Jul 18 A poet who sees love and fear as intertwined By Mary Jo Brooks Kasey Jueds writes personal poems about childhood, memory, relationships and longing. “But I hope they’re not strictly autobiographical. I love when there is mystery left for other readers and that they aren’t so pinned down to my life that there… Continue reading
Jul 11 Of black shootings by police, poet asks: When will it stop? By Mary Jo Brooks Poet Ed Pavlic has written numerous poems and essays about the complicated relationship between black men and the police. Much of it comes from personal experience. Continue reading
Jul 04 Instead of fireworks, poet sees American skies lit up by history By Mary Jo Brooks John Brehm wrote the poem “Fourth of July” about a soldier who tried to brush burning embers off his chest, only to discover he was missing his right arm. Continue reading
Jun 27 The goal of this kids’ story about soccer? To foster a love of poetry By Mary Jo Brooks Nick Hall, the 12-year-old protagonist in Kwame Alexander’s latest novel-in-verse, “Booked,” is a soccer star who dreams of playing in the European Cup. Unfortunately, his days are filled with the more mundane challenges. Continue reading
Jun 20 After the Orlando tragedy, putting the defiant act of survival into poetry By Mary Jo Brooks Poet Joe Jimenez turned to poetry in the days following the Orlando tragedy. “The Orlando shooting saddens and enrages me. And I wonder to what extent I’ve been complicit in the violence by remaining silent? "… Continue reading
Jun 13 Seeking solace in poetry after a mass shooting By Mary Jo Brooks Poets Marjory Wentworth and Marcus Amaker found that poetry helped them cope in the aftermath of the shooting at Charleston's Emanuel AME Church one year ago. Continue reading
May 30 How a WWII pilot explained the quiet moments after an enemy attack By Mary Jo Brooks William Meredith served as a Navy pilot in World War II and the Korean War. An esteemed poet, he wrote several poems about his war experience. Continue reading
May 23 When cancer changed everything, writing poems was an act of healing By Mary Jo Brooks Gail Rudd Entrekin and her husband Charles turned to poetry to deal with the frustration, fear and anger they felt during Charles' battle with cancer. Continue reading
May 16 The poetry of simmering Chicago summers By Mary Jo Brooks Parneshia Jones is a child of the North and grandchild of the South, and her poetry reflects that duality. The smells, tastes and sounds of Mississippi and Louisiana mingle with the rhythms and realities of the northern industrial city she… Continue reading
May 09 Advice to poets: get out of the ivory tower By Mary Jo Brooks The very first thing Kim Stafford does every morning is write. "It's a way to settle your accounts. If you're angry, if you regret something, put it down on a page. Sometimes it's a poem. Sometimes it's a consideration. But… Continue reading