Reuben Gelley Newman
About
Reuben Gelley Newman (he/they) is a writer, musician, and librarian who circulates in New York City and its environs. His book Dear Dear, selected by Randall Mann for the Louise Bogan Award, is forthcoming from Trio House Press in July 2026. It speaks to Arthur Russell, Julius Eastman, Mitski, Bach, and other musical lights. They also wrote a chapbook, Feedback Harmonies (Seven Kitchens Press, 2024), in homage to Russell. His poems have appeared in Denver Quarterly, Fairy Tale Review, Ninth Letter, Only Poems, Salamander, and soon in Fence. Their reviews have appeared in The Brooklyn Rail, The Adroit Journal, and on a lucky cloud or two. He holds a B.A. from Swarthmore College in English and a M.S. in Information and Library Science from the University at Buffalo. Find them on Instagram/Twitter @joustingsnail and on Bluesky @joustingsnail.bsky.social. He's also trying, and largely failing, to fiddle more with his Substack: "To fling out broad its name: Poetry, Sound, Libraries."
Additional Information
Reuben is a 2021 graduate of Swarthmore College, where he was awarded multiple honors for his writing and academic excellence. Previous literary experience includes and internship at Copper Canyon Press and a role as a content editor at the Adroit Journal. As a singer, they sang in the Manhattan-based chamber chorus Amor Artis, were a soloist with the Swarthmore College Chorus, and performed at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts with Critical Mass, a college early music group he led. They also gave a joint senior recital at Swarthmore with soprano and composer Hannah Cai Sobel, a frequent collaborator who has set their poems to music. He's a fan of green tea, em dashes, and fretted instruments—from guitar to viola da gamba—and works at the New York Public Library.