Poetry Jul 28 Watch 6:40 The ‘existential wound’ that fueled poet Natasha Trethewey’s acclaimed career Natasha Trethewey is a two-time U.S. poet laureate and a winner of the Pulitzer Prize for her collection “Native Guard.” Now, she has written a memoir about her childhood, the murder of her mother and her own career calling. Titled… By Jeffrey Brown, Anne Azzi Davenport
Arts Feb 11 Watch 2:25 Why this poet says there is no ‘single story spun on a single tongue’ Erica Dawson, a professor and writer, said she was surprised while on book tour recently to be faced with the same question over and over again, about speaking for “the black experience.” Black poets "never went away. We don’t only…
Poetry Dec 27 Watch 5:11 This poet put the Yazidi women’s suffering and strength into words Learning about the horrors endured by Yazidi women at the hands of the Islamic State awakened something personal for Iraqi-American poet and former journalist Dunya Mikhail. In her book "The Beekeeper," she shares first-hand accounts of their pain and heroism. By Jeffrey Brown
Arts Dec 19 Watch 3:06 Poet Franny Choi on the value of imagining alternate realities What’s the value of asking questions to which we don’t know the answer? Poet Franny Choi’s “Introduction to Quantum Theory” does just that, and she calls it “one of the scariest things” she’s ever written. Choi offers her brief but… By Steve Goldbloom
Aug 29 Remembering Tom Clark, renowned poet who rhapsodized about baseball By Jennifer Hijazi Prolific poet and biographer Tom Clark died this month at the age of 77, leaving behind a substantial body of writing that exemplifies his penchants for lyricism, wit, and brevity, as well as a lifelong love of baseball. Continue reading
Aug 06 ‘False news’ charges put this Egyptian poet in prison By Jennifer Hijazi "The light doesn’t care how tall the fence is; it’s not hemmed in by steel bars or officers’ uniforms. It cannot be forgotten," Galal El-Behairy writes in a poem from Cairo's Tora Prison. Continue reading
Jun 25 A poem to remember Donald Hall, former U.S. poet laureate By Jennifer Hijazi Hall, a candid, unaffected writer who examined love, loss and rural American life, died Saturday at the age of 89. Continue reading
May 14 A poet’s advice to new grads: Be curious, embrace failure and ‘jump’ By Jennifer Hijazi Poet Jason Reynolds offers sage advice to graduates ... and the rest of us. Continue reading
Apr 24 A poet’s love letters to the outdoors By Jennifer Hijazi Poet Aimee Nezhukumatathil writes a love letter to the planet in her latest poetry collection "Oceanic."… Continue reading