The 1888 popular poem “Casey at the Bat” has much to teach us about the over-confidence and pride that leads to failure at work.
Poet in New York: Federico García Lorca
A new edition of Federico García Lorca’s “Poet in New York” adds depth and understanding to what we know about the poet.
Now Look Who’s Writing Poetry: Cats
Cats write poems about family, work, play, and existence in I Could Pee on This by Francesco Marciuliano.
Poetry at Work: The Work of a Poet Laureate
Ava Leavell Haymon was recently named Louisiana’s poet laureate. Walter Bargen, a former poet laureate for Missouri, has some insights into what that means.
Poetry Review: Mark Jarman’s “Bone Fires”
A review of “Bone Fires: News and Selected Poems, ” by Mark Jarman, notes his development of the themes of family, faith, and doubt.
Poet Focus: Marianne Moore
For all of her modernist associations, Marianne Moore’s poetry didn’t exactly fit the category. There’s a richness, almost a lushness, in many of her poems that’s absent from the moderns. She ranged over history and literature — Rome and Greece, Britain and Ireland, and America — as well as music and the natural world.
Poetry at Work: The Poetry of Electronic Work
Like all work, the work of electronic communications contains an inherent poetry, perhaps several inherent “poetries.”
Poetry Review: A Clown at Midnight
A review of the recently published collection “A Clown at Midnight: Poems, ” by Andrew Hudgins.
Poetry at Work: The Poetry of the Interview
I was part of an interview team, talking individually with four candidates for a communication research job. Human Resources had provided us with a set of “behavioral interview” questions, which meant we would be asking things like “What’s the biggest failure you’ve ever experienced?” and “Where do you see yourself in 10 years?” We followed […]
Poetry Review: The Submerged Depths of Lapse Americana
A review of Lapse Americana: Poems by Benjamin Myers, a poetry volume focused on memory, childhood and understanding.
Twitter Poetry: Spinning for Tickets for a Prayer Wheel 2
The next six poems edited from the recent Tweetspeak Twitter Poetry jam, with the prompts from Annie Dillard’s “Tickets for a Prayer Wheel.”
Poetry at Work: The Airport Security Check-In
A random selection of people in an airport security line becomes the occasion for two strangers to create a poem of chance, understanding, and meaning.
Poetry at Work: The Poetry of the Commute
A daily commute to work is filled with the poetry of Dickinson, Eliot, Homer, the Romantics, and the 18th century Age of Reason, in one short six-mile ride.
Poetry at Work: The Poetry of the Organization Chart
I’m likely to date myself here, but when I first worked for a large organization, one of the most important documents one could be given was the organization chart. The chart made sense of the organization, in this case a large corporation. It demonstrated order, logic, rationality, and control. It provided a compass or map, […]
Poetry at Work: The Poetry of Crisis
Poetry at work? Yes, look for it especially in a crisis. Finding the poetry will suggest the path forward.
Poetry at Work: A Poet Jump Starts a Company
A poet was asked to create a celebration for a company that was to be spun off as a separate organization.
Poetry at Work: Workplace Creativity
Poetry can be used for creativity at work in three ways: to restore, to clarify, to organize.
Poetry at Work: Television Becomes Poetry Becomes Speech
A curious combination of television and poetry helped change an industry. I was having trouble finishing a speech. And it wasn’t just any speech but a rather significant departure for the company. It would have one of two outcomes. Either the company executive giving it would “elect to pursue career opportunities elsewhere” (companies rarely “fire” […]
Poetry at Work: How to Recognize a Poet at Work
A secretary at work once stopped me outside my office. “People are worried about you, ” she said. “Me?” I asked. “Why?” “You’re walking the hallways, mumbling to yourself. People are noticing.” I stared for a moment, and then I understood. “I’m writing a speech, ” I said. “It’s a restless activity for me. I […]
Poetry at Work: Beauty in the Workplace
Few associate our work with beauty. It’s one of the reasons, perhaps the primary reason, we fail to see poetry at work. No beauty, no poetry.