In “Railsplitting,” poet Maurice Manning crawls inside the head of Abraham Lincoln, recalling and imagining his life, struggles, and legacy.
Forgotten Classics: “Shakespeare of London” by Marchette Chute
“Shakespeare of London” by Marchette Chute, long out of print, remains one of the best literary biographies of the playwright that we have.
Poets and Poems: Major Jackson and “Holding Company”
The 2010 collection “Holding Company” by Major Jackson leads the eye and mind to a different understanding and a different context.
Poetry as a Way of Ordering Experience: “The Music of Time” by John Burnside
Poetry can be a way to bring meaning and order to one’s life, writes John Burnside in “The Music of Time: Poetry in the Twentieth Century.”
Rethinking the Role of the Poet: Essays by Micah Mattix
“The Soul Is a Stranger in This World” by Micah Mattix takes a refreshing look at familiar contemporary poets—and at the role of poetry itself.
It Was a Marvelous Year: “The Making of Poetry” by Adam Nicholson
In “The Making of Poetry,” Adam Nicolson tells the story of William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge in 1797-98, when they created some of the greatest poetry written in the English language.
Poets and Poems: S.R. Jakobi and “Antiques & Curios”
The 96 poems of “Antiques & Curios” by S.R. Jakobi tell the story of a love affair between an older man and younger woman, one that continues in memory.
Packing Urgency and Story into 10-Minute Plays: “Winter Stars” by Sonia Barkat
In “Winter Stars,” a trio of 10-minute plays, Sonia Barkat uses a few characters and simple narratives to tell powerful stories.
Poets and Poems: Sarah Thomson and “Before It’s Too Late”
“Before It’s Too Late,” the new chapbook by U.K. poet Sarah Thomson, explores the ideas of impermanence and fragility in relationships, locations, and life.
Children’s Book Club: ‘The Poet X’ by Elizabeth Acevedo
For this month’s Children’s Book Club, author Megan Willome discusses the power of spoken word poetry to tell a story in a YA novel by Elizabeth Acevedo.
Poets and Poems: River Dixon and “Left Waiting”
In “Left Waiting: And Other Poems,” River Dixon reaches for words to make sense of what happens in life, to take stock and ask why.
‘The Yellow Wall-Paper’ Book Club: Divinest Sense
Join author Megan Willome as we read a graphic novel of ‘The Yellow Wall-Paper’ using Emily Dickinson’s poem ‘Much Madness is divinest Sense–’ as our guide.
Poets and Poems: Matt Duggan and “The Kingdom”
“The Kingdom,” the new chapbook by poet Matt Duggan, returns to what’s past, leaving you wondering if the past never really was.
Poets and Poems: Nigel Kent and “Saudade”
The poems of “Saudade” by U.K. poet Nigel Kent remind us that, even in the deepest regret, one can find a melancholy pleasure.
‘The Yellow Wall-Paper’ Book Club: The Thing With Feathers
Join author Megan Willome as we read a graphic novel of “The Yellow Wall-Paper” using Emily Dickinson’s poem “‘Hope’ is the thing with feathers–” as our guide.
Marjorie Maddox Writes Poems about Reading and Writing Poems
In “Inside Out,” Marjorie Maddox has assembled a series of poems about reading and writing poems. The poems show rather than tell, and it’s great fun.
A Ritual to Read to Each Other: Reading for Earth’s Sake
Join author Megan Willome as she plunges into Ted Chiang’s ‘The Great Silence,’ with a parrot as a guide, just in time for Poetic Earth Month.
Great Poetry as Seen by Comic Artist Julian Peters
In “Poems to See By,” comic artist Julian Peters illustrates 24 well-known poems, and in the process interprets meaning and adds understanding.
Poets and Poems: Mischa Willett and “The Elegy Beta”
“The Elegy Beta: Poems” by Mischa Willett utilize the idea of the elegy, reflecting seriously and somberly on life, faith, suffering, and beauty.
Poets and Poems: Angela Alaimo O’Donnell and “Andalusian Hours”
In “Andalusian Hours,” poet and writer Angela Alaimo O’Donnell has created a tribute to Flannery O’Connor, one of the 20th century’s most original writers.