Talking With Poets: Shelby Hafener at The Fish Market

This week, Thom Francis introduces us to poet Shelby Hafener. They were one of the featured readers at the Eight Poets event at The Fish Market on Saturday, October 11. That day, Shelby was joined by poets from the Hudson Valley Writers Guild, online zines Trailer Park Quarterly and Hobo Camp Review, and Troy-based bookstore Paper Moon. ——— Online literary zines Trailer Park Quarterly and Hobo Camp Review presented an afternoon of poetry and spoken word at the Fish Market with Troy-based bookstore Paper Moon and the Hudson Valley Writers Guild. Eight poets took the stage that day and shared their work that afternoon, including Shelby Hafener, who read “God Bless the Forever War,” “This House,” a poem about her grandmother, “Different” in commemoration of National Coming Out Day, and “New Moon Child.” Shelby Hafener (she/they) is a free-form poet based in Troy, NY. Her works are inspired by their life as a lesbian, her struggles with mental health, and a response to the world at large. She uses poetry as a form of expression, showing herself to the world in a way that makes sense. Their first collection of poems is titled “Two Years Under My Teeth” and was self-published in 2023. Hudson Valley Writers Guild Vice President, Mary Panza, introduced Shelby to the audience.