Featured Books

Break, Blow, Burn by Camille Paglia
Celebrates the great poetry of the Western tradition, looking at diverse works by poets ranging from Shakespeare and Dickinson to Plath, Hughes, and other unconventional poets.

Decreation: Poetry, Essays, Opera by Anne Carson
A compilation of literary writings explores the nature and mechanics of the human acts of undoing of self and of form, as revealed in the lives of Sappho, Simone Weil, and Virginia Woolf.

Familiar Strangers: New & Selected Poems by Brendan Kennelly

Gardens of Emily Dickinson, The by Judith Farr and Louise Carter
This is the first major study of flowers and gardening in the life and work of Emily Dickinson, and even the devoted reader of Dickinson will be surprised at how very important flowers were to the poet.

Let America be America Again by Langston Hughes
This book brings welcome attention to Hughes's 1936 poem. “I am the poor white, fooled and pushed apart,/I am the Negro bearing slavery's scars./I am the red man driven from the land,/I am the immigrant clutching the hope I seek–/And finding only the same old stupid plan/Of dog eat dog, of mighty crush the weak.”

Ogden Nash: The Life and Wok of America's Laureate of Light Verse by Douglas M. Parker
Looks at the life, career, and writings of the American poet.

Stories from the Blue Moon Café III by Sonny Brewer
Presents short stories set in the South, from such writers as Daniel Wallace, Rick Bragg, Mary Ward Brown, Juliana Gray, and Alix Strauss.

Wine of Wisdom, The: The Life, Poetry and Philosophy of Omar Khayyam by Mehdi Aminrazavi
This new book is a comprehensive introduction for the Western reader that confronts the misunderstanding of Omar Khayyam.

Featured Websites

The Academy of American Poets
 

“Use this site from The Academy of American Poets to search for poets and poetry, hear poems in the "Listening Booth," and locate information about National Poetry Month, celebrated every April. Includes news; an index of major poetry publishers, periodicals, and distributors; an events calendar; and tip sheets on setting up programs, events, and classes. "Poetry Awards" is a list of major American poetry awards with recent recipients.”-- Librarians' Internet Index

PSI: Poetry Slam Inc.
 

“Information, news, and links about poetry slams--events "in which poets perform their work and are judged by members of the audience." Includes a FAQ with rules, definitions, and organizational tips; a directory of slam venues; a press section with a timeline and history of the slam movement; and a few links to other slam resources.”-- Librarians' Internet Index

UNESCO World Poetry Directory
 

“This Web site from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has worldwide lists of poetry festivals, prizes, journals, and associations. Web links are provided where available and there is also a directory of other Web sites for poetry activities in both UNESCO member and non-member countries. The basic site is available in English, French, and Spanish, but some of the individual entries are only in the languages of the sponsoring organizations.”-- Librarians' Internet Index