Poet Michael Spence published four collections during 30 years as a bus driver. His fifth, “Umbilical,” won the New Criterion Poetry Prize.
Poets and Poems: Mike Bond and “The Drum That Beats Within Us”
“The Drum That Beats Within Us” by Mike Bond is a collection by a warrior poet, a warrior prepared to fight to the death with the soul of a poet.
Poets and Poems: Nick Laird and “Feel Free”
The poems of “Feel Free,” the newest collection by Irish poet Nick Laird, explore ideas of freedom and restraints, opening up worlds of imagination.
Poets and Poems: Ailbhe Darcy and “Insistence”
In her new poetry collection, “Insistence,” Ailbhe Darcy explores the responsibility of the poet and the individual to address great issues of the day.
“The Banished Immortal: A Life of Li Bai” by Ha Jin
“The Banished Immortal” by Ha Jin tells the story of Li Bai, considered China’s greatest poet, in an account drawn largely from his poetry.
Ocean as Metaphor: “The Crossing Over” by Jen Karetnick
“The Crossing Over,” the new poetry collection by Jen Karetnick, uses the ocean as metaphor, offering its bounty but demanding its sacrifices.
Poets and Poems: Phoebe Power and “Shrines of Upper Austria”
In “Shrines of Upper Austria,” British poet Phoebe Power explores a common theme in contemporary power — identity, her own and that of her grandmother.
“Robert Graves” – A Biography of a War Poet by Jean Moorcroft Wilson
Jean Moorcroft Wilson’s new biography of war poet Robert Graves allows the reader to walk in his shoes and understand his poetry and his odd personal life.
Poets and Poems: James Matthew Wilson and “Some Permanent Things”
The poems of “Some Permanent Things” by James Matthew Wilson speak to the transient and the permanent in our history, our lives, and our future.
The T.S. Eliot Prize: “Three Poems” by Hannah Sullivan
The language of “Three Poems” by Hannah Sullivan, the 2018 T.S. Eliot Prize winner, is sharp, clear, and devoid of ambiguity. And it is indeed three poems.
Poets and Poems: Benjamin Myers and “Black Sunday”
In “Black Sunday,” Benjamin Myers uses poetry to explore and illustrate what happened to the people and the land during the Dust Bowl of the 1930s.
Poets and Poems: David Bottoms and “Otherworld, Underworld, Prayer Porch”
The poems of “Otherworld, Underworld, Prayer Porch” by David Bottoms reach back to the people and stories that shape our minds and hearts.
Tweetspeak Poetry Party, Part 2: Skywoman Braids Sweetgrass
“Braiding Sweetgrass” by Robin Wall Kimmerer provided the prompts for Tweetspeak Poetry’s recent poetry party on Twitter. These are the final five poems.
Tweetspeak Poetry Party: Skywoman Braids Sweetgrass
Tweetspeak Poetry’s recent poetry party on Twitter resulted in ten poems about Skywoman, braiding sweetgrass, trees, and a gift.
Poets and Poems: Aisha Sharif and “To Keep from Undressing”
The poems of “To Keep from Undressing” by Aisha Sharif tell the powerful story of a black woman and her Muslim faith in America.
National Book Award for Poetry: “Indecency” by Justin Phillip Reed
The poems of the 2018 National Book Award for Poetry Winner “Indecency” by Justin Phillip Reed are as haunting as the streets they come from.
It’s Poetry at Work Day — Discovering the Poetry of Gratitude
Today is 2019 Poetry at Work Day, with a tale of how a book of poetry led to one of the writer’s best work projects — and to gratitude for the work.
Dylan Thomas, Christmas, New Orleans, and Me
Reading “A Child’s Christmas in Wales” by Dylan Thomas evokes memories of Christmases in New Orleans with family, friends, and Cherry Bounce.
Literary Friends: Peter Pan Meets Sherlock Holmes
The friendship of James M. Barrie, who wrote “Peter Pan,” and Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of Sherlock Holmes, survived parody, cricket, and literary fame.
Desperation, a Speech, and a Sick Child: Dickens and “A Christmas Carol”
“A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens transformed the Victorians’ understanding and celebration of Christmas; it has also transformed our own.