The poems of “Transplant, Trnasport, Transubstantiation” by Marjorie Maddox take us to the world of change and loss, and what sustains us.
A New Exhibition: Tolkien and the Making of Middle-earth
A new exhibition on J.R.R. Tolkien has opened at the Bodleian Library in Oxford, and the catalog book is a treasure in and of itself.
“Love Songs”: Claiming Sara Teasdale for St. Louis
Sara Teasdale lived 34 of her 48 years in St. Louis; she was born and buried there, and St. Louis can claim her as one of its own poets.
The Poets of Instagram: r.h. Sin and “I Hope This Reaches Her in Time”
The poets of Instagram are helping to revitalize the reading of poetry, and r.h. Sin is one of them. His new collection is “I Hope This Reaches Her in Time.”
What’s Your Favorite Book?
What’s your favorite book? Bethany Rohde considers our favorites, and the sometimes difficult choice for readers with no single standout.
The 2017 Walt Whitman Award: “Eye Level” by Jenny Xie
“Eye Level” by Jenny Xie, a collection of poems marked by spareness and precision, is the 2017 winner of the Walt Whitman Award.
Strange and Wonderful Worlds: How I Discovered Science Fiction
Back in the late 1970s and 1980s, I discovered a literary genre that I knew existed but generally paid little attention to: science fiction.
Alan Seeger: The American Poet in World War I
One of the most famous poems to emerge from World War I was written by an American. Alan Seeger wrote “I Have a Rendezvous with Death” shortly before he died.
Make It a Fairy Tale Summer—With The Golden Dress!
T. S. Poetry Press is delighted to announce its new picture book, The Golden Dress: A Fairy Tale. One dress, sparkly and shimmery, grants wishes for a long, long time. Then the “emerald day” comes, and everything is about to change. Will the dress survive? That’s up to one girl, who needs to open her heart and her hands.
“The Fall of Arthur” – A Fragment by J.R.R. Tolkien
The legend of King Arthur has captivated imaginations for centuries. Geoffrey of Monmouth started it, and even J.R.R. Tolkien tried his hand at it.
“The Old Curiosity Shop:” Charles Dickens and a Road Trip!
“The Old Curiosity Shop” by Charles Dickens, with some of the author’s most memorable characters, isn’t about a shop at all — it’s about a road trip.
Poets and Poems: Darren Demaree and “Two Towns Over”
The 56 poems of “Two Towns Over” by poet Darren Demaree powerfully document the devastation of the opioid addiction crisis.
Shakespeare (via Ian Doescher) Does Star Wars
Writer Ian Doescher has taken the stories of “Star Wars” and applied Shakespeare to them, as in “The Empire Striketh Back.”
Finding Jack Gilbert and “Refusing Heaven” in a Bookstore
Finding “Refusing Heaven” by Jack Gilbert in a Chicago-area bookstore leads to a consideration of what matters in these lives we live.
Francis Ledwidge: Reconsidering a War Poet
Irish poet Francis Ledwidge is not one of the better known poets of World War I, because he was an Irishman who fought for the British Army.
Fun Reading Activities: Color & Trace “The Monkeys Have Marshmallows”
Early readers Molly and Joe want to help a child learn to read. Learn fun facts about marshmallows and write a gooey limerick, along with this fun reading activity coloring page.
Novel, Poetry, Both? Max Porter and “Grief Is the Thing with Feathers”
“Grief Is the Thing with Feathers” by British author Max Porter is officially a novel, but it could also be poetry, or something else. And it’s wonderful.
Poets and Poems: Matt Duggan and “One Million Tiny Cuts”
“One Million Tiny Cuts” by poet Matt Duggan is a bold, angry collection of poems, full of vivid images and metaphors, and a kind of fist raised at society.
Reading in the Wild: January’s Pages
Come learn the secrets of being a wild reader. Or just share your January pages. Megan Willome leads the way, with her January good reads.
The T.S. Eliot Prize: “Night Sky with Exit Wounds” by Ocean Vuong
“Night Sky with Exit Wounds” by Ocean Vuong has won the 2017 T.S. Eliot Prize. It is a stunning, haunting, and disquieting collection.