"Reading is the creative center of a writer's life." — Stephen King
The world is changing, and in this case especially, I’m glad it is. Traditionally, translators have believed that they should remain “invisible,” and “true” to the text. But is that even possible? Every translator’s … Read More
Reading poetry silently can be a mistake when part of the poem’s power lies in the rhythm and music of the verses. When Brenda Cárdenas read her poetry as a keynote speaker at the Wisconsin Writers Association conference, I felt … Read More
About 700 years ago, Dante wrote a poem that begins this way, “Midway upon the journey of our life / I found myself within a forest dark / For the straightforward pathway had been lost.” Marie Howe … Read More
The cover photo is a close-up of a level, which is sometimes called a spirit level. Ah, you might say, this poetry collection must be about finding balance. And since the author won the Nobel Prize in … Read More
When the great poet Nikki Giovanni died earlier this week, many tributes described how this literary legend never took her foot off the gas: she wrote more than 30 books, with one more coming out next year. I … Read More
In 1999, the New York Times ran an article about “probably the most popular poet in America” – Billy Collins – and his unprecedented six-figure publishing contract for three books. The backlash at that time … Read More
This quote is from the poem “Fern Hill,” written by Dylan Thomas, one of the greatest Welsh poets of all time. My Welsh Airbnb host included it in his description of the changeable weather, which is one indication of … Read More
A review of “Poems from the Winter House” in 100 words by Catherine Stover
Daniel Smith’s poetry readings draw people who have never been to a poetry reading before. They come to hear him describe farming and his decision to finally sell his ancestral home and discontinue the way of … Read More
Seven pages into the preface of his huge collection of poems, Carl Sandburg tells us that he will not pontificate on the art of poetry, which is what famous writers often do in that section. Instead, he says “A poet explains for us what for him is poetry by what … Read More
Poetry is the most textured form of writing. It attracts artists who weave sounds and images with mystery. They may be cranky (T. S. Eliot) or homesick (Heaney) or humorous (Billy Collins). They may believe that poetry is an instrument of investigation (Jane … Read More
Why would a poem written in 1940 be included in The Best American Poetry 2023? W. H. Auden’s brilliant poem about contradictions wasn’t published during his lifetime because he questioned its value. Auden was a great poet who doubted his greatness. Even when he won awards, such as the … Read More
The poet Rasma Haidri continues, “and I know I orchestrated this fugue of spheres.” I love the way hope infuses this poem – and many of the poems – in this collection. We see stories about people who are looking for greater happiness, and who are finally able to change … Read More
I’ve always believed that the best way to take the pulse of a bookstore is to check out the display on the front table. Instead of best-sellers, this bookstore featured Czech poets – a treat for someone like me who knows virtually nothing about the literary traditions of this country. … Read More
We all know the feeling of being torn between wanting to take the time to think deeply and needing to get up to get something done. The tension between lofty ideas and everyday practicalities is a theme that runs through many of the works in this collection. In the poem … Read More
Mary Oliver’s poem “The Journey” continues, “though the whole house / began to tremble / and you felt the old tug / at your ankles . . .” The journey she describes didn’t stop, even though it was “a wild night.” The stars began “to burn / through the … Read More