Forward Prize winner Vahni Capildeo and her “Measures of Expatriation” challenge our notions of what a poetry collection is and can be.
William Wordsworth: “The Prelude” and the Poetry of Revision
Some 24 manuscripts, dated from 1798 to 1839, exist for “The Prelude, ” the autobiographical poem by William Wordsworth; they show the poetry of revision.
William Wordsworth and the Language of the Common Man
Influenced by the American and French revolutions, William Wordsworth wrote poetry that used common language and spoke to feelings and imagination.
Don Paterson: Poet of Light and Dark in Life and in Ourselves
Don Paterson is an important voice in British poetry and letters. He writes of both the light and the dark in life and in ourselves.
Poets and Poems: Frank Stanford and “The Light the Dead See”
Frank Stanford (1948-1978) embodied William Wordsworth’s “The Child is father of the Man” in both his life and his poetry.
Poets and Poems: Mohja Kahf and “Hagar Poems”
In “Hagar Poems, ” poet Mohja Kahf tells and retells the biblical story of Hagar, Abraham, and Sarah, weaving threads between ancient and contemporary times.
Chaucer and The First Great English Poem
“The Canterbury Tales” by Geoffrey Chaucer wasn’t the first poem in English, but it was the one to mark English becoming the official language of Britain.
Help Us Celebrate National Poetry Day on Oct. 6!
Tweetspeak Poetry is collaborating with Britain’s Forward Arts Foundation to help celebrate National Poetry Day UK on Oct. 6.
Poets and Poems: Leon Stokesbury and “You Are Here”
“You Are Here” by Leon Stokesbury combines new poems and previously published poems to provide insight, emotion, and even humor.
Poetic Voices: Stephanie Rogers and Katie Manning
New collections by poets Stephanie Rogers and Katie Manning are infused with a sense of loss, displacement, and a grittiness that fits their subjects.
Jen Karetnick: Pondering the Often Invisible
In two new poetry collections, poet Jen Karetnick asks us to consider the reality behind what is often invisible, be it illness or climate change.
Coney Island: Hot Dogs, Ferris Wheels – and Poetry?
Parachute Literary Arts hosts poetry festivals, libraries, and events at the iconic American amusement park, Coney Island.
More than a Broken Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen
Songwriter Leonard Cohen is also a poet, and in “Songs and Poems, ” he mixes song lyrics with poetry, suggesting there’s little difference.
A Mistake Becomes a Discovery: John Holmes
A wrong shipment by Amazon turned into a discovery of poet John Holmes (1904-1962), who wrote his own poetry and encouraged other poets.
Reading ‘Spoon River Anthology’ for the Third Time
“Spoon River Anthology” is one of the great works of American literature, and reading it a third time yields new insights.
Norman Nicholson: Poetry of Landscape and the Environment
British poet Norman Nicholson deserves to be remembered for his beautiful poems of the Cumbrian and western Lake District landscape.
Finding Edna and Winifred in the Antique Shop
For 75 cents, Glynn Young purchases a book of poems by Edna St. Vincent Millay and considers both the poet and the woman who wrote her name on the inside cover.
Poets and Poems: Tina Barry and “Mall Flower”
In “Mall Flower, ” poet and writer Tina Barry combines poetry and short fiction to tell the story of a life – childhood, youth, and adulthood.
British Poetry, British Poets, and Brexit
Can you imagine NBC or Fox holding a vote on America’s favorite poets? The British, however, take their poetry seriously and news coverage of Brexit is no exception.
Canada’s 2016 Griffin Prize: Norman Dubie and Liz Howard
Canada’s 2016 Griffin Prize was awarded to Norman Dubie for “The Quotations of Bone” and Liz Howard for “Infinite Citizen of the Shaking Tent.”