10 Ekphrastic Poems
Broadly defined, an ekphrastic poem describes another work of art. Here are some by Ocean Vuong, Aziza Barnes, Robert Hayden, Frank O’Hara, Danez Smith, and more.
Celebrating National Poetry Month
Our best stories about poetry and poems offer free links to poems from contemporary and classic American poets.
Marie Howe
Marie Howe has a new collection of poetry out. Get to know the beloved poet with these 7 poems, available for free PDF download.
Ten Breathtaking Nature Poems
In honor of National Poetry Month, we’ve gathered some of the best nature poems from JSTOR. Including Mary Oliver, Sylvia Plath, Dylan Thomas, and others.
Seven Favorite Flower Poems
Our editors pick flower poems from Poetry magazine, American Poetry Review, and the Kenyon Review.
Ossian, Rude Bard of the North
Ossian once rivaled Homer in the Western literary canon. Whatever happened to him?
Traduttore, Traditore: Is Translation Ever Really Possible?
Translator, traitor, goes the Italian expression, although something may be lost in the translation.
Poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning Was Both a Celebrity and a Superfan
As celebrity culture developed in 19th century England, authors were at turns celebrated and celebrators of artists they admired.
The Artist Behind Shakespeare’s Most Famous Portrait
Though considered a limited artist, Martin Droeshout engraved the only portrait of Shakespeare, which appeared on the cover of the first folio.
It Turns Out Ordinary Life is Full of Poetry (Metaphorically Speaking)
The metaphor isn't just a literary device; it informs our conceptual understanding of language and the world.