In the chapbook “My Wild Yard,” poet Sally Nacker writes simply and directly about the nature she finds right outside her home.
Poets and Poems: Tamara Madison and “Morpheus Dips His Oar”
The poems of “Morpheus Dips His Oar” by Tamara Madison select a precise, raw assessment of what has shaped the poet’s life.
Poets and Poems: Trish Hopkinson and “A Godless Ascends”
Trish Hopkinson explains the origin of her poetry. Poets, and writers in general, write from their own lives, their own experiences. How we are shaped as individuals is reflected, consciously or unconsciously, in what we write. A Godless Ascends, the 2024 collection by Trish Hopkinson, kept punching that home in my head as I read. […]
Poets and Poems: Sarah Dickinson Snyder and “To Eve”
In “To Eve: A Book-Length Poem,” Sarah Dickinson Snyder imagines the mind and emotions of Eve, using her as a lens for her own life.
Poets and Poems: Tina Kelley and “Field Guide to North American Words”
In “Field Guide to North American Words,” poet Tina Kelley uses unusual and obscure words to report on life, meaning, and understanding.
Poets and Poems: Arlene Demaris and “Instructions for Use”
“Instructions for Use” by Arlene Demaris includes poems expressing both tenderness and an edge, something very human and very real.
Poets and Poems: Christy Lee Barnes and “Commodore Rookery”
In her new chapbook, “Commodore Rookery,” Christy Lee Barnes uses poetry to navigate motherhood in unexpected ways.
Philip Freneau: Poet of the American Revolution
Philip Freneau, friend of James Madison and Thomas Jefferson, is known as the poet of the American Revolution.
Poets and Poems: Bradford Skow and “American Independence in Verse”
In “American Independence in Verse,” Bradford Skow draws upon historical documents for poems that illustrate the run-up to revolution.
Poets and Poems: David Livewell and “Pass and Stow”
In “Pass and Stow,” poet David Livewell describes the layers of people and events that together compose a life.
“The Boundless Deep”: Richard Holmes on the Young Tennyson
In “The Boundless Deep,” Richard Holmes shows how science influenced the early poems of Alfred, Lord Tennyson.
Poets and Poems: Fanny Howe and “This Poor Book”
In her final poetry work, Fanny Howe accounted for her life by using her poetry collections as a biography and memoir.
Poets and Poems: Erin Murphy and “Swoon”
In “Swoon: New & Selected Poems,” Erin Murphy combines stories about a life with poems about poetry, showing life is poetry.
Poets and Poems: Diane Lockward and “The Color Wheel”
“The Color Wheel,” edited by Diane Lockward, shows how the use of color can amplify a poem and even exist as a poem.
Poets and Poems: Joanne Esser and “Nothing Is Stationary”
In “Nothing Is Stationary: Poems,” Joanne Esser reflects carefully and succinctly on the impermanence of life.
Writing Poetry: “The Art of the Almost Said” by Robert Hudson
In “The Art of the Almost Said,” Robert Hudson presents a resource- and idea-rich guide for writing poetry.
Poets and Poems: Angela Alaimo O’Donnell and “The View from Childhood”
In “The View from Childhood,” poet Angela Alaimo O’Donnell looks back candidly and lovingly at her childhood and family.
Poets and Poems: Ayala Zarfijian and “A Corner in the World”
In “A Corner of the World: Poems for My Father,” Ayala Zarfjian memorializes those lost in the Holocaust with both grief and hope.
Poets and Poems: Julia Alvarez and “Visitations”
In “Visitations: Poems,” Julia Alvarez looks back on her life in the Dominican Republic and New York with candor and a clear eye.
Poets and Poems: Fred Chappell and “Ever After”
“Ever After,” Fred Chappell’s last poetry collection, is consistent with his other poetry and fiction, focusing on family and meaning.