poetry review essays

How To Write A Poetry Review

Poetry reviewing is a vital part of the poetry ecosystem. but many poetry fans never write (or even read) poetry criticism, so today we’re introducing you to the art form of the poetry review., in 2022, young poets network collaborated with the prestigious t. s. eliot prize to run a young critics scheme in which ten 18-25 year olds took part in a mentoring programme and created video reviews of the shortlisted books in the 2022 t. s. eliot prize., you can also discover fifteen top tips from fifteen leading critics here .

What is a poetry review?

A poetry review is a text that tells the reader about a poetry book or performance. It explores how well that work succeeded in what it was trying to do. In it, the reviewer offers their own thoughts and feelings about the work they’re reviewing. In the best reviews, those thoughts and feelings are backed up by proof in the work – quotations, references, examples. Unlike an academic essay, reviews are generally written for the general public.

Why do people read poetry reviews?

Sometimes, it’s to see if they’d like to read this poetry book/see this performance (etc.). Sometimes, it’s to hear someone else’s response to something they’ve already read/seen. Other times, people might want to know a bit more about a certain poet’s work or what they’re up to. Reviews can also make wider points about poetry, and so sometimes people read reviews just to read about poetry.

Why do people write poetry reviews?

Writing a poetry review is a chance to spend some quality time with a text/performance, and to really think about your response to it and why you feel that way. It’s a chance not only to learn about a poet’s work and why they’re doing what they’re doing, but also to learn about your own taste, prejudices and preferences. It’s also an opportunity to share your thoughts and have them taken seriously by other readers, and to enter into a wider conversation around poetry.

Where are poetry reviews published?

Of course we recommend you subscribe to The Poetry Review and other magazines – but if you can’t afford to, visit your local library. The National Poetry Library in London, Scottish Poetry Library and Manchester Poetry Library all have a great selection of magazines you can peruse for free. Many poetry magazines publish some of their reviews online too, such as The Poetry Review , Poetry London and Magma .

How do I write a poetry book review?

Everyone’s process is different. We’ve put together a few essential ‘do’s and ‘don’t’s below, and we’ve also asked some leading poetry critics for their thoughts and shared them here !

If you’re reviewing a performance, your preparation may be a little different, but the general advice below may still be helpful.

And finally, as with any art form: if you’re going to write a review, you should be reading reviews too. Take note of what you like and don’t like in other people’s work, and think about what you will carry forward into your own practice and what will you leave behind.

When preparing to write your review, do:

• Read the book carefully , at least twice if you can.
• Underline and take notes as you go!
• Research the poet and the book’s context, and read what else they’ve written. You might not end up writing about this in your review, but it will give you the confidence to say ‘X is a theme in their work’. You might also like to read interviews the poet has given and other people’s reviews of their previous work. And it’s important to fully understand the tradition the book is situated in and the references it’s making.

When writing the review, do:

• Use the word count to structure your review. If an editor asks you for 600 words, don’t send them 1,000! It’s good to think about this when you’re planning your review. You can’t fit much more than a summary and a judgement in 200 words. But in 1,000 words, you can really go into particular moments and themes, and include more quotations from the work. If you haven’t been given a word count, around 600-800 words is a standard amount.
• Include examples and quotations from the book, wherever possible. You can’t expect a reader to believe your argument if you don’t give them evidence! Letting them hear the poet’s own words is also arguably the best way for your reader to get a feel of the book.
• Remember your audience. Be clear, engaging and generous to your reader. What else can you assume they will have read/watched/seen, and what do you need to explain?
• Send your review on time! Editors keep tight schedules.

Some questions:

• Consider the themes (big ideas like migration, fatherhood or love) and motifs (if they keep writing about dogs, why?). Have they explored the themes enough, in your opinion? What would you have liked to see, if not?
• Consider the overall structure of the book. Is it divided up into sections, and why? Does that work? Why is it ordered in the way it is? Is it chronological, or does it mark some kind of progression (or regression)? Does it feel well paced?
• If you have enough space to do so in your review, consider the construction of individual poems . Do they keep using the same device or form over and over? Does that work? Are they using gaps and spacing in an interesting way? How does that tie into the poet’s themes and aims?
• Question your own prejudices and assumptions . Are you making any grand statements? Make sure you’re backing them up with proof from the text.
• Go way over or under the word count. The editor has given you that number for a reason, and may simply not publish your review if you ignore it.
• Send off your first draft without editing it! This should go without saying. Leave it for a few days, then come back to it with fresh eyes.
• Negatively review a book for the sake of it! You wouldn’t like someone else to do that to your book, so don’t do it to someone else’s.
• Get personal. If you want to talk about something other than the text, such as the poet’s biography, think carefully about whether you’re making any assumptions.
• Review books of people who you have a close personal relationship with . The poetry world is small, so this can be hard and there are no clear-cut lines here. But you don’t want to feel forced to review something positively just because it’s your friend – and equally, you don’t want to hurt your relationship with them over a poetry review!
• Be afraid to be critical . As long as you’re reviewing the work fairly, on its own terms, and backing up what you’re saying with evidence from the text, poets are generally happy to have anyone engaging deeply with their work, and will be grateful for your close attention.

