Jan 27 Amanda Gorman to read poem at Super Bowl By Associated Press The NFL has picked three people who have served during the coronavirus pandemic as honorary captains for the Super Bowl along with inaugural poet Amanda Gorman for an original poem. Continue reading
Jan 21 Amanda Gorman's poetic answer to pandemic grief: 'Do not ignore the pain' By Joshua Barajas When Amanda Gorman wrote her poem, “The Miracle of Morning,” it was early on in the coronavirus pandemic. Even then, she wanted to acknowledge the promise of healing, like the light of morning, that springs from despair. Continue reading
Jan 20 WATCH: Amanda Gorman reads inauguration poem, 'The Hill We Climb' By Joshua Barajas After Biden was sworn in as the nation’s 46th president, Gorman read “The Hill We Climb,” building on a tradition of poets -- including Robert Frost, Maya Angelou, Elizabeth Alexander and Richard Blanco -- who have read for incoming Democratic… Continue reading
Nov 29 Poet uses runaway slave ads to tell a story of resistance By Connie Kargbo, Lisa Overton St. Mary's College of Maryland unveiled a new memorial this month honoring the lives of enslaved people of southern Maryland, including some who lived on the very land their campus is on. Seattle-based poet and educator Quenton Baker contributed poetry… Continue reading
Nov 27 A poem that extends a hand in our lonely times By Joshua Barajas Throughout the year’s pain and distress caused by the pandemic, people have connected with the core theme of loneliness in Elizabeth Acevedo’s poem. Yet the final, gentle moment, set inside a nail salon, is one of reaching out, and having… Continue reading
Nov 25 New anthology shares Black poetry's history of 'struggle and song' By Joshua Barajas In 250 years of Black poetry, the act of writing is itself a form of protest. Continue reading
Nov 22 Watch 6:10 A Maryland college honors the lives of enslaved people By Ivette Feliciano, Connie Kargbo St. Mary's College of Maryland unveiled a new memorial yesterday honoring the lives of enslaved people of southern Maryland. It tells the story of "resilience, persistence, and creative problem-solving that defined the lives” of the enslaved people that lived there… Continue watching
Nov 19 Joy Harjo will serve a rare third term as U.S. poet laureate By Joshua Barajas Harjo is the second poet laureate to serve this many terms in a row since the current duties of the position were established 77 years ago. Continue reading
Nov 17 Beloved arts facility Poets House suspends operations By Associated Press One of the country's leading literary community and educational centers, Poets House, is suspending operations because of “challenges presented” by the coronavirus pandemic. Continue reading
Oct 09 Joy Harjo on how a new Native poetry anthology fills a gap in American literature By Joshua Barajas For centuries, Native poetry has been preserved by the spoken word. So when a team of editors were putting together a new anthology of Native poetry, with U.S. Poet Laureate Joy Harjo among them, they read the entire work out… Continue reading