Next week, the Fall for the Book literary festival takes place at various venues in and around Washington, DC. (The full schedule is here.) One of the many fine poets featured at the festival is Shara Lessley, whose book Two-Headed Nightingale won the 2012 New Issues Poetry Prize. She will be reading at Old Firehouse … Continue reading Fall for the Book lineup: Shara Lessley’s “Two-Headed Nightingale”
Category: literature
Melanie McCabe’s Poetry of Summer
I first read Melanie McCabe's beautiful first book of poetry, History of the Body, last year, but it seems right to talk about it now, in this season of heat and harvest. As the title suggests, this is a book that revels in the visceral and bodily, and in the poems she writes about summer, … Continue reading Melanie McCabe’s Poetry of Summer
Our Favorite Teachers
Last Thursday was the last day of elementary school in our city, and my first-grade daughter alternated between summer-fun-anticipation and heartbreak about no longer seeing her adored teacher every day. I picked her up from school, and seeing all the teachers waving goodbye to the kids as we passed was more than we could take. … Continue reading Our Favorite Teachers
Kids at poetry readings
Last night, I took an enormous leap of faith and took my first grader to her first poetry reading. This particular reading - part of the Iota Reading Series curated by Miles David Moore and hosted by Iota Club & Cafe in Arlington, Virginia - seemed a good fit. I promised her a brownie sundae, … Continue reading Kids at poetry readings
Spring Break: heading for the sea
With my older daughter home from school for the week, my mom and stepdad braved the long car drive down to the Outer Banks with me and the girls, for a few days in a hotel by the beach. Though the girls wanted to spend most of our visit at the indoor pool (and I … Continue reading Spring Break: heading for the sea
Asking for what you want: submissions and gender
My two daughters - let's call them OD and YD - resemble me in many predictable ways. Seven-year-old OD has hair that relentlessly tangles in the same spot as mine, loves writing and rhyme, and is a tomboy in the best sense of the word. Three-year-old YD has my oversized cheeks, laid-back manner, and love … Continue reading Asking for what you want: submissions and gender
My Favorite Irish Poets
I won't be one of the many imbibing on St. Patrick's Day this Sunday. But as a fan of Irish poetry - at least that written in English - I wanted to share a few of my favorite moments. Contemporary Irish poet Eavan Boland beautifully extracts a place from its political past in "How … Continue reading My Favorite Irish Poets
My top five anti-love poems
After last week's Valentine's Day love poem offerings (which you can read here), I thought a look at the flip-side was in order. So let's get a little Alanis Morissette for a moment, and look at how some of the masters have handled the uglier moments. Because we've all been there. 🙂 1) Afraid to make … Continue reading My top five anti-love poems
Books and Chocolate
Sometime in December, I realized that in my immediate family, the gifts most appreciated are books, chocolate (either the solid or liquid variety), and gift cards (to buy more books and chocolate). I love the January routine of settling down with new books, under a blanket with an oversized red mug of hot chocolate (topped … Continue reading Books and Chocolate
“Between Gods” news
Happy New Year! My book, Between Gods, is one of seven featured first books in the latest issue of Beltway Poetry Quarterly, here. It's worth a read!
Between Gods 