In a city where visual arts often take center stage, it’s easy to overlook the literary talent shaping Midland’s cultural landscape. One hidden gem is poet, activist, podcaster, and educator,
Donny Winter. His multifaceted approach to storytelling resonates with those seeking authentic voices and perspectives among the LGBTQ+ community.
Published works
Winter’s 2020 debut collection, “Carbon Footprint”, quickly rose to the top of Amazon’s LGBTQ+ poetry list, marking the beginning of an impressive literary career. His second, “Feats of Alchemy”, received similar praise, securing top spots in both the LGBTQ+ and American poetry categories. His third collection, “Casting Seeds”, continued this success, further solidifying Winter’s place in the poetry world.
“I kind of view collections as eras,” Winter says when speaking about his published work. Each collection follows a theme that uniquely shares his experiences and invites readers on a journey of learning and introspection. With two new books on the horizon, readers can expect themes of mental health and a follow-up piece to “Feats of Alchemy.”
Not only have Winter’s collections been lauded among the literary community, but so have individual poems. “My Closet is a Reliquary,” “My Therapist is a Bumper Sticker,” and “On Being Ashamed to Cry” all received Pushcart Prize nominations. His poem “Alabaster” was nominated for the Best of the Net Award.
“I’m excited to write love poems,” Winter says when asked what he looks forward to writing the most. He explained that although it's gotten better, the media often hyper-focuses on the trauma many in the community face rather than the wholesome, subtle moments of their lives. “That’s what I want to share with the world. Some of these really enriching queer moments we don't get to talk about often.”
Merging music and verse
Earlier this year, Winter joined forces with Florida-based musician Brotherwell to create an album that fuses music and poetry. “We wanted to combine a reality where poetry and song can coexist in a very unique way,” Winter says. The result is a blend of spoken word layered over Brotherwell's rock-inspired compositions.
“It’s been such a rewarding experience,” he says. “As a poet, you don’t get many opportunities to challenge yourself outside your lane and beyond what you do regularly.”
Released this past January, the extended play album is titled “
Urgent Fire” and features four songs that explore a variety of themes, including environmental issues and a poignant tribute to the lives lost in the Club Q shooting in Colorado.
YouTube, podcasts, and Godzilla
Winter is also exploring other creative paths, including a foray into comic book writing. In late 2023 he was presented with the exciting opportunity to contribute to the “Godzilla: 70th Anniversary” comic book.
Winter created a collection of poems from the viewpoint of a character contemplating her earlier self, blending imagery and verse influenced by
Matt Frank’s artwork. This was a dream come true for him as a longtime fan and creator of the YouTube series “
Growing Up With Godzilla.”
The show explores conversations with Godzilla fans, focusing on how their favorite franchise has contributed to their personal growth over the years. Winter’s two other series focus on depression and tackle the effects of bullying. He also co-hosts the podcast "
Restitching the Tapestry" with Ari Whipple which has challenging conversations about social topics, current events, pop culture, and art.
Activism, education, and calling Midland home
Every author has a life outside of their writing and Winter is no different. Originally from West Branch, he and his fiancé, Britton moved to Midland in 2022 in order to be closer to family and friends.
“One thing I really appreciate about Midland is that it has a thriving literary and artistic scene,” he says. "The Commons downtown is my favorite thing. I love going down there, getting a drink and going to a couple shops. Listening to music if there's a band."
Winter is an Associate Professor at Delta College, where he teaches composition, technical writing, and creative writing. Alongside his personal creative endeavors, he is a passionate supporter of LGBTQ+ rights and is part of the board of directors for
PFLAG Great Lakes Bay, in addition to co-chairing
Delta's Prism Alliance.
To learn more about Donny Winter and his poetry, visit his
website or
linktree. A list of his published collections is also available on Amazon.