“Rue Obscure” by poet Betsy Mars navigates the pain and reality of life, showing that we can still be left standing.
Poets and Poems: Kortney Garrison and “The Fixed Hours”
In “The Fixed Hours,” poet Kortney Garrison uses nature as a metaphor for family, children, relationships, and life.
Matthew Zapruder and “The Story of a Poem”
In “The Story of a Poem,” poet, editor, and professor Matthew Zapruder describes and explains his life of poetry.
Poets and Poems: Mischa Willett and “The Gift Card Has Already Been Redeemed”
Mischa Willett finds grace, purpose, and meaning in poetry. Catch a look at his exploration of the art of Anselm Kiefer.
When a Poem Completely Eludes You
I looked forward to reading “The Song of Roland,” but then became lost in the maze of dozens of names and some 25 main characters.
“Paul Celan: A Life” by Anna Arno
Anna Arno has written a thoughtful, often somber biography of the poet Paul Celan, showing how tragedy underscored his poetry.
Reading Paul Celan for the First Time
The poetry of Paul Celan reflects the tragedies of his life, which included persecution, occupation, forced labor, and his murdered family.
Poets and Poems: Christian Wiman and “The Dance”
Poet Christian Wiman, in his new collection “The Dance,” writes poetry experiential and participative; you wade in and follow the current.
Poets and Poems: James Tweedie and “Love Found, Yearned For, and Lost”
Love is a big topic, not only covering a range of conditions and realities but also poetic forms. Tweedie writes love and passion in his new collection.
Poets and Poems: Jessica Covil-Manset and “To Sing You, and to Shout”
“To Sing You, and to Shout,” the debut poetry collection by Jessica Covil-Manset, reflects on coming to terms with family relationships.
A Facebook Memory and the Origin of Tweetspeak Poetry
A Facebook memory provides a reminder of a September night in 2009, when a poetry jam on Twitter gave birth to Tweetspeak Poetry.
Poets and Poems: J.I. Kleinberg and “All of We”
In “All of We,” poet J.I. Kleinberg visualizes ideas and themes in 56 found poems associating words that define the concept of “we.”
Poets and Poems: Robert McDowell and “The Excellent Assembly”
“The Excellent Assembly” by Robert McDowell is a collection of 52 poems to remember the people who died in 9/11.
Poets and Poems: Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer and “The Wonderment”
In “The Wonderment: Poems,” Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer writes of the familiar and commonplace things that contain a sense of wonder.
A Non-Personal Memory of Wendell Berry
I was the only one in the room who knew who he was.
Poets and Poems: Jen Karetnick and “Organ Language”
In “Organ Language: Poems,” Jen Karetnick looks at the familiar and the everyday, probing beyond the obvious to find meaning.
How the Norton’s Anthology Shaped My Understanding of Poetry
“The Norton Anthology of English Literature” — all 4,000 pages of it — shaped my understanding of poetry.
Poets and Poems: Peter Murphy and “You, Too, Were Once on Fire”
In “You, Too, Were Once on Fire,” poet Peter Murphy writes poems that say exactly what he means, poems that are candid, raw, and powerful.
Poets and Poems: Gabrielle Myers and “Go Forth: Lose Yourself into Life”
In “Go Forth: Lose Yourself into Life,” poet Gabrielle Myers used the poetry of the natural landscape to understand relationship loss.
Jon Nappa Imagines the Life of Longfellow
In the novel “What Longfellow Heard,” Jon Nappa brings the poet to life, showing a man driven by ambition and dogged by personal tragedy.