“Disinheritance” by John Sibley Williams is a beautiful, moving collection of poems dealing with grief, both real and imagined.
Poets and Poems: Matt Duggan and “Dystopia 38.10”
In “Dystopia 38.10, ” poet Matthew Duggan takes the post-apocalyptic idea of dystopia and vividly applies it to contemporary society.
Poetic Asides: Norman Nicholson and Frank Stanford
Reading poetry can lead to the discovery of other poets and their poetry, such as what happened when other poets led to Norman Nicholson and Frank Stanford.
Forward Prize for Best First Collection: “Wife” by Tiphanie Yanique
“Wife, ” winner of the Forward Prize for best first collection, challenges our notions of what marriage mean, but ends up reaffirming the idea of commitment.
Forward Prize: “Measures of Expatriation” by Vahni Capildeo
Forward Prize winner Vahni Capildeo and her “Measures of Expatriation” challenge our notions of what a poetry collection is and can be.
Don Paterson: Poet of Light and Dark in Life and in Ourselves
Don Paterson is an important voice in British poetry and letters. He writes of both the light and the dark in life and in ourselves.
Poets and Poems: Frank Stanford and “The Light the Dead See”
Frank Stanford (1948-1978) embodied William Wordsworth’s “The Child is father of the Man” in both his life and his poetry.
Poets and Poems: Mohja Kahf and “Hagar Poems”
In “Hagar Poems, ” poet Mohja Kahf tells and retells the biblical story of Hagar, Abraham, and Sarah, weaving threads between ancient and contemporary times.
Poets and Poems: Leon Stokesbury and “You Are Here”
“You Are Here” by Leon Stokesbury combines new poems and previously published poems to provide insight, emotion, and even humor.
Poetic Voices: Stephanie Rogers and Katie Manning
New collections by poets Stephanie Rogers and Katie Manning are infused with a sense of loss, displacement, and a grittiness that fits their subjects.
Jen Karetnick: Pondering the Often Invisible
In two new poetry collections, poet Jen Karetnick asks us to consider the reality behind what is often invisible, be it illness or climate change.
More than a Broken Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen
Songwriter Leonard Cohen is also a poet, and in “Songs and Poems, ” he mixes song lyrics with poetry, suggesting there’s little difference.
A Mistake Becomes a Discovery: John Holmes
A wrong shipment by Amazon turned into a discovery of poet John Holmes (1904-1962), who wrote his own poetry and encouraged other poets.
Reading ‘Spoon River Anthology’ for the Third Time
“Spoon River Anthology” is one of the great works of American literature, and reading it a third time yields new insights.
Poets and Poems: Tina Barry and “Mall Flower”
In “Mall Flower, ” poet and writer Tina Barry combines poetry and short fiction to tell the story of a life – childhood, youth, and adulthood.
Canada’s 2016 Griffin Prize: Norman Dubie and Liz Howard
Canada’s 2016 Griffin Prize was awarded to Norman Dubie for “The Quotations of Bone” and Liz Howard for “Infinite Citizen of the Shaking Tent.”
Poets and Poems: Yahia Lababidi and “Balancing Acts”
Egyptian-American poet and writer Yahia Lababidi is in love with words. That sounds like a trite thing to say – shouldn’t most poets be in love with words?
Poetic Voices: Teow Lim Goh and Marjorie Maddox
Teow Lim Goh seeks meaning in an immigration detention center, while Marjorie Maddox seeks spiritual understanding in the the study of literature.
Charles Sorley and the Poetry of World War I
Charles Sorley (1895-1915) was a poet whose “When You See Millions of the Mouthless Dead” was one of the best-known poems of World War I.
Poetic Voices: Kelly Hansen Maher and Heather Derr-Smith
Poets Kelly Hansen Maher and Heather Derr-Smith write about lives as women, one on miscarriages and the other on relationships.