"The worms in Jordan Ranft's brain have something to say—matter of fact they're positively singing: over the course of 17 crackling, formally adventurous poems, Ranft's premise accumulates power, wriggling up through the dirt in his brain before reaching out in an unexpected final movement, full of muted power. "—Geoff Rickly, author of Someone Who Isn't Me and lead singer of THURSDAY"There is a river that runs through Jordan Ranft’s debut chapbook, Said the Worms, and it is hungry.

It hollows out creation myths. It mines religious artifact.

It makes a stage of parking lots and open air, in equal measure. And it carries the reader—at times along a sweeping, breathless current—tenderly.

Because this is a collection of soft parts, in the end. Like a worm, these poems do not relent despite how exposed and vulnerable they are made to be; despite how often the world may poke its uncaring finger into their sides.

These poems are a beautiful thing—despite the obvious symbolism / of a snake refusing to eat its tail, this is a collection that devours. "— Ashley Cline, author of & watch how easily the jaw sings of god (Glass Poetry Press), electric infinities (Variant Lit), and cowabungaly yours at the end of the world (Gutslut Press).