
The Butterfly Bruises, A Short Story and Poetry Collection | by Palmer Smith




ABOUT THE BUTTERFLY BRUISES
Smith's debut collection consists of 80 poems and several short stories. It is a meditation on miscommunication, childhood, Northeastern vs. Southern American culture, family, nature vs. technology, and the imagination of the introvert.
“From sonnets to somnambulance, from algae to oxytocin, from manatees to Manhattan, Smith rides the riptides of memory’s fictions and frictions in this prolific debut. The Butterfly Bruises is a gem mine of poems and stories that write through grief and growing up, personal and planetary survival, with words rugged and glistening like seashell shards.”
-Poetry Critic and Scholar, Professor Robert Dewhurst


Having grown up in NYC and the Southeast, Palmer is presently an MA student at The University of Virginia.





Richmond, VA Launch

Published Writing
"The North Fork" poem published in Ninshar Arts, April 2021
"Costco Catharsis" poem published in Cobra Milk, April 2021
“Daisy Buchanan" poem published in the Newark Library Literary Journal, Feb. 2021
"Charlotte and Melissa" short story published in the Crime Yard, Jan. 2021
“A Light Read” poem published in The Scissortail Quarterly, Nov. 2020 (This collection is now being sold on Amazon by The Scissortail Press.)
Several Poems published in Poethead-the online Irish Journal, Nov. 2020
“Grandmother” short story published in Selcouth Station, Nov. 2020
“Ladybug” poem published in Refresh Magazine, Nov. 2020
“The Falling of His Body” poem published in Push Up Daisies, Nov. 2020
“Body No. 19” poem published in Arc Journal, Oct. 2020
“The Dollhouse on Fifth Avenue” poem published in Arc Journal, Oct. 2020
“In Time,” “Relief” and “Live Now While We Are Here” poems published in Calm Down Magazine, August 2020-October 2020
“Puzzle Pieces” horror story published in The Remington Review, Sept. 2020
“Book Review on Sally Mann’s Hold Still” published in level:deepsouth, Aug. 2020
“July” poem published in the French Press Zine, Aug. 2020
“My Oceanology” short story published in Sea Maven Magazine, July 2020
“She Did Not Know” poem, published in The Online Journal for Person Centered Dermatology, June 2020

Next Events
- Mon, Aug 16Quogue Library
- Sun, Jul 18Avoid the Day Bookstore
- Fri, Jun 18Fernandina BeachJun 18, 2021, 12:30 PMFernandina Beach, 1430 Park Ave, Fernandina Beach, FL 32034, USAFriday, June 18 12:30-2 pm Story & Song Art Gallery "The Butterfly Bruises" Literary Luncheon Through her poems and short stories, acclaimed poet Palmer Smith will have you question what it means to be living and communicating in the world today, at the same time giving you space to answer the
- Thu, Jun 03Corrigan Gallery
- Fri, May 28Beaufort
- Wed, May 26Atlanta
