Bre West is a poet, writer and photographer whose work lives at the intersection of philosophy and the quiet transformations of everyday life.

Through confessional poetry, intimate photo series, and contemplative close reading practice, I explore belonging, perception, and what it means to live with intention.

I’m the creator of Dog-Eared Margins on Substack, a newsletter on reading the classics slowly and living carefully. My background in cognitive science and marketing keeps me perpetually curious about why people feel, connect, and change the way they do.

Philadelphia, Chicago, Athens, Atlanta, Miami…to be continued.

Walden by Henry David Thoreau. It’s one I revisit often, and has plenty of profound guiding principles for all.

If you need to be reminded of life’s simplicity, and the endless beauty contained therein, this is a book that can ground you firmly, and re-ignite your passion for your latent purpose in the same breath. Philosophy meets practicality.

Honorable Mention: Crime & Punishment, Fydor Dostoevsky. This book has a certain rawness about agency in life and meeting the consequences of reality that I haven’t yet found in others. It ended beautifully to me. And it’s Sonya’s love story.

I graduated from the University of Georgia, Terry College of Business with a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, and a minor in Cognitive Science (philosophy and psychology concentrations).

The lived experience of the mundane, the intersections between inner identity, external connection and change over time, existentialism. The aim to capture the moment and its meaning, for preservation and for evidence is at the heart of my writing. It spans a few genres, flavors, and moods and still develops as I age.

I hope to reach readers and viewers navigating life’s questions and looking for a sympathetic shoulder, a mirror or simply, a moment of pause.