In his new collection “Deaf Republic,” Ilya Kaminsky combines poetic form and thematic substance to tell a story of oppression and hope.
Poets and Poems: Harry Clifton and “Herod’s Dispensations”
In “Herod’s Dispensations,” poet Harry Clifton considers Herod and his systems of ordering, and then considers the world we know today.
Children’s Book Club: “Wangari Maathai: The Woman Who Planted Millions of Trees”
Nobel Peace Prize recipient Wangari Maathai loved people an the world by planting trees. Join author Megan Willome for a Children’s Book Club discussion.
Poets and Poems: Michael Glaser and “The Threshold of Light”
“The Threshold of Light,” a new chapbook by poet Michael Glaser, includes 21 poems filled with light as awareness, knowledge, energy, life, and grace.
Poets and Poems: Chris Dombrowski and “Ragged Anthem”
The 52 poems of “Ragged Anthem” by Chris Dombrowski describe the fragility and impermanence of life, in spite of an individual’s resilience.
Poets and Poems: Shanna Powlus Wheeler and “Evensong for Shadows”
Shanna Powlus Wheeler’s first full poetry collection, “Evensong for Shadows,” suggests the omnipresence of grief — a measure of the loss of love or happiness or relationship, and very much a part of life.
Horace Traubel and the Final Words of Walt Whitman
Thanks to Horace Traubel, we know much about Walt Whitman’s last years, Brenda WIneapple says in “Walt Whitman Speaks.”
The 2019 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry: “Be With” by Forrest Gander
“Be With” by Forrest Gander won the 2019 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry. The quietly stunning collection stimulates reflection and introspection on every page.
Children’s Book Club: “Dear Mr. Henshaw”
If Leigh Botts can become a writer, so can you. Join author Megan Willome as we read Beverly Cleary’s ‘Dear Mr. Henshaw’ for the Children’s Book Club.
Travel and Love: The Poetry of Catharine Savage Brosman
The poetry of Catharine Savage Brosman, especially in her later collections, is about travel, and the love she has for her “then and now again” husband.
Reader, Come Home: “Kristin Lavransdatter”
Come learn the secrets of being a deep reader with author Megan Willome, as she meets a 14th century Norwegian woman named Kristin. And share your April pages.
Poets and Poems: Michael Spence and “Umbilical”
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: 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.
“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.
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.
Children’s Book Club: “Mr. Bliss”
What happened when J.R.R. Tolkien got a motorcar? He ran into the three bears—Archie, Teddy, and Bruno. Join author Megan Willome for a Children’s Book Club discussion of ‘Mr. Bliss.’
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.