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Official Website of Philadelphia Poet
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of an octopus:an archite|x|tural awareness of words

 2026
About
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ABOUT

Diane Sahms-Guarnieri is a Philadelphia-born poet, educator, and editor whose work explores the complexities of human experience, the natural world, and the places that shape our lives. She is the author of multiple poetry collections and chapbooks. Her poetry has appeared in numerous print and online publications, including North American Review, Sequestrum, Philadelphia Stories, and The Philadelphia Inquirer. Her work has earned recognition, including the 2015 Working People’s Poetry Competition award from Partisan Press.

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In addition to her writing, Sahms-Guarnieri has dedicated years to teaching, editing, and promoting poetry throughout the Philadelphia community. She has taught high school English and poetry, served as poet-in-residence at Ryerss Museum and Library, and held editorial positions with several literary journals. She currently serves as poetry editor for North of Oxford. Through her writing and community involvement, she continues to champion poetry as a means of exploring life, amplifying overlooked voices, and connecting people through shared experiences.

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Poetry Collections
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Blues, Prayers, & Pagan Chants, 2024

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Covid-19 A Poetic Journal, 2021

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Luna, the lesser Light, 2023

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The Handheld Mirror of the Mind, 2018

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City of Shadow and Light, 2022

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Night Sweat, 2016

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Light's Battered Edge, 2015

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Images Of Being, 2011

My Books

Reading / viewing Diane Sahms' new collection,-of an octopus: an archite|x|tural awareness of words (Carbonation Press, 2026), is both a joy and a challenge. The joy arises from the active experience of viewing poetry as a physical, archite|x|tural form. The collection is an organic mixture of color, shape, and deconstructed text that demands a metaphysical engagement-- forcing the mind to ponder over a new poetic language. As Sahms notes, this work contributes to
"the ongoing evolution" of new poetics much needed for the 21st century.

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John Zheng reviewer for Verse-Virtual 

Events
Upcoming Readings

No Upcoming Readings at this time 

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