Poet and Professor
“I am done telling the kinder story. I am a myth of my own making.”
From “Woman Swallowed by Python in Her Cornfield”
Glitter Road:
A Poet’s Journey
“Glitter Road: A Poet’s Journey" is a short-form documentary that delves into the life and work of acclaimed poet January O’Neil. As an associate professor, mother, and author, January’s journey is one of transformation, resilience, and the power of community. Through personal reflections and vivid storytelling, January shares her experiences navigating the complexities of life as a Black woman and artist. Watch the full version here.
Set against the backdrop of the North Shore and Mississippi, January explores the deep connections between her poetry, her family, and the communities she serves. The film captures her poignant reflections on historical legacy, especially the impact of Emmett Till’s story, and how it continues to resonate in her work. It also highlights her involvement with local poets and the significance of building spaces for shared creativity.
Special thanks to Peabody TV and Creative Collective.
Early Praise for Glitter Road
The alluring poems in Glitter Road delve into past heartbreaks and the exquisite joy of family and newfound love in a constantly changing world. In sure and talented hands like O’Neil’s, vibrant landscapes whirl, take root, and break bread with ghosts. It's clear these heart-filled poems will have a full and magnificent life of their own.
—Aimee Nezhukumatathil, author of World of Wonders
In Glitter Road, the brilliant and beautiful collection of poems by January Gill O’Neil, we are taken from truth to tenderness, old love to new love, the Northeast to the deep South, and everywhere in between. The engaging lyric forms move seamlessly from Tina Turner to the legacy of Emmett Till to cartwheels, to a Hallmark card that hasn’t been invented yet, and into John Grisham’s bed. O’Neil writes, “I’ll take my miracles however they appear / these days”—and how can we not praise the wounded world with her? Whether writing about Blackness, body, family, nature or nurture, love or loss, these poems always keep a sense of hope and humor. Glitter Road sparkles and dazzles me, then wrings out my heart in the very best way. And as O’Neil writes, “If at 4 a.m. you find yourself awake and alone, / curled up in your half-empty bed under a flashlight’s white light reading a poem…regret nothing.” I will tell you: you won’t. These are the poems you need on your nightstand because this is the book you won’t be able to put down. Rich with history and herstory, these stunning and striking poems are intimate, honest, and always engaging. I cannot recommend this collection enough; Glitter Road is O’Neil’s most powerful book yet.
—Kelli Russell Agodon, author of Dialogues with Rising Tides
