Category Archives: poetry

Something for Thursday: Robert Burns Edition

Robert Burns, the great poet troubadour of Scotland, was born this date, 1759. For a basic primer on Burns, this article is a good place to start. For some true appreciation, though, skip the basic intro and go right to … Continue reading

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“Ho! Ho! Ho! To the bottle I go….”

Ho! Ho! Ho! to the bottle I go To heal my heart and drown my woe. Rain may fall and wind may blow, And many miles be still to go, But under a tall tree, I will lie, And let … Continue reading

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“My City”

I read the poem below yesterday, and its simple theme resonated strongly with me. The poet, the great James Weldon Johnson (perhaps best known for penning the lyrics to “Lift Every Voice and Sing”, the hymn that has come to … Continue reading

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“I will seek not the shadowy region”

In her review of a new movie about Emily Bronte, titled Emily, Sheila O’Malley cites two lines from one of Bronte’s poems: I’ll walk where my own nature would be leading: It vexes me to choose another guide. Somehow I’d never … Continue reading

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“A Poet is Not a Jukebox”

A poem by Dudley Randall: A poet is not a jukebox, so don’t tell me what to write. I read a dear friend a poem about love, and she said, “You’re in to that bag now, for whatever it’s worth, … Continue reading

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“The war’ly race may riches chase….” Happy Robert Burns Day!

Green grow the rashes , O; Green grow the rashes , O; The sweetest hours that e’er I spend, Are spent amang the lasses, O. There’s nought but care on ev’ry han’ , In ev’ry hour that passes, O: What … Continue reading

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Indigenous People’s Day

Mine is one of the last generations, I suppose, that was taught all the happy American mythology about Christopher Columbus and how he, knowing that the Earth was round whilst everyone else thought it as flat, thought to sail all … Continue reading

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“One equal temper of heroic hearts”

Born on this date: Alfred, Lord Tennyson. Tennyson has been my favorite poet–or second favorite, after Shakespeare–well, he might share that ranking with Poe–for as long as I’ve been aware of Tennyson’s work to any great degree. I’m guessing that … Continue reading

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National Poetry Month, conclusion: How to build your poetry collection

So you want to read some poetry! As we have wound up National Poetry Month 2022, as a final summation I earlier reposted an older post about why it’s important for writers specifically to read poetry (besides the simple fact that … Continue reading

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National Poetry Month: Why Writers Should Read Poetry, part I

Reposting now that National Poetry Month is over, as a reminder to make poetry a part of your regular literary life, writers! The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner From my mother’s sleep I fell into the State,And I hunched … Continue reading

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