Violence begets violence.
The serpent knows where
the core is buried.
Hindsight–
a bullet that strikes down
the lesser of all
evils.
But violence begets
violence:
two school shootings,
same day.
It’s sinister, isn’t it?
How, shaped like an
act of God,
we aim for truth and
justice
the American way.
-
J.T. Trigonis (he/him) is a neon troubadour of the written word. With the obligatory MFA in poetry from Brooklyn College and the ever more obligatory Pushcart prize nomination, his work has appeared in nearly 60 journals that have graced the bottom shelf of book stands (and online, too) for nearly 30 years. He’s headlined at over 30 venues, and he’s the author of seven self-published chapbooks. His most recent chapbook of selected poems, Through the Wreckage, was published in 2026 by Finishing Line Press.
Trigonis plays master of ceremonies at WAYE (We Appreciate Your Enthusiasm), the popular monthly reading series he and his partner host at their vintage shop/used bookstore in Jersey City Heights, and he’s the editorial director of By the WAYE, a magazine of poetry and visual art.
