Poems make wonderful mirrors, excellent tools for self-reflection. We’ve gathered up a collection of 10 great mirror poems.
Top Ten Summer Poems
To help you stretch out these summer days as long as possible, we’ve gathered up a great collection of summer poems, from dandelions to love on the beach to patio umbrellas and everything in between (including the mosquitoes).
Poets and Poems: J.R.R. Tolkien and “Beowulf”
The newly published translation of “Beowulf” by J.R.R. Tolkien is both poetic prose and a reminder of the epic’s influence on “The Lord of the Rings.”
Anna Akhmatova and the Poetry of Resilience
Russian poet Anna Akhmatova experienced personal tragedy, war, revolution, civil war, and Stalinist repression, and still wrote haunting poetry.
Maya Angelou: The Poetry and Life of Reinvention
Maya Angelou was an unlikely candidate for literary success. But she reinvented herself, more than once.
Interview with Poet Patty Paine (Part 2): Poetry Can Save You
Poet Patty Paine confides that “poetry, the reading and the writing of it, has saved my life.”
Poets and Poems: J.P. Dancing Bear’s “The Abandoned Eye”
The poems in J.P. Dancing Bear’s “The Abandoned Eye” cut like razor blades, removing what we use to hide and obscure.
Poets and Poems: Scott Cairns’ “Idiot Psalms”
Poets and Poems: Scott Cairns’s “Idiot Psalms” demonstrates his skill as one of the most accomplished poets writing about the human heart today.
Poets and Poems: Gwendolyn Brooks’ ‘Selected Poems’
Poets and poems: Gwendolyn Brooks, the first African-American to receive the Pulitzer Prize, wrote about the people she knew and the history always with us.
Poets and Poems: Robin Robertson’s “The Wrecking Light”
Poets and Poems: To read Robin Robertson’s “The Wrecking Light” is to walk in the poetry of identity, place, geography, mythology, geography — and more.
Poets and Poems: Amy Billone’s “The Light Changes”
Amy Billone’s “The Light Changes: Poems” begins with a young woman throwing herself in front of a train—not what you expect from poets and poems.
Poets and Poems: Grace Schulman’s “Without a Claim”
Grace Schulman’s new collection of poems “Without a Claim” creates quiet repose in the face of discontinuity. Can poets and poems make sense of this?
Poets and Poems: Scott Edward Anderson’s “Fallow Field”
Poets and Poems highlights Scott Edward Anderson’s poetry collection “Fallow Field, ” which is rooted in nature, waiting for the reader to apply some mental tillage.
Poets and Poems: Ted Hughes’ “Crow”
In Poets and Poems, we look at Ted Hughes’ “Crow, ” published in 1970, representing a significant shift for the poet and a milestone in 20th century poetry.
Poets and Poems: Christopher Reid’s “A Scattering”
Today, Poets and Poems highlights Christopher Reid’s “A Scattering, ” a remarkable series of poems that helped him deal with the death of his wife.
Poets and Poems: Andrew Motion’s “The Customs House”
Poets and Poems looks at “The Custom House” by Andrew Motion, which examines many facets of war and suggests a common impact on the people involved, regardless of location or era.
Poets and Poems: R.S. Thomas’s “Poems to Elsi”
Poets and Poems looks at “Poems to Elsi” by R.S. Thomas, which provides insight into the Thomas marriage of more than 50 years.
Poets and Poems: Roger McGough’s “As Far As I Know”
A Poets and Poems review of Roger McGough’s “As Far As I Know, ” a collection of poems published last year that includes both serious and fun poems.
Poets and Poems: Jean Sprackland’s “Sleeping Keys”
Jean Sprackland’s “Sleeping Keys” quietly underscores the importance of what lies unrecognized and forgotten—a thoughtful selection for Poets and Poems.
Poets and Poems: Patricia Smith
This week’s “Poets and Poems” highlights Patricia Smith’s work, including her poem “They Romp with Wooly Canines” and her performance of “Skinhead.”