Among the unique projects created by PA Humanities, 'Rain Poetry' is now popping up in parks across Philadelphia. 11-year-old Coraline Owili-Eger and her classmates at Emlen Elementary were among the first to make their mark. "It started off at school when we were instructed to write haikus," she said. "And they were installed on the ground in … Continue reading Students make their mark with ‘Rain Poetry’ hidden in Philly parks (via 6ABC Philadelphia)
When most Australians are asked to think about poetry, the names that jump to mind are those learned in school. Banjo Patterson and Gwen Harwood, Les Murray and Oodgeroo Noonuccal and other names plucked from the past, belonging to poets who are almost all certainly dead. Now, the federal government has resolved to revive poetry … Continue reading Australian poets weigh in on their vision for the nation’s first-ever official face of poetry (via Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
Full Title: "Niles West’s Yohanna Endashaw becomes Illinois state champ at Poetry Out Loud, plans to continue (via Chicago Tribune)" Yohanna Endashaw, a rising junior at Niles West High School from Morton Grove, sees poetry as a way to “talk about the things you’re facing — the stories you need to get out.” That love … Continue reading Niles West’s Yohanna Endashaw becomes Illinois state champ at Poetry Out Loud (via Chicago Tribune)
Full Title: "Memoir of a ‘Very Large Life,’ With Poetry, Crusades and Glittering Names (via NY Times)" Rose Styron used to start her daily swim of the season in May, when the waters off the long dock at her house in Vineyard Haven, on Martha’s Vineyard, still barely reach 50 degrees. “Now that I’m 95, … Continue reading Memoir of a ‘Very Large Life’ (via NY Times)
Nicaraguan poet and novelist Gioconda Belli, known for her feminist and erotic literature, was awarded the Reina Sofia Ibero-American Poetry prize Monday. Considered among Latin America’s best-known writers, Belli’s work has been translated into more than 20 languages and includes 15 poetry collections, eight novels, and seven books of essays, testimonials and children’s stories. The … Continue reading Nicaraguan writer Gioconda Belli wins Reina Sofia poetry prize (via ABC News)
In hindsight, it seems prophetic that the Beverly-based poet January Gill O’Neil named her most recent collection “Rewilding.” Published in 2018, the book found a receptive audience during the pandemic, when folks were searching for meaning and hearing an awful lot about vacated land returning to its original state. “That book endures,” says O’Neil. “There’s … Continue reading Massachusetts Poetry Festival brings community together in person after long hiatus (via Boston Globe)
As spring starts to blossom in New England, some Vermont communities come to life with the sites and sounds of written verse. "These are the honey makers The maple sap tappers The pollen gatherers The elixirs healing the future from the spirits of the past," a woman recited from a poem written by Buffy Aakaash, of Marshfield, … Continue reading Vermont’s capital city celebrates poetry with parade, display of poems (via Fox News)
“What you say, and how you say it, means everything,” Joshua Bennett writes in the introduction to his vibrant cultural history of spoken word poetry. “Truth is embedded in the telling. Indeed, the telling is another kind of truth altogether.” It is in the telling that the true magic of spoken word, and Bennett’s intricate … Continue reading How Poetry and Performance Combined to Become a New Genre (via NY Times)
Andru Defeye shouldn’t be here. Sacramento’s current poet laureate, a 38-year-old Oak Park resident, was selected for his title in February 2020 with little published poetry. Born without stomach muscles, which led to serious childhood health issues, he tells people his first poem, at age 13, was a suicide note. He moved to Sacramento in … Continue reading Here’s a look at Sacramento’s poet laureate (via Sacramento Bee)
As editors who review poetry for The Atlantic, we read a lot of poems. Each week, there are new PDFs in our inboxes; our desks are covered with chaotic piles of books we’ve yet to crack open, and our shelves are already packed with old favorites. We’re also frequently asked, “What poetry should I read?” … Continue reading Ten Poetry Collections to Read Again and Again (via The Atlantic)
