In “Afterland,” winner of the Walt Whitman Award, poet Mai Der Vang explores what happened to the Hmong people after the Vietnam War.
Poets and Poems: Denise Riley and “Say Something Back”
“Say Something Back” by British poet Denise Riley considers the ways we do and don’t communicate, almost a plea to listen and hear each other.
Poets and Poems: Barbara Crooker and “Les Fauves”
“Les Fauves,” the newest collection of poetry by Barbara Crooker, is inspired by the paintings of the Fauvism movement, especially those of Henri Matisse.
Poets and Poems: Dave Malone and “You Know the Ones”
Dave Malone may write about his beloved Missouri Ozarks, but the poems he writes are universal, and about family, friends, and geography.
Poets and Poems: Bernard O’Donoghue and “The Seasons of Cullen Church”
“The Seasons of Cullen Church” by Bernard O’Donoghue is moving and soul-searching, an exploration of the memories that make a life.
Poets and Poems: Kate Tempest and “Let Them Eat Chaos”
“Let Them Eat Chaos” by Kate Tempest is a long poem written to be read aloud, and it blows up the boundaries between poetry and performance.
Poets and Poems: Angela Alaimo O’Donnell and “Still Pilgrim”
“Still Pilgrim” by poet Angela Alaimo O’Donnell tells us that both the major events of our lives and the everyday are but steps in a pilgrimage.
2016 National Book Award Winner: “The Performance of Becoming Human” by Daniel Borzutzky
“The Performance of Becoming Human” by Daniel Borzutzky won the National Book Award for Poetry, and its 18 poems confront political and social issues.
Poetic Voices: Susan Lewis and Shanna Powlus Wheeler
Susan Lewis develops a theme of uncertainty in “Heisenberg’s Salon”; Shanna Powlus Wheeler interprets childhood and memory in “Lo & Behold.”
Poetic Voices: Sandee Gertz Umbach and Lori Lamothe
Collections by Sandee Gertz Umbach and Lori Lamothe demonstrate how poets shape their words and images to communicate what inspires them.
Poets and Poems: John Sibley Williams and “Disinheritance”
“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.
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.
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.
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.