153. Madden Wishard

Madden Wishard (they/them) can be summed up as “a lumbering soul but trying to fly,” a phrase written by John Steinbeck. Growing up in Northern Virginia, they always felt an immense pressure to be who they were not. As a queer and trans person in a conservative evangelical Christian community, they felt a keen sense of rejection. As they grew, they realized the power of words and began writing about their experiences. They hope ultimately to touch others with their writing. Their poetry is focused on mental health, recovery, acceptance, and beauty. They have shared at Denver’s Pearl open mic night many times and are publishing their first book, Making Marmalade, which focuses on simple joys amidst harsh realities. They have just begun their career as a surgical technologist after graduating from school with a degree in applied science. Prior to this, they worked with kids in mental health for 9 years. Their writing often bends towards the beauty in the intricate human body and that found in young minds.