Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem “Paul Revere’s Ride” was written at a perilous time in American history, when Civil War threatened.
Poets and Poems: Katie Kalisz and “Flu Season”
In “Flu Season,” poet Katis Kalisz writes what is collectively a love sonnet to her husband, family, home, and life.
Robert Waldron Imagines the Creation of “The Hound of Heaven”
In “The Hounds of Heaven at My Heels,” Robert Waldron imagines the creation of the great late 19th century poem by Francis Thompson.
Poets and Poems: Luci Shaw and “An Incremental Life”
In “An Incremental Life,” poet Luci Shaw takes stock of the personal, the poetic, and the sacred with the sense of experience lived.
Ben Palpant Talks with 17 Poets About, Well, Poetry
In “An Axe for the Frozen Sea,” poet and writer Ben Palpant interviews 17 poets about poetry and why and how they write.
Poets and Poems: Forrest Gander and “Mojave Ghost”
“Mojave Ghost,” a novel poem by Forrest Gander, combines the physical landscape of the desert with the interior landscape of the mind.
Poets and Poems: Siân Killingsworth and “Hiraeth”
In “Hiraeth: Poems,” Siân Killingsworth looks at how we remember people and events and how we never can go home again.
Poets and Poems: Emily Patterson and “So Much Tending Remains”
In “So Much Tending Remains,” poet Emily Patterson watches her child grow from birth to toddlerhood, reflecting what parenthood means.
A Biography of Dante’s Divine Comedy
“Dante’s Divine Comedy: A Biography” by Joseph Luzzi considers how the great poem has been received over the centuries.
Religion and Poetry Do Mix – and Mix Well
Understanding the strong connection between religion and poetry can be both insightful and richly rewarding.
Poets and Poems: Jessica Cohn and “Gratitude Diary”
In “Gratitude Journal: Poems,” Jessica Cohn expresses gratitude for the unusual and unexpected, but always with something larger in mind.
Poetry as Autobiography: Hannah Sullivan and Richard Eyre
Hannah Sullivan”s “Three Poems” and Richard Eyre’s “Place to Place” deftly and often movingly utilize poetry for autobiographies.
Donald Hall and Andrew Motion Write Poetic Memoirs
I’m not sure why I first started reading memoirs by major poetic figures, but I recently read two that struck me as particularly significant in the development and history of what we consider contemporary poetry.
Essays: Benjamin Myers Takes on Ambiguity and Belonging
In “Ambiguity & Belonging,” poet Benjamin Myers has assembled a collection of essays about place, education, and poetry.
Poets and Poems: Louis MacNeice and “Autumn Journal”
Published in the spring of 1939, “Autumn Journal” by poet Louis MacNeice captured the spirit of the era – and the change coming.
What Remains: The Collected Poems of Hannah Arendt
“What Remains: The Collected Poems of Hannah Arendt” gathers the 70 often moving poems philosopher Arendt wrote from 1923 to 1962.
The Collected Poems of J.R.R. Tolkien
“The Collected Poems of J.R.R. Tolkien,’ edited by by Christina Scull and Wayne Hammond, are a serious work of Tolkien scholarship.
Poets and Poems: Luke Harvey and “Let’s Call It Home”
In “Let’s Call It Home,” poet Luke Harvey explores and demonstrates the tenderness of a father towards his young children.
Epigrams and Epitaphs: Martin Armstrong and “Fifty-Four Conceits”
“Fifty-Four Conceits,” published by Martin Armstrong in 1933, is a collection of epitaphs and epigrams that still have meaning.
Poets and Poems: Paul Brookes and “As FolkTaleTeller”
“As FolkTaleTeller,” the new poetry chapbook by Paul Brookes, includes 33 poems that tell the stories of English folk tales.