Matthew E. Henry

Poet, Creative Nonfiction Writer

Metro Boston, MA
Massachusetts US
Email: 
MEHPoeting@gmail.com
Website: 
www.MEHPoeting.com
Twitter/X: 
@MEHPoeting

Author's Bio

Matthew E. Henry (MEH) is the Editor-in-chief of The Weight Journal, creative nonfiction editor at Porcupine Literary, and an associate editor at Rise Up Review. His poetry has been nomiated for multiple Pushcart and Best of the Nets. MEH’s an educator who received his MFA yet continued to spend money he didn’t have completing an MA in theology and a PhD in education. You can find him at www.MEHPoeting.com writing about education, race, religion, and burning oppressive systems to the ground.

Publications & Prizes

Creative Nonfiction

Anthology:
Workers Write! More Tales from the Classroom (Blue Cubicle Press, LLC, 2006)
Journals:
After the Art
,
Barren Magazine
,
Emerge Literary Journal
,
Mayday Magazine
,
Nixes Mate Review
,
Porcupine Literary Arts Magazine
,
Redivider
,
Zone 3

Poetry

Books:
said the Frog to the scorpion (Small Harbor Publishing, 2024)
,
The Third Renunciation (NYQ Books, 2023)
,
the Colored page (Sundress Publications, 2022)
Chapbooks:
have you heard the one about...? (Ghost City Press, 2023)
,
Dust & Ashes (Californios Press, 2020)
,
Teaching While Black (Main Street Rag Publishing Company, 2020)
Journals:
Bending Genres
,
Florida Review
,
Frontier Poetry
,
Kweli Journal
,
Massachusetts Review
,
New Verse News
,
Ninth Letter
,
ploughshares
,
Poetry East
,
Porcupine Literary Arts Magazine
,
Rise Up Review
,
Shenandoah
,
Solstice: A Magazine of Diverse Voices
,
Tahoma Literary Review
,
The New York Quarterly
Prizes won: 
  •  Relief Journal Editor’s Choice Award (2007)
  • The Orison Chapbook Prize finalist (2019)
  • MassPoetry.org “Poem of the Moment” (2020)
  • Massachusetts Book Awards finalist and "Must Read" Poetry (2020)
  • undress Publication's Poetry Open Reading Period finalist (2020)
  • The Fare Forward Poetry Competition Winner (2021) 
  • Diode Editions Chapbook Contest Finalist (2022)
  • MassPoetry Community Award (2023)
  • New England Poetry Club Sheila Margaret Motton Book Prize Finalist (2023)
  • Solstice Literary Magazine Stephen Dunn Poetry Prize winner (2023)
  • Alan Squire Publishing Annual Poetry Contest Short List (2023)
  • Housatonic Book Awards Finalist (2023)
  • Fare Forward Editors’ Best of 2023
  • New England Poetry Club Sheila Margaret Motton Book Prize Finalist (2024)
  • Beals Prize for Poetry Finalist (2024)

More Information

Gives readings: 
Yes
Travels for readings: 
Yes
Identifies as: 
African American
Prefers to work with: 
Adults, Any, Schools, Teachers, Teenagers
Please note: All information in the Directory is provided by the listed writers or their representatives.
Last update: May 11, 2025