows a dolphin snow globe backlit by orange light, red fall forest reflected on the water, and rainbow glass. The middle row right to left as pale pink-white flowers, the flag itself, and a white open wave cresting up against light pink sand. The bottom row left to right has vibrant pink-orange snap dragons, a close up on a dark pink flower misted by rain, and close up on a vibrant pink flower.

Digital art of an orange dragon with pink claws claws and ridges with the sunset lesbian pride flag down her back. She's walking over snowy ground under a snowing pink sky. Where her feet touch the ground pink flowers bloom and she looks down to cry tears that cause a glowing pink flower to sprout from the snowy ground.

Theodore Snapdragon (Transcendragons)@theodoresnapdragon.bsky.social · 5mo ago

30 Days of Pride! Day 2: Genderqueer Feel free to post your own art themed to the genderqueer flag! Tomorrow will be lesbian flag art. #genderqueer #genderqueerflag #genderqueerpride #genderqueerart #genderqueerartist #transartist #queerartist #pridemonth #pride2026 #happypridemonth #30DaysofPride

A digital portrait looking from above at a close up of a pond. There’s a lily pad with two small flowers sitting on top of the pond and the entire scene is lit from the top, highlighting in the purple water threads of white and green. The entire scene is themed to the green, white, and purple of the genderqueer flag.

A 3x3 moodboard of original photography themed to the purple, white, and green of the genderqueer flag. The first row features a blue and purple photo of the sky at sunset and two close to photos of purple flowers. The middle row features a photo of a sea shining white in sunlight and a tree with white-ish green leaves around an image of the flag itself. The final row features Photos of greenery, including a bulb of a plant, a green tree, and a green plant with purple flowers.

Digital art of a chubby purple dragon laying in thick green grass. The dragon has a white belly and white feet as well as green horns, green eyes, and a green-tipped tail. White light shines down from a purple sky over the tall green grass.

Digital art of the same purple dragon themed to the purple, white, and green of the genderqueer pride flag, but without the background

Theodore Snapdragon (Transcendragons)@theodoresnapdragon.bsky.social · 5mo ago

30 Days of Pride! I’ve decided to make posts of my Pride art themed to different flags every day this month, feel free to join me! Day 1: Intersex #intersexflag #intersexart #intersexmoodboard #30DaysofPride #prideflag #intersex #prideflagart #prideart #originalart #artsky #BSkyArtists #pridemonth

Digital art where a round spot of golden sand rises out of a purple sea. Yellow fish with purple spots circle and a bit of grass grows out of the round sandbank. It’s themed to the colors of the intersex flag.

A 3x3 moodboard with photos themed to the intersex flag purple and yellow colors. The first row features a photo of a tree backlit by yellow sunlight, a yellow seashell, and yellow flowers. The second row features close up photos of purple flowers around the image of the intersex flag itself, a yellow square with a purple circle in it. The final row features two photos of a yellow sky over backlit landscapes around a photo of bright yellow flowers.

Digital wolf with fur in the yellow and purple colors of the intersex flag. The wolf turns to look at the art viewer, and has a predominantly yellow body with a mostly purple face. The wolf walks over a thick tree trunk over a shallow sandy pond with a sunrise of yellow and purple sending light up to the sky in the background.

Digital art of the same wolf, but without the background. The wolf's tail is down and has a purple tip. The wolf has the front left paw up and turns to look directly at the viewer with large ears and yellow eyes.

David Milley @davidmilley.com · 5mo ago

Site, needs updating, but with plenty of links to poems and memoir: davidmilley.com First book of verse, "Tiller and Shears," scheduled to publish in late autumn of this year. #QueerWriters #writesky #writers #QueerWritersChat

AmaraJLynn 🦹 Fire & Feathers on BK NOW!@amaralynn.bsky.social · 5mo ago

#QueerWritersChat Question Five: Self promo/outros! Interact with, boost others, and feel free to answer the questions late! DO NOT promo until after you participated in the chat! Theo will be hosting next week! @theodoresnapdragon.bsky.social #QueerWriters #writesky #writers

#QueerWritersChat

Question Five: Self promo! Drop your links!

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David Milley @davidmilley.com · 5mo ago

Spending less time managing the results of my writing gives me more time and headspace to write. Long walks help, too. #QueerWriters #writesky #writers

AmaraJLynn 🦹 Fire & Feathers on BK NOW!@amaralynn.bsky.social · 5mo ago

#QueerWritersChat Question Four: What helps you prevent burn out? Last question at :45! @theodoresnapdragon.bsky.social #QueerWriters #writesky #writers

#QueerWritersChat Question Four: What helps you prevent burn out?
Hosts: @amaralynn and @theodoresnapdragon Every Friday 8pm EST All LGBTQIAP writers and allies welcome Background: gray wood with multicolor art supplies around the border.

David Milley @davidmilley.com · 5mo ago

Making checklists and then working through them buys me time to step back from composing long enough for the font to refill. #QueerWriters #writesky #writers

AmaraJLynn 🦹 Fire & Feathers on BK NOW!@amaralynn.bsky.social · 5mo ago

#QueerWritersChat Question Three: Share tips for recovery from burn out! Next question at :35! @theodoresnapdragon.bsky.social #QueerWriters #writesky #writers

#QueerWritersChat Question Three: Share tips for recovery from burn out!
Hosts: @amaralynn and @theodoresnapdragon Every Friday 8pm EST All LGBTQIAP writers and allies welcome Background: gray wood with multicolor art supplies around the border.

