Now, perhaps more than ever, it’s important to make room in our literary conversations for those poets whose voices were, or have been, or are still silenced because they dared to be our lanterns.
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A Window into Poetry and Change with Jane Hirshfield
In times of great change – political, social, economic – we turn to poetry to make sense of what seems nonsensical, to comfort, to explain, says poet Jane Hirshfield.
The Healing Power of Poetry and Art
Liberated from a concentration camp, Gerda Klein recited a line from German poet Goethe—a reminder of the healing power of poetry and art.
Memoir Notebook: A Courtyard in Queens
Dheepa Maturi reflects on her little Queens, New York, courtyard and its open-minded, open-hearted embrace, which welcomed and encircled and protected her.
Poetry Prompt: Life With Butter
Butter is one of the oldest known food sources and has been a constant symbol of life well-lived. Join us as we help ourselves to the butter and slather on an extra helping of it to our poetry.
The Alchemy of Song
Donna Falcone reflects on the ways that song has helped her find herself since childhood.
Writing with Matisse in Mind
Maureen Doallas finds that if you live with an artist like Henri Matisse long enough, he’ll work his way into your writing.
What the Book Needs: Creating The Joy of Poetry – Part 4
Megan Willome ends her 4-part series about creating The Joy of Poetry with a simple admonition for writers: be open to what your book needs.
In Search of The Best American Essays
Laura Brown goes on a tour of Pittsburgh’s independent bookstores in search of the 2016 edition of The Best American Essays.
Poets and Poems: Frank Stanford and “The Light the Dead See”
Frank Stanford (1948-1978) embodied William Wordsworth’s “The Child is father of the Man” in both his life and his poetry.
Culture and Society in The Odyssey
The culture and society that infuses Homer’s The Odyssey is similar to and different from modern Western culture and society. Here’s a clear analysis of how, with intriguing examples.
Poetry Prompt: 6 Steps to Writing the Polished Acrostic
One way to pay tribute to someone special in your life is by writing a poem with their name all over it. This week we learn six steps to writing the polished acrostic poem.
R Is for Rewriting: Creating The Joy of Poetry – Part 3
As Megan Willome approaches the task of rewriting The Joy of Poetry, she finds a different rhythm to her work.
Chaucer and The First Great English Poem
“The Canterbury Tales” by Geoffrey Chaucer wasn’t the first poem in English, but it was the one to mark English becoming the official language of Britain.
Top 10 Poems by Invitation
Have you tried our 5-day poetry prompt mini-series? We’re featuring 10 of our favorite community contributions based on prompts from How to Write a Poem.
Help Us Celebrate National Poetry Day on Oct. 6!
Tweetspeak Poetry is collaborating with Britain’s Forward Arts Foundation to help celebrate National Poetry Day UK on Oct. 6.
What to Do with the Elephants: Creating The Joy of Poetry – Part 2
In Megan Willome’s second installment about writing The Joy of Poetry, she wrestles with the problem of not one, but two elephants in the room.
The Magician’s Elephant Book Club: Magic Words
Can a simple question like “What if” be the magic words that open doors and change the world? We wrap up our book club discussion of Kate DiCamillo’s The Magician’s Elephant this week.
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.
The Magician’s Elephant Book Club: The Truth is Forever Changing
The truth is always changing, the fortuneteller says. Perhaps she’s right. Or perhaps more than one thing is true at once. Our discussion of The Magician’s Elephant continues.