Our top tip for reviewing poetry

The most important piece of advice is of all to read and review the work on its own terms . If you’re reviewing a book of sonnets and you personally aren’t a fan of the form, try and put your own taste to one side and think: why has the poet chosen to write in this form? Have they been successful in what they were setting out to do? Where has your taste come from, and is there a valid critical reason behind your gut reaction? And if you can’t see past your dislike, you don’t have to review it! Reviewing should ultimately be a fun, creative process – so if you’re not having fun, why not try another text?

And discover fifteen more top tips from fifteen leading reviewers here .

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The Best Poetry Review: How-To Guides, Examples, and Practice

This series on Poetry explores different poem types, their historical significance, and offers practical tips on writing and analysis.

Designed for easy use at home or in the classroom, it brings poems to life for readers and writers alike.

Topics for Review

What is poetry.

Discover the essence of poetry as you explore different types of poems as well as the evolution of poetry over time. You'll also learn helpful tips for reading, writing, & citing poems.

Poetry Analysis

This Poetry Analysis section breaks down the building blocks of poetry, from its structure and rhyme schemes to the use of imagery. Engage in hands-on practice with step-by-step analysis of famous poems!

Poem Themes

This section explores various themes in poetry, such as love, life, nature, and change. Each post includes a curated selection of poems that highlight these themes!

Poem Studies: Famous Poems & Voices of Today

Featuring famous poems and contemporary voices, each post dives into a poet's work, discussing themes, styles, and impacts. Discover old classics and new favorites!

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How to Write a Poetry Review

By Glynn Young 16 Comments

We had considerable conversation, and a little controversy, around my post two weeks ago, The 6 Most Overused Words in Poetry Reviews . I didn’t realize poetry reviews were such a hot topic.

A common question arose: “OK, so you have six overused words in poetry reviews and three more that are contenders for the list of most overused. Just how do you go about writing a poetry review?”

I consider poetry and book reviews highly subjective endeavors. It is someone’s opinion, after all, of someone else’s creative work. There’s no textbook approach I could cite that would meet all conditions and situations.

But I can explain how to write a poetry review by describing how I do poetry reviews myself.

Walter Lippmann (1889-1974)

And you can blame Walter Lippmann (1889 – 1974).

Lippmann wrote a book entitled Public Opinion (1922) that was likely the most influential book on journalism until Marshall McLuhan came along more than 40 years later with Understanding Media (1964). Lippmann was a modernist, strongly influenced by science and the scientific method, and saw journalists as a key link between government and the public. He recognized that people bring preconceived ideas with them (we call them worldviews today) and it was critical to present the facts before those preconceived ideas could harden.

What flowed from Lippmann’s ideas was the notion of objectivity in journalism. What also developed was a journalistic approach known as “The Five Ws” or “The Five Ws and One H”—who, what, when, where, why and how. This is what I learned in journalism school in college, even as the ideas were becoming much more fluid with the impact of television (McLuhan) and the Watergate scandal. A decade later, the influence of post-modernism would begin to make an impact as well.

As an aside, Lippmann was a co-founder of The New Republic ; won two Pulitzer Prizes for journalism and reporting; helped Woodrow Wilson draft the Fourteen Points speech; coined the phrase Cold War ; feuded with Lyndon Johnson over the Vietnam War; and is considered today to be the father of modern journalism.

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5 Ws and One H

Those “Five Ws and One H”—that’s generally how I write poetry reviews. It was how I learned to write news stories in college, and how I learned to write first music and fiction reviews and later poetry reviews.

Who : I like to know who the poet is, what (if anything) has been previously published, if they have a website and how they describe themselves, and, if available, to see a photo. This is information that helps shape a review, and it’s important for a reader to know. The “who, ” even if brief, places a personality around the poems under consideration.

What : What kind of poetry is it? What form does it follow (or does it have a form)? What is the subject of the poems in the collection?

When : Is this the poet’s first collection? A chapbook? Where does it fall in the poet’s writing career? Does the collection make use of childhood or old-age themes and ideas? Is time an important factor in the poems?

Where : Does the volume have a geography? Robert Frost has New England, Carl Sandburg had Chicago, Walt Whitman had the Civil War hospitals of Washington and his home in New York, and Emily Dickinson had Amherst, Massachusetts. Is geography or a sense of place a strong element in the collection being reviewed?

Why : What is the poet trying to accomplish? What are the themes and ideas the poet is attempting to communicate?

How : How does the poet use language? What are the key metaphors (and there are almost always key metaphors)? What images are employed? What does all of this tell us about what’s going on in these poems?

While I always believe in providing context for a review, the fact is that a book of poetry can be evaluated simply on the basis of itself. It can also be evaluated by focusing solely on any one (or two) of the Five Ws and One H.

I’m not sure if Walter Lippmann ever thought his influence would extend to the writing of poetry reviews, but I don’t think he would be surprised.

Photo by Mike Locke, Creative Commons, via Flickr.  Post by Glynn Young , author of the novels Dancing Priest and A Light Shining , and Poetry at Work .

