We're Dancing like Planets Now

M. Tyler Esplin's (1991-2018) work epitomizes the poetry and aesthetic of America's Mountain West counterculture in the early 21st century. From drug use to friendship and tender romance, from nihilistic depression to numbing stints in jail, Esplin's genius gives voice to an overlooked and underappreciated subculture of rebellion, recklessness, and obscurity. Esplin was an integral part of the unlikely Logan, Utah, poetry scene. He committed suicide in November 2018.