Moon City Press has unveiled the cover of My Father Paints His Dreams on My Body, the forthcoming poetry collection by Nigerian poet Ifeoluwa Ayandele, winner of the 2024 Moon City Poetry Award.
The cover shows a portrait marked with white lines across the face and body. Bright strokes of red, blue, yellow, and green cut through the grayscale image and create a striking contrast. The artwork is by Elisabeth Anderson, with design by Shen Chen Hsieh.
Moon City Press, a literary imprint housed in the English Department of Missouri State University, Springfield, published the cover alongside a short description of the book.
Named after a colorful chapter in the city’s history—when a bold new settlement was mockingly dubbed “Moon City” for its seemingly impossible ambition, the press embraced the spirit of creative risk and regional pride. Since 2014, it has honored outstanding works of poetry and fiction, publishing winners annually and showcasing bold literary voices through its flagship journal, Moon City Review.
Ifeoluwa Ayandele completed his MA in English (Literature) at the University of Lagos, Nigeria. His work has appeared, or is forthcoming, in Ilanot Review, Verse Daily, Rattle, Pidgeonholes, Glass: A Journal of Poetry, Rhythm and Bones, Kin Poetry Journal, and several other journals.
Moon City Press will release preorder information soon. The announcement suggests that the book will be a central part of their 2026 catalog.
The book is scheduled for publication on January 6, 2026.
Bakare Oluwatobiloba
I write to educate, motivate and define history with literature. Just being me!
