Kent Neal
gay poetry books
BIO
About Kent Neal
Kent Neal writes gay poetry books in both French and English. Poem themes include romantic relationships, identity, fighting against homophobia, and immigrant experiences.
He was born and raised in Oregon on the west coast of the United States. He holds a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degree in creative writing from Lesley University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. Since 2003, he has been living in Lyon, France.
Kent’s poems have appeared in the following literary journals Foglifter, Hole In The Head Review, 34th Parallel Magazine, Painted Bride Quarterly, Bicoastal Review, Sandy River Review, Broadkill Review, and elsewhere.
The poem “16th Street Flight” won 6th place for non-rhyming poetry in the 94th Writer’s Digest Annual Writing Competition in 2025.
The poem “My Electoral Fantasy” won runner-up in the Puerto del Sol Poetry Contest in 2024 and was published in the spring of 2025.
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Writings
Books
Kent Neal has published three collections of poetry: The Compass, The Labyrinth, and the Hour Glass; Where Saltwater Mixes With Freshwater; and A Ray of Light in the Lion’s Eye.
Haiku
A Ray of Light in the Lion's Eye
A collection of haiku about Lyon, France, the city of lions, with original illustrations by isabel Asúnsolo.
Haiku
Where Saltwater Mixes With Freshwater
A bilingual collection of haikus in French and English inspired by memories of growing up on the Oregon coast.
ONLINE DATING
The Compass, the Labyrinth, and the Hour Glass
A collection of poems about online dating between gay men, Kent Neal’s first book.