Poetry

"I have nothing to say, and I am saying it, and that is poetry." — John Cage

The Ghosts of Gun Violence: Jason Reynold’s “Long Way Down”
Julia Walton on a new novel in verse about trauma and family tragedy.
Julia WaltonDec 16, 2017
Second Acts: A Second Look at Second Books of Poetry: Susan Stewart and Jennifer Chang
Lisa Russ Spaar appreciates the lyric intelligence of Susan Stewart’s and Jennifer Chang’s second collections.
Lisa Russ SpaarDec 16, 2017
- Poetry
Situating the Enslaved: Eunsong Kim’s “Gospel of Regicide” and the Politics of Allyship
Renee Hudson looks at the relationship between betrayal and revolution in Eunsong Kim’s “Gospel of Regicide.”
Renee HudsonDec 14, 2017
The Most Beautiful Tree: On Christopher Merrill’s “Self-Portrait with Dogwood”
Noah Blaustein appreciates “Self-Portrait with Dogwood,” a book of nonfiction by Christopher Merrill.
Noah BlausteinDec 4, 2017
- Memoir & Essay
- Poetry
Cultural Diplomacy: An Interview with Christopher Merrill
An interview with the director of the University of Iowa’s International Writing Program.
Loren GlassDec 4, 2017
- Around the World
- Poetry
“I Didn’t Live a Manageable Life”: A Conversation with Imani Tolliver
Janice Rhoshalle Littlejohn interviews poet, artist, and educator Imani Tolliver about “Runaway: A Memoir in Verse” and life in Los Angeles.
Janice Rhoshalle LittlejohnNov 29, 2017
- Memoir & Essay
- Poetry
“Reader, Have You Not Heard?”: On “Writings from the Golden Age of Russian Poetry”
Sibelan Forrester praises “Writings from the Golden Age of Russian Poetry,” a biography-cum-anthology of Konstantin Batyushkov, presented by Peter France.
Sibelan ForresterNov 28, 2017
- Around the World
- Poetry
Wait for It: On Michael Robbins and Refrains
Michael Devine reflects on poetry, pop culture, and the art of the refrain.
M.I. DevineNov 16, 2017
- Music
- Poetry
“The Exceptional Man”: Rereading Richard Wilbur
Patrick Kurp revisits the poems of Richard Wilbur, who passed away on October 14 at age 96.
Patrick KurpNov 12, 2017
- Poetry
“A Kiss Across the Stage”: Michael Longley’s “Angel Hill” and the Legacy of Seamus Heaney
Isaac Nowell reviews Michael Longley’s “Angel Hill.”
Isaac NowellNov 10, 2017
- Around the World
- Poetry
Through a Verse Darkly: On Kevin Hart’s “Poetry and Revelation”
One surefire way to ruin a poem is to let a philosopher interpret it. Happily, however, Kevin Hart the philosopher-poet is an exception.
Christopher WatkinNov 8, 2017
Figuring It out in the Air: On “The Education of a Young Poet”
Lisa Fetchko reviews David Biespiel’s memoir about his coming to consciousness as a poet.
Lisa FetchkoNov 8, 2017
- Memoir & Essay
- Poetry