I’m excited to announce that Finishing Line Press is publishing my newest poetry collection! At Every Stage I’ve Been is coming out in October 2026.
The Cover
I’m especially proud of the cover, which I designed with my friend and colleague, Lee A. Sloan. I wanted this book to look very different from Neoteny. The curtain material was inspired by fabric from a portrait of Queen Katherine Parr, Henry VIII’s sixth and final wife. I liked the idea that we are pulling back the curtain, looking backstage — or even walking onstage — as this new book explores themes of identity, family, theater, and ritual.
Cover description: The book cover features a richly detailed red curtain with gold embroidery and a large tassel. The curtain is draped to the left side, revealing a stone archway in the background. The title of the book, “At Every Stage I’ve Been,” is prominently displayed in the center-right area, with the word “Poems” below it. The author’s name, Emily K. Michael, is positioned at the bottom right. The lettering is in bright white, all caps font.
The Poems
Here’s the synopsis:
In her second poetry collection, Emily K. Michael invokes restorative themes: birdsong, domestic warmth, and family memories. At Every Stage I’ve Been asserts the poet’s right to define herself against expectations. Whether revisiting the theatrical efforts of childhood or beginning a new aspect of romance, these poems negotiate the conflict of external pressures and the joy of inner triumphs. Michael’s nod to the power of myth in everyday spaces occurs in poems like “Social Mobility” and “Everyone Says.” She charts the intensity of grief and repose in “Humming,” “Coming Home,” and “Consolations.” And she meets the difficulty of her blindness in “Lingua Franca” and “Why I Prefer Sandwiches.” These poems vibrate with local birds, cherished dogs, and faithful companions. This is a work of renewal and rejoicing. Poems from this collection have been featured in Nine Mile Magazine, Tupelo Quarterly, Welcome to the Resistance, Split This Rock, and Wordgathering: A Journal of Disability Poetry and Literature.
Reviews
I am honored to have this collection reviewed by three poets I admire: Ona Gritz, C.A. Pomerleau, and Dan Simpson. These writers were warm and enthusiastic when I invited them to write a blurb for me. Here’s what they said:
“From the opening page of At Every Stage I’ve Been, we know we are in the presence of a sensual poet. Speaking of her guide dog, Emily K. Michael writes: ‘Now he leans into my lap. Glossy black / along the crushed grape of my dress, / he nuzzles the fringed scarf in my hands.’ One after another, these poetic photographs, with their vivid detail, make one feel what it’s like to be in the picture. Michael can even bring us into imagining what it’s like to be her in some of her more intimate moments with her beloved, or while she caresses her dying grandfather’s hand and quietly sings to him. We are with her in the joy of listening to birdsong and in the sting of being minimized as a woman and made ‘other’ as a blind person. For the most part, At Every Stage I’ve Been is a book of subtlety. Michael never needs to turn victim or pound the table. She can count on her attention to language and specifics to do the work of her poetry. When she writes about her blindness, it is both poignant and matter-of-fact. While blindness plays a significant part, it is not the whole story. Finally, this is a book replete with love—love for her partner, for her guide dog, and for life itself.”
— Daniel Simpson, Inside the Invisible
“The poems in Emily K. Michael’s stellar new collection are perfectly rendered sketches of a life richly lived and keenly observed. Lyrical, wise, and uncompromising, we have here a manifesto with a love story embedded inside it. ‘…trade [your] rain dances for braille dances—sway for ramps, spring for sign language, spin and stamp and leap’ in gratitude for the gems to be found in this small but mighty book.”
— Ona Gritz, Everywhere I Look
“Emily K. Michael pours her experience into autobiographical poems where the details tell a relatable story. These poems juxtapose alienation growing up and today with the importance of those who reflect that we are worthy and capable. You will relish accompanying a woman who steps fully into life. Michael invokes a better world for the next generation, a world where people easily accommodate needs to bring everyone along. The protagonist of these poems is an accomplished woman. She has learned to rely on loved ones and her guide dog.”
— C.A. Pomerleau, Every Day, They Became Part of Him
How to Order
The book is currently in its advanced sales period. Books sold during this time determine my royalties for the life of the book. Advanced sales last through August 14, 2026, but of course you can pre-order the book at any time.
Your early orders support me and also save you a few dollars. The book price will increase to $17.99 after August 14. You can pre-order using the QR code below.
On the Blink 