David Milley @davidmilley.com · 5mo ago

I can tell I'm burnt out when I have trouble keeping up with my obligations and start working through checklists. Sure sign I need to step back for a bit. #QueerWriters #writesky #writers

AmaraJLynn 🦹 Fire & Feathers on BK NOW!@amaralynn.bsky.social · 5mo ago

#QueerWritersChat Question Two: How can you tell you're burnt out? Next question at :25! @theodoresnapdragon.bsky.social #QueerWriters #writesky #writers

#QueerWritersChat Question Two: DHow can you tell you're burnt out?Hosts: @amaralynn and @theodoresnapdragon Every Friday 8pm EST All LGBTQIAP writers and allies welcome Background: gray wood with multicolor art supplies around the border.

David Milley @davidmilley.com · 5mo ago

Chiming in late! David Milley here, I write verse and memoir. Currently working up a series of duplexes about honeybees and another series of little poems about Wade Whimsies. First poetry collection, "Tiller and Shears," now sheduled for publication this fall. #QueerWriters #writesky #writers

AmaraJLynn 🦹 Fire & Feathers on BK NOW!@amaralynn.bsky.social · 5mo ago

Welcome to #QueerWritersChat! To start things off, introduce yourself and tell us what you're working on! No links, please! Next question at :15! @theodoresnapdragon.bsky.social #QueerWriters #writesky #writers

#QueerWritersChat Question One: Introduce yourself and your current project Hosts: @amaralynn and @theodoresnapdragon Every Friday 8pm EST All LGBTQIAP writers and allies welcome Background: gray wood with multicolor art supplies around the border.

David Milley @davidmilley.com · 5mo ago

Last Sunday, in a celebration conducted over Zoom, October Project announced the winners of their annual poetry contest. I'm thrilled to say that my poem "Trefoil," snagged an honorable mention. #poem #poetry #writing #nature #religion #OctoberProject #queer #queerwriters #lgbtq

Image of a printed certificate with the words, "The 8th Annual October Project Poetry Contest 2026, Honorable Mention, David Milley, for the poem "Trefoil." Laurel branches flank the words. The web site name "octoberproject.com" appears at the bottom of the certificate.

David Milley @davidmilley.com · 5mo ago

My thanks to Remington Review for highlighting my poem "Tonight" on this anniversary of Maya Angelou's passing.

Remington Review@remingtonreview.bsky.social · 5mo ago

“Words flooded to her, through her and from her. Tonight, she’d have something to say.” - David Milley Read his poem, “Tonight,” written for Maya Angelou, who passed away on this day in 2014. Read the poem in our current issue! heyzine.com/flip-book/0c... #litmag #poetry #poems #mayaangelou

David Milley @davidmilley.com · 6mo ago

Last week, Moonstone Arts Center held their celebration of poets who were featured readers at the Fergie's Pub series in Philadelphia. This included two readings, one online, the other at the Free Library in Philadelphia. #poem #poetry #writing #philadelphia #queer #queerwriters #lgbtq

A cartoon of a person in a vest and sportcoat, with a third-quarter moon for a head. The reader stands at a microphone on a small stage, reading from a book. Curtains are tied back on either side of the stage and a high stool is set to the side, unused. The name "Fergie'" appears in a banner above the reader and the words "Featured Poets 2025" appear below.

David Milley @davidmilley.com · 6mo ago

#QueerWritersChat Ah! Good question! Except for the occasional real villain, I think/hope most of the people I write about, including my narrator, are pretty good at healing themselves or making themselves whole. There's sorrow and regret in my writing, but there's resolve and resolution, too.

Theodore Snapdragon (Transcendragons)@theodoresnapdragon.bsky.social · 6mo ago

#QueerWritersChat Question Four: How good are your characters at letting themselves heal, physically or mentally? Last question at :45! @amaralynn.bsky.social #QueerWriters #writesky #writers #healing #characters

#QueerWritersChat
Question Four: How good are your characters at letting themselves heal, physically or mentally?

Hosts: @amaralynn and @theodoresnapdragon Every Friday 8pm EST All LGBTQIAP writers and allies welcome
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David Milley @davidmilley.com · 6mo ago

#QueerWritersChat Not specifically.

Theodore Snapdragon (Transcendragons)@theodoresnapdragon.bsky.social · 6mo ago

#QueerWritersChat Question Three: Do any of your characters have expertise or abilities related to healing? Next question at :35! @amaralynn.bsky.social #QueerWriters #writesky #writers

#QueerWritersChat
Question Three: Do any of your characters have expertise or abilities related to healing?
Hosts: @amaralynn and @theodoresnapdragon Every Friday 8pm EST All LGBTQIAP writers and allies welcome
Background: gray wood with multicolor art supplies around the border

David Milley @davidmilley.com · 6mo ago

#QueerWritersChat David Milley here, gay/queer New Jersey writer, putting the final touches on my first poetry collection manuscript before shipping it off to the publisher for production. Currently writing duplexes about honeybees.

Theodore Snapdragon (Transcendragons)@theodoresnapdragon.bsky.social · 6mo ago

Welcome to #QueerWritersChat! Let’s start by settling in! Introduce yourself and tell us what you're working on! No links, please! We’re saving those for the end. Next question at :15! @amaralynn.bsky.social #QueerWriters #writesky #writers #writingcommunity #lgbtqwriters