Chad Frame

Critique and Commentary

Chad Frame’s work appears in Rattle, Mom Egg Review, Barrelhouse, Rust+Moth, and other journals and anthologies, as well as on iTunes from the Library of Congress. He is the Director of the Montgomery County Poet Laureate Program and Poet Laureate Emeritus of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, the Poetry Editor of Ovunque Siamo: New Italian-American Writing, a founding member of the No River Twice poetry improv performance troupe, and founder of the Caesura Poetry Festival and Retreat.

Artistic Statement

As a poet, I pay particular interest to craft. A strong Classical background in translation has given me a greater understanding of poetic devices, and though I often write in form (established or invented), I’m quite comfortable with bucking it. I’m drawn to poetry with a narrative—a clear sense of story and concrete feeling for the reader of what’s going on. I also love writing and reading poems in series, each one building on the next, adding to the overall effect. I always strive for vulnerability, emotional heft, and honesty, as these are what ultimately elevates the work of the poet from pretty language on a page or screen to profoundly moving our audience. Finally, I believe in practicing performance, as a poem only exists half on the page—the rest is in the delivery.