Being a grandfather is the best job in the world, and here are the top 10 reasons why. It’s also possibly the easiest, because your grandchildren teach you.
Poets and Poems: Aaron Brown and “Acacia Road”
The 47 poems of “Acacia Road” by Aaron Brown are set in Chad and describe a place that is beautiful, tragic, and beloved.
Buried in the Basement: “Tolkien’s Lost Chaucer” by John Bowers
A significant work by J.R.R. Tolkien on Chaucer sat unnoticed in a library basement for 60 years. “Tolkien’s Lost Chaucer” tells the story.
Poets and Poems: Daniel Leach and “Voices on the Wind”
“Voices on the Wind” by poet Daniel Leach is a collection of classical poetry centered in a rich tradition bubbling below the surface of modern poetry.
Editor of the Legendarium: Christopher Tolkien (1924-2020)
We owe a great debt to Christopher Tolkien, who as literary executor of his father’s estate unlocked the legendarium of Middle-earth.
Looking for Workplace Wisdom: It’s Poetry at Work Day 2020
It’s Poetry at Work Day 2020, and went looking for books and writing about wisdom in the workplace. We found some surprises. Celebrate with us!
Wisdom Literature: The Aphorisms of Yahia Lababidi
“Signposts to Elsewhere,” a collection of aphorisms by poet Yahia Lababidi, is a beautifully rendered work, full of poetry and wisdom.
Poets and Poems: Juliette van der Molen and “Anatomy of a Dress”
“Anatomy of a Dress” by poet Juliette Van Dermolen is a short collection of poems that are strong enough not to need the author’s explanation.
Listening to Poets in the Sounds of Silence
The Shaw Nature Reserve southwest of St. Louis is a place where silence reigns, and good conversations can be had with poets.
“Chaucer: A European Life” by Marion Turner
“Chaucer: A European Life” by Marion Turner is a significant work of scholarship on the context of the life of Geoffrey Chaucer.
Poets and Poems: Edward Holmes and “Bravery & Brevity”
“Bravery & Brevity,” the new poetry collection by Edward Holmes, is written from a place of transformation, moving from pain to hope.
W.H. Auden’s “September 1, 1939″ – The Biography of a Poem by Ian Sansom
“September 1, 1939” is one of Auden’s most famous poems. But British writer Ian Sansom sees the flaws. His biography of the poem and the poet is marvelous.
Songwriting and Writing: “Adorning the Dark” by Andrew Peterson
“Adorning the Dark” by writer and songwriter Andrew Peterson speaks to the mystery at the center of writing, creativity, and inspiration.
Poets and Poems: David Russell and “An Ever River”
The poems of “An Ever River” by British poet David Russell remind us that we are part of a larger whole that continues, even when damaged and mended.
A Poetic Novel to Turn You Upside Down: “Lanny” by Max Porter
In “Lanny,” British author Max Porter bends literary and artistic genres, creating a work that’s about art and its wonderful and fearsome effects.
Simon Armitage, the New British Poet Laureate
Simon Armitage is the new British poet laureate, and his most recent collection, “The Unaccompanied,” shows a poet at the top of his art.
Nature and “Dream Work”: We Had Mary Oliver for a Time
Poet Mary Oliver showed us how to employ nature to come to terms with where we come from, and to point to where we might be going.
Poets and Poems: Aaron Belz and “Soft Launch”
“Soft Launch,” the new poetry collection by Aaron Belz, reminds to us to stop and take a deep breath, even in the face of the daily apocalypse.
Poets and Poems: Rhina Espaillat and “And After All”
“And After All” by Rhina Espaillat is about all of our relationships, all of our interiors, the things that make our lives meaningful and important.
Poets and Poems: John Dorsey and “Your Daughter’s Country”
“Your Daughter’s Country” by poet John Dorsey takes readers back to their childhoods, and to the relatives and other people who were considered “characters.”