5 Books to Read on Earth Day
Earth Day is April 22, which is the perfect day to pick up some inspiring poems for Earth Day, or even an entire collection. There are many environmentalist poets to choose from. To help you find your favorite, we’ve selected
4 Poets Using their Voices for Social Justice
Social justice hardly manifests in just one way or with just one, single feeling. However, traces of it may be present in unexpected places, like poetry—somewhere that social justice finds a voice (or rather, its many voices). Read Poetry spoke
Poetry with a Purpose: Why the Haiku?
April 17 was International Haiku Poetry Day, giving poets the perfect opportunity to celebrate this age-old form. Traditional, structured, and usually unrhyming, this short form of Japanese poetry is well known for its rule of 5/7/5: five syllables in the
The Purpose of Poetry with Tess Guinery
Tess Guinery has inspired thousands of readers, Instagram followers, and creators through her work as a multimodal artist. In addition to her background in both dance and design, Guinery released her poetry collection The Apricot Memoirs in April with Andrews
3 Poems for Loneliness
Loneliness: a feeling we are all familiar with but often have to suffer through alone. We have all experienced varying levels of loneliness throughout the past year. Spending time in isolation has caused many of us to feel more and
Seriously Funny: The Role of Humor in Poetry
“The attempt to develop a sense of humor and to see things in a humorous light is some kind of a trick learned while mastering the art of living,” said Viktor Frankl. While poetry is often taken as a serious
In 2020 National Book Award Winner DMZ Colony, Don Mee Choi Breaks Down Barriers
Poet Layli Long Soldier announced DMZ Colony by Don Mee Choi (Wave Books) as the winner of the 2020 National Book Award for Poetry during a ceremony held virtually due to the pandemic. DMZ Colony was a finalist among works
Poet Spotlight: SL Heaton on the Healing Power of Reaching Out Through Poetry
This month, I had the opportunity to speak with poet SL Heaton, who beautifully describes how her writing journey has evolved over the years, from a therapeutic outlet and hobby to an inspirational message of hope and encouragement for others
The Purpose of Poetry with Chloë Frayne
Chloë Frayne, an LGBTQI poet from South Australia, writes from her experiences with love, long-distance relationships, traveling, healing, hope, and adventure. Frayne is the author of two self-published poetry books, and this year she is releasing her first traditionally-published collection,
4 Poems to Celebrate Siblings
April 10 is National Siblings Day, a day to cherish the unique bonds we have with these special family members. Sometimes our siblings are our best friends. Other times, they’re our worst enemies. Whether you and your siblings tackled awkward
The Purpose of Poetry with Iain Thomas
Raised in Zomba, Malawi, Upile Chisala is a storyteller, sociologist, and activist. Her hope is to tell stories from the margins, and through her work, help others and herself come to terms with the past, celebrate the present, and confidently
The Purpose of Poetry with Iain Thomas
Poet and new media artist Iain Thomas became a worldwide phenomenon with his 2011 collection I Wrote This For You. We sat down with the bestselling author to talk about the purpose behind his work, his process, and the meaning