“The Last Visit,” the debut collection by poet Chad Abushanab, explores the pain and brokenness of growing up in the family of an alcoholic.
Poets and Poems: Rachael Allen and “Kingdomland”
The poems of “Kingdomland” by Rachael Allen depict a strange landscape, one that is both unfamiliar and oddly recognizable.
Poets and Poems: Incognito and “Paradox”
“Paradox” by the poet Incognito forces the reader to focus on the poems themselves by stripping away the identity of the poet.
Poets and Poems: Ilya Kaminsky and “Deaf Republic”
In his new collection “Deaf Republic,” Ilya Kaminsky combines poetic form and thematic substance to tell a story of oppression and hope.
Poets and Poems: Harry Clifton and “Herod’s Dispensations”
In “Herod’s Dispensations,” poet Harry Clifton considers Herod and his systems of ordering, and then considers the world we know today.
Poets and Poems: Michael Glaser and “The Threshold of Light”
“The Threshold of Light,” a new chapbook by poet Michael Glaser, includes 21 poems filled with light as awareness, knowledge, energy, life, and grace.
Poets and Poems: Chris Dombrowski and “Ragged Anthem”
The 52 poems of “Ragged Anthem” by Chris Dombrowski describe the fragility and impermanence of life, in spite of an individual’s resilience.
Poets and Poems: Shanna Powlus Wheeler and “Evensong for Shadows”
Shanna Powlus Wheeler’s first full poetry collection, “Evensong for Shadows,” suggests the omnipresence of grief — a measure of the loss of love or happiness or relationship, and very much a part of life.
Horace Traubel and the Final Words of Walt Whitman
Thanks to Horace Traubel, we know much about Walt Whitman’s last years, Brenda WIneapple says in “Walt Whitman Speaks.”
The 2019 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry: “Be With” by Forrest Gander
“Be With” by Forrest Gander won the 2019 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry. The quietly stunning collection stimulates reflection and introspection on every page.
Travel and Love: The Poetry of Catharine Savage Brosman
The poetry of Catharine Savage Brosman, especially in her later collections, is about travel, and the love she has for her “then and now again” husband.
Poets and Poems: Michael Spence and “Umbilical”
Poet Michael Spence published four collections during 30 years as a bus driver. His fifth, “Umbilical,” won the New Criterion Poetry Prize.
Poets and Poems: Mike Bond and “The Drum That Beats Within Us”
“The Drum That Beats Within Us” by Mike Bond is a collection by a warrior poet, a warrior prepared to fight to the death with the soul of a poet.
Poets and Poems: Nick Laird and “Feel Free”
The poems of “Feel Free,” the newest collection by Irish poet Nick Laird, explore ideas of freedom and restraints, opening up worlds of imagination.
Poets and Poems: Ailbhe Darcy and “Insistence”
In her new poetry collection, “Insistence,” Ailbhe Darcy explores the responsibility of the poet and the individual to address great issues of the day.
“The Banished Immortal: A Life of Li Bai” by Ha Jin
“The Banished Immortal” by Ha Jin tells the story of Li Bai, considered China’s greatest poet, in an account drawn largely from his poetry.
Ocean as Metaphor: “The Crossing Over” by Jen Karetnick
“The Crossing Over,” the new poetry collection by Jen Karetnick, uses the ocean as metaphor, offering its bounty but demanding its sacrifices.
Poets and Poems: Phoebe Power and “Shrines of Upper Austria”
In “Shrines of Upper Austria,” British poet Phoebe Power explores a common theme in contemporary power — identity, her own and that of her grandmother.
“Robert Graves” – A Biography of a War Poet by Jean Moorcroft Wilson
Jean Moorcroft Wilson’s new biography of war poet Robert Graves allows the reader to walk in his shoes and understand his poetry and his odd personal life.
Poets and Poems: James Matthew Wilson and “Some Permanent Things”
The poems of “Some Permanent Things” by James Matthew Wilson speak to the transient and the permanent in our history, our lives, and our future.