Category Archives: poetry

“One equal temper of heroic hearts”

Posted on August 6, 2022 by ksedinger

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

Posted on May 1, 2022 by ksedinger

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

Posted on May 1, 2022 by ksedinger

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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National Poetry Month, day 30: Wrapping up with light verse

Posted on April 30, 2022 by ksedinger

‘Tis the final day of National Poetry Month for 2022! I always enjoy Poetry Month a great deal and come out of it resolving to read more poetry throughout the year, and even though I do read quite a bit of … Continue reading →

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National Poetry Month, day 29: Etheridge Knight

Posted on April 29, 2022 by ksedinger

Etheridge Knight was a Black poet who lived 1931-1991. His rise to poetic prominence came via a book of poems he wrote while incarcerated for robbery, Poems from Prison. This ended up being a theme in Knight’s work, as he produced … Continue reading →

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National Poetry Month, day 28 AND Something for Thursday: “The Highwayman”

Posted on April 28, 2022 by ksedinger

I’m just going to get out of the poem’s way today. Listen to Loreena McKennit’s classic setting afterward! “The Highwayman”, by Alfred Noyes PART ONE The wind was a torrent of darkness among the gusty trees. The moon was a ghostly … Continue reading →

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National Poetry Month, day 27: A Lesson from Mr. McLeod on “slipping the surly bonds of Earth”

Posted on April 27, 2022 by ksedinger

I suppose there’s an entire genre that can be summed up as “Young person meets the teacher who unlocks their potential”. It’s a type of story that I’ve always warmed to, from Luke Skywalker seeking the wisdom of Ben Kenobi … Continue reading →

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National Poetry Month AND Tone Poem Tuesday: Messrs Meredith and Vaughan Williams

Posted on April 26, 2022 by ksedinger

Back in my high school years, I was able to attend a performance of the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra at Kleinhans Music Hall in Buffalo. There were three works on the program. I don’t recall the first, sadly, and I … Continue reading →

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National Poetry Month, Day 25: A Library is…

Posted on April 25, 2022 by ksedinger

In honor of yesterday’s anniversary of the establishment of the Library of Congress, a poem about libraries by Nikki Giovanni. A LIBRARY (for Kelli Martin) a Library Is: a place to be free to be in space to be in … Continue reading →

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National Poetry Month, day 24: The Bard of Stratford-on-Avon

Posted on April 24, 2022 by ksedinger

William Shakespeare was supposedly born right around this day: his actual date of birth is not known, but his baptism date is. Shakespeare was baptized April 26, 1564–if in fact that is his real name!!! Um, sorry about that. We’ve … Continue reading →

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