In this review of George Abraham’s poetry collection, Birthright, guest author Ali Nuri explores the powerful implications of colonization, oppression and erasure.
Wisdom Literature: “Desert Tracings” – Six Arabian Odes
In “Desert Tracings,” Michael Sells translates six pre-Islamic Arabian odes created in the oral tradition of Bedouin tribes before the rise of Islam.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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: 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.”
Poets and Poems: Justin Hamm and “The Inheritance”
The poems and photographs of “The Inheritance” are about the people, places, and things that shape us. They may be ghosts, but they’re powerful ghosts.
Poets and Poems: Ali Nuri and “Rain and Embers”
“Rain and Embers” by Ali Nuri is a poetry collection telling a story of flight, a refugee camp, and new existence where past and present are never separate.
Poets and Poems: Ollie Bowen and “On the Occasion of a Wedding”
“On the Occasion of a Wedding,” the debut collection by poet Ollie Bowen, celebrates various kinds of love shared by two people.
Poets and Poems: Matt Duggan and “Woodworm”
The 60 poems of “Woodworm” by Matt Duggan are speaking to us to be more aware of the havoc being wreaked by the worms of our society.
Poets and Poems: Chad Abushanab and “The Last Visit”
“The Last Visit,” the debut collection by poet Chad Abushanab, explores the pain and brokenness of growing up in the family of an alcoholic.
Poets and Poems: Rachael Allen and “Kingdomland”
The poems of “Kingdomland” by Rachael Allen depict a strange landscape, one that is both unfamiliar and oddly recognizable.
Poets and Poems: Incognito and “Paradox”
“Paradox” by the poet Incognito forces the reader to focus on the poems themselves by stripping away the identity of the poet.
Poets and Poems: Ilya Kaminsky and “Deaf Republic”
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.