Karian Markos

12/10/2026

Join me at the Morton Arboretum for an afternoon of nature poetry!

Join Poets & Patrons for a curated Poetry Reading at the Morton Arboretum — on Saturday, Oct. 17, noon — The Morton Arboretum, Cudahy Room, Lisle

The featured poets reading their original poems are Gay Guard Chamberlin, Jennifer Dotson, James Green, Melissa Huff, Karian Markos, Carole Novak, Donna Pecore, Judy SooHoo, E.J. Wade and Lorna Wood.

Tickets are $7 and include admission to The Morton Arboretum offering visitors an opportunity to enjoy the poetry reading as well as the Arboretum’s fall colors, gardens and 1,700 acres of trees and landscapes.

07/10/2026

Join us this Saturday, Oct. 10 at 2 P.M. for Live Lit, the Chicago Writers Association’s reading series, at the Sulzer Regional Library (4455 N. Lincoln Ave).

Spend the afternoon hearing 12 featured writers share their work:

David W. Berner
Amanda Berthault
Ben Broeren
Nancy Davis
Acamea Deadwiler
Sheila Elliott
Thomas Gallaher
Karian Markos
Debora Masterson
Justina Means
Victoria Noe
Shaun Rouser

Come discover new voices and connect with Chicago’s writing community.

Learn more: https://www.chicagowrites.org/live-lit
✎

13/07/2026

Fantastic news for my friend, Author Maria A. Karamitsos!!! Bravo!! 🎬👏

GODDESS OF AMERICA — our pilot screenplay “The Offering” — has been named an Official Selection of the 18th Burbank International Film Festival, taking place August 2–8, 2026.

As first introduced in May, Goddess of America now reaches an exciting milestone with its selection for the 18th Burbank International Film Festival.

Set during a 1966 New York City blizzard, the pilot introduces the anthology series through a diverse group of legal immigrants who, despite being divided, newly arrived, and penniless, unite around a shared goal: finding an offering for Lady Liberty by morning. Their journey launches the thematic foundation of the series, centered on inclusion, belonging, and the common humanity that defines the American experience.

Across our slate, EmberFrames continues to cultivate relationships with aligned companies, co‑producers, distributors, TV channels, streamers, and investors as we advance into the next phase of development.

Burbank International Film Festival

30/05/2026

I have two poems in this newly released anthology of persona poems, one written from the perspective of Michael Dragon, a Greek American revolutionary war hero, and another from the perspective of the vellum on which the Declaration of Independence was drafted. Check it out on Amazon

30/04/2026

Yesterday, I went on an artists date with my beautiful friend and fellow poet, at the Art Institute to write some ekphrastic poetry.

Ekphrasis, Greek for “expression”, in poetry dates back to the ancients, a method using detailed description to immerse readers in the subject of the poem, ie Homer’s description of the forging of Achilles’ shield in the Iliad. In modern times, the term refers to writing that gives voice to art.

Matisse’s Jazz: Rhythm’s in Color included so many examples of this merger of words and images, ekphrastic poetry and ekphrastic art that reminded me of the boundlesness of creativity. After a few hours wandering through the museum soaking in the variety of images, Kathryn and I sat in the cafe and wrote for an hour. It was rejuvenating.

A chance encounter with a good friend, made even the train ride home joyful and the perfect way to bring poetry month to a close.

18/04/2026

Poetry Month Prompt 5: Mythical Hybrids. Write a poem about a hybrid creature from any mythology tradition as if it lived in today’s world. Resurrect the sphynx, chimera, pegasus, griffin…let them wreak havoc or reign supreme in your urban or suburban paradise. Research the mythical origins of your creature. What purpose did it serve in the culture from which it originated? What can we learn about our current selves through the monsters of the past?

Context: My favorite mythical creature is the sphynx. In Greek mythology, the creature, a winged lion with a female head, was sent by the gods to guard the gates to the city of Thebes. The penalty for wrong answers or unanswered questions—a good, solid, devouring. Perhaps she served as a cautionary reminder of the ills of hubris and ignorance…😳😵
My second favorite mythical creature: the gorgon, who turned all who looked at her to stone.

15/04/2026

15/04/2026

I’m excited to announce, Voices from Uganda, an anthology of student poetry, from our ChildrenUP students in northern Uganda.

Last summer we asked our students to write poetry on three themes—resilience, community, and the power of education. I had the difficult task of selecting which of the excellent array of submissions would be included in an in person reading last October. We produced this anthology to shine a spotlight on our ChildrenUP students’ strong voices for everyone to enjoy.

The anthology will be available for purchase at the ChildrenUP Gala event on April 23rd. Proceeds will benefit ChildrenUP, a nonprofit organization I have been serving since 2015, that provides funding for post-primary education in Northern Uganda.

For more information about ChildrenUP or to purchase tickets to the gala, please visit ChildrenUP.org.

08/04/2026

Poetry Month Prompt 3: The Devil is in the Details. Write a poem about something small in an imaginary dystopia that, if changed, would alter the course of that world for the better. Examine your world with a microscope, explore how small things can have big impact.

Context: Last weekend I was in Athens for the first ever Athens International Literary Festival. I had the opportunity to take a masterclass with Paul Lynch, author of the prizewinning dystopian novel, Prophet Song, on summoning the muse. During the masterclass he encouraged us to go out into the world with a pen a paper (not on our phones) and pay attention, recording every detail we noticed. Silly me was paying such close attention to the glass atrium above me, that I tripped over an electrical outlet on the floor. Fortunately, I have the balance of an alley cat and seven of nine lives left, so I didn’t end up on the floor. The whole scenario feels like a metaphor for my own life, so focused on whats going on above and less on what’s been keeping my foundation stable. Gotta make sure the head keeps moving in all directions 😺