Poem of the Week ( View Archives )
February 16, 2020

from Strange Birds; Twitching Birds

Sylvia Legris

In a previous Poem of the Week examination, we have marveled at the methods Sylvia Legris uses to pack so much meaning and intensity into her poems. We are now pondering another section from the poem "Strange Birds; Twitching Birds" from Legris' 2006 Griffin Poetry Prize winning collection Nerve Squall ... and are marveling anew.

Poem of the Week ( View Archives )
February 9, 2020

from Hawk

Kamau Brathwaite

Upon the very sad news of the passing of revered poet and academic Kamau Brathwaite, we turn again to some of the powerful poetry from his 2006 Griffin Poetry Prize collection Born to Slow Horses.

Poem of the Week ( View Archives )
February 2, 2020

He Sápa, Four

Layli Long Soldier

Another section of Layli Long Soldier's poem "He Sápa" from her 2018 Griffin Poetry Prize shortlisted collection Whereas was also a Poem of the Week selection. We found it powerful and provocative. Using different but equally subtle effects, we find "Four" haunting and holding our attention, too.

Poem of the Week ( View Archives )
January 26, 2020

Lake Michigan, Scene 3

Daniel Borzutzky

In previous Poem of the Week selections from 2019 Griffin Poetry Prize shortlisted collection Lake Michigan, we've observed the hypnotic and incantatory qualities of Daniel Borzutzky's poetry. "Scene 3" is another powerful example that has captured the attention and imagination of high school poetry recitation contest Poetry In Voice / Les voix de la poésie.

Poem of the Week ( View Archives )
January 19, 2020

from Portrait of the Artist as a Young Border Dog (Not Collie)

Michael Hofmann, translated from the German written by Durs Grünbein

There is much to learn and explore in Durs Grunbein's poem "Portrait of the Artist as a Young Border Dog (Not Collie)", translated from German into English with sharp intensity by Michael Hofmann. We previously considered the first of the poem's multiple parts, and now we're going to scrutinize the ninth of its dozen sections.