Guest poet Sasha Debevec-McKenney reads one of her poems as she participates in an event at the Broad Art Museum in East Lansing, Mich., on Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026.
Assistant professor of writing at Grand Valley State University and longtime poet Sasha Debevec-McKenney likes to read her grossest poems in the fanciest rooms. On Oct. 14, that room was a brightly lit gallery at the Broad Art Museum. Sitting amongst the art, audience members listened as she read poetry on topics ranging from throwing up to "The Real Housewives."
Debevec-McKenney’s reading was hosted by the RCAH Center for Poetry as the first event in its three-part “Poetry Gallery” series. Over the course of the semester, the center is bringing poets to perform alongside the exhibit “We Are This Land: Meditations on the Great American Experiment,” which celebrates the nation’s 250th anniversary.
Toby Altman, director of the Center for Poetry, chose Debevec-McKenney for her unique style and relevant themes, including racism, sexism, and American politics and identity. Altman also wanted to give students the opportunity to see poetry as a “living art form.”
“If you only read poetry in high school, you might get the sense that poetry is something that’s written by dead white men,” Altman said. “I am interested in promoting poetry as a living art, an art that’s written by people who are alive today and who are speaking the language of the present, and who are addressing the concerns of the present.”
To open the event, English and world politics senior Gabrielle Yeary, who is an intern at the Center for Poetry, performed a few of her poems. Altman invited Yeary to perform because her style and subject matter closely resembled Debevec-McKenney’s. Many of her poems drew on personal experiences, such as “Bubblegum Pink” which discussed her experience as a young woman.
“I think that my poetry is very close and personal to who I am,” Yeary said. “A lot of it has to do with my identity as a woman, as a Midwesterner and just how I’ve grown up.”
Yeary, who has long followed Debevec-McKenney’s work, was specifically impressed by the accessibility for her language. Her parents, who she described as not big poetry readers, were “cracking up” beside her in the audience. This blend of humor and seriousness is a defining characteristic of Debevec-McKenney’s work.
“I love what I love,” Debevec McKenney said. “I want to make jokes about everything. I want to make people uncomfortable. And I love just being myself in this high art form, whatever that means.”
Zoology junior Alison Browning, who attended the event with a friend, also appreciated its accessibility. Browning, who has always enjoyed poetry but never invested much time in it, says the event made her want to start writing.
“I really like seeing different ways of expression," Browning said. “(Poetry) is something that I haven’t really dabbled in so it would be interesting to try.”
Throughout the evening Debevec-McKenney shared more poems about politics, history and her own life. She ended the night with a book signing for her recent book, "Joy Is My Middle Name," and said she hopes audiences left feeling inspired to express themselves.
“I hope that people feel like they can write about their experiences,” Debevec-McKenney said. “I hope that people think, ‘Oh I can write about pop culture, I can write about throwing up.’ Like, those things are poetic.”
