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.”
Understanding the Life and Art of William Blake
Two books on William Blake, “Eternity’s Sunrise” by Leo Damrosch and “Blake: A Biography” by Peter Ackroyd, provide an in-depth look at the artist and poet.
In Search of William Blake
A close look at the poet and artist William Blake provides some surprising facts about a man largely unknown in his own lifetime.
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.
Poetic Voices: Elizabeth Onusko and Athena Kildegaard
Poetry collections by Elizabeth Onusko and Athena Kildegaard show how poetry can diagnose society’s illnesses and problems.
British Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy
British Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy, the first woman to hold the post, writes powerful and beautiful poetry.
Poetic Voices: Lucia Cherciu and Sarah Nichols
Recent poetry collections by Lucia Cherciu and Sarah Nichols reflect the poetry of exile, but in very different ways – exile from one’s country and voluntary exile and isolation.
Walt Whitman in Brooklyn: Newspapers and “Leaves of Grass”
Walt Whitman lived for 22 years in Brooklyn, and the city exerted a powerful influence on his poetry, especially “Leaves of Grass.”
Lexicographer Samuel Johnson: Bookended by Poetry
Poetry formed the bookends of the professional life of Samuel Johnson, the great lexicographer.
Poetic Voices: Relationships – Dinah Dietrich and Diane Lockward
Poetry is often used to describe relationships, as recent collections by Dinah Dietrich and Diane Lockward show.
Poets and Poems: Clive James and “Sentenced to Life”
“Sentenced to Life” by Clive James is not about dealing with death; instead, it is the story of a poet discovering life.
Poets and Poems: Laurie Klein and “Where the Sky Opens”
“Where the Sky Opens” by Laurie Klein shows how poems can help us navigate major life changes.
Poets and Poems: Sarah Howe and “Loop of Jade”
Young poet Sarah Howe has won the prestigious T.S. Eliot Prize for her collection “Loop of Jade.” And a beautiful collection it is.
Poets and Poems: Danniel Schoonebeek and “American Barricade”
Danniel Schoonebeek’s “American Barricade” is an important collection blending the personal with the social and stressing the importance of language.
Using T.S. Eliot to Explain PTSD
In fictional and almost poetic form, Andy Owen describes what has gone by such names as shell shock and battle fatigue but we know as PTSD.
Poetic Voices: Jen Karetnick and E. Kristin Anderson
Both Jen Karetnick and E. Kristin Anderson use subjects in popular culture to inspire their poetry: Karetnick writes about food; Anderson, about the pop star Prince.
Poets and Poems: Donald Hall and “Selected Poems”
Donald Hall says he can’t write poetry any more. His new “Selected Poems” demonstrates the sufficiency of what he’s written.