Author Callie Feyen’s only advice for understanding poetry is to compare it to a middle school group chat conversation gone awry.
An Easy Way to Write Poetry—Journal!
Poetry instructor Karen Rippstein says journaling is an easy way to begin writing poetry.
Gratitude Together: So This Is Friendship
A friendship built around love of breakfast and Ted Kooser yields a surprising poem in difficult days.
Another Poetry at Work Day is in the Books
Another Poetry at Work Day is in the books. Come see how we celebrated all around the world.
Gratitude Poetry Prompt: Mystery of Marriage
Author Callie Feyen looks to explain twenty years of marriage as a mysterious – albeit lovely – poem.
Children’s Book Club: “The Upside Down Boy”
Turn over a new leaf— turn all the way upside down. Join us for a Children’s Book Club discussion of poet Juan Felipe Herrera’s picture book memoir, ‘The Upside Down Boy / El Niño de Cabeza.’
A Stanza of Poets, a Revision of Writers
In need of a little writerly procrastination? Join Sarah Elwell, along with the flock on Twitter, to name a few good writers with collective nouns.
5 Simple Tricks to Make Space for Your Writing
At every stage of the writing process, mental space is a must. Try these 5 simple tricks to create must-have space (and avoid the McDonald’s Effect). One of the tricks might especially surprise you.
On Reading, Walking, and Boundary Crossing
There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.
Reader, Come Home: December’s Pages
Come learn the secrets of being a deep reader with Megan Willome. And share your December pages for our monthy Reader, Come Home column.
Together: The Grenfell Fire, a Cookbook, and a Community
A kitchen fire in Grenfell Tower tore peoples’ lives apart. Now it’s the fire of friendships forged in a kitchen that’s bringing them back together.
The Year by Ella Wheeler Wilcox (a Happy New One to You!)
Enjoy this poem selection from Ella Wheeler Wilcox and our best wishes for happy holidays and a warm and rich New Year.
By Heart: “Let Evening Come” + New Frost “Stopping by Woods” Challenge
The nights are short and sometimes the holidays are hard. Find comfort in this month’s By Heart column, in which we wrap up our memorization of Jane Kenyon’s “Let Evening Come.”
Book Club Announcement: Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
Join us on January 16 as we begin a new book club discussion over Robin Wall Kimmerer’s tender, awakening, ‘Braiding Sweetgrass.’
Dylan Thomas, Christmas, New Orleans, and Me
Reading “A Child’s Christmas in Wales” by Dylan Thomas evokes memories of Christmases in New Orleans with family, friends, and Cherry Bounce.
Literary Friends: Charles Dickens, John Forster, Jane Carlyle, and Me
“I’d decided going to graduate school was a mistake, and began to make plans to give up,” says Callie Feyen. “Enter Charles Dickens, John Forster, and Jane Carlyle.”
Children’s Book Club: ‘The Crossover’
Tis the season for basketball! Join us for a Children’s Book Club discussion of Kwame Alexander’s novel told through poems, ‘The Crossover.’
Wait, Do I Need to Write a Query Letter?
“I will write about feeling the pressure of cabbage, as a way to discuss writer’s block. It will be poetic and meandering. I’m thinking you’ll like it.” Join us for this exploration of whether (and how) you should write an article query.
Writing Toward Joy Workshop—Starts Monday!
Writing toward Joy is like writing toward North; we’ll never reach North, nor will we ever reach Joy, but when we write ourselves in that direction, a bit of Joy happens. Join us for this inspiring workshop!
Poetry Prompt: Poetry brings light to winter gray
What poems bring light to the darkening days of winter? In this week’s poetry prompt Callie Feyen guides us down the gray highway to find beauty.