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Megan Willome says

July 21, 2015 at 9:50 am

See? Journalism!

Mary Sayler says

July 21, 2015 at 11:16 am

Timely again, Glynn. I have a bilingual edition to review, and your article helped. I suspect other poets and writers will gain much from your suggestions too, so I’ll highlight your post on the Christian Poets & Writers blog – http://www.christianpoetsandwriters.com

Charity Singleton Craig says

July 22, 2015 at 5:34 pm

Glynn – This is enormously helpful for reviews of all types. It’s also a good way just to enter into literature of all types, to find the context and the meaning of words others write. Thanks so much!

Violet N. says

July 25, 2015 at 9:28 am

“Objectivity in journalism…” what a novel concept!

Great article. As Charity said above, helpful for all review. I’m going to file this one.

Grant Clauser says

August 4, 2015 at 9:14 am

The last one, the “how” is the most important, and the one that gets most neglected in reviews. So often the reviewer focuses on the subject and themes in poems, and not the craft or style, but it’s the craft that set the great poems apart from the rest.

Koona Smith says

September 27, 2016 at 3:22 pm

thank you so much. you helped me with my problem. God bless.

Garima says

March 11, 2017 at 6:55 am

It was an immensely helpful read. Thank you!

Smitha says

July 9, 2019 at 5:22 am

This post is extremely helpful. Have a few books to write a review on and had no idea of how to go about it. Thank you for this.

Lalawmpuii Ralte says

September 2, 2019 at 11:02 pm

I find this post really helpful. I have to write a review on my sister’s collection of poems and I didn’t know how to begin. Now at least I can try

June 17, 2020 at 4:18 am

Hi Glynn – very humorous and true. I wondered what all the luminosity was about!!! I was comforted by again finding myself grounded, as in any state of learning, by the Who, What, Where, When, Why and How. I agree that one has to start with oneself before reading any other review. I have used these 6 word-tools in the Learning and Development profession for years. I don’t suppose one can invent a sequencing of words but by attaching oneself to their usefulness and by sharing learning, they can transform into way-marker posts. Thanks for reminding me and for being Lippman-like … for sharing, for being a guide 🙂

June 17, 2020 at 6:55 am

The six words are tried and true – but they still work just fine. Thanks for the comment, Mary.

I. Mónica del P says

August 31, 2020 at 5:05 pm

Greetiengs from Bogotá! Hi Glynn:) Just last night I got to know this space. Recently I began to read poetry “judiciously” and with this article you have helped me a lot to improve my approach with the genre (and to enjoy it more). Have you read Raul Gómez Jattin? I recommend it to you. I would like to know your opinion.

August 31, 2020 at 5:54 pm

Thanks for the comment! I looked into Gomez Jattin. On Amazon, his works are available only in Spanish. I checked two other sites, and all they had were Spanish versions as well. If you come across an English translation, please let me know!

August 31, 2020 at 6:14 pm

Thanks to you, you are very generous with knowledge. Of course, I will tell you.:)

J'Naye Wise says

April 5, 2021 at 7:32 pm

Hello Glynn, it’s a great article with tons of insights to learn from. It’ll be very useful to me since I’m planning to start my second book of poems already.

Anita Warrington says

April 5, 2021 at 7:36 pm

Keep up the good work Glynn, you are a great help especially to the poetry community and new writers who are just starting.

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How to Write a Poetry Book Review: A Simple Guide

• How To Write A Poetry Book Review

How to Write a Poetry Book Review

When reviewing a poetry book, there’s more to it than just expressing your opinions.

To write an effective review, you must carefully analyze the elements of the poetry collection, including its themes, figures of speech, and cultural context.

This process requires thoughtful consideration and attention to detail. This blog post will guide you through writing a poetry book review.

Whether you’re a literature student or simply someone who loves reading and analyzing poetry collections , our step-by-step guide will help you develop a comprehensive understanding of how to write a helpful review that captures all the essential aspects of the group.

So grab your notepad and pen, and let’s get started!

Exploring Central Themes and Messages

Interpreting the author’s purpose, analyzing the form and structure, exploring figures of speech, establishing historical relevance, providing background information, final thoughts on how to write a poetry book review, understanding the poetry selections.

Writing poetry book reviews is one way to sharpen your skills in understanding poetry .

A poetry book review allows you to engage with different poetic styles, themes, and literary devices poets use.

It also allows you to share your thoughts on a particular poem or collection with others with similar interests.

To begin writing a successful poetry book review, it’s essential first to read the selected poems carefully.

Take note of any recurring themes or symbols throughout the collection and try to identify any unique perspectives the poet presents.

One crucial aspect to consider when reviewing a poetry book is the central theme or message conveyed by the author.

This may include exploring identity, social justice, love, loss, or spirituality.

By identifying these themes and analyzing how they are developed throughout the collection of poems , readers can better understand the individual lyrics and their collective impact.

In addition to exploring central themes and messages in a poetry book review, it is also essential to note any unique stylistic choices made by the author.

Interpreting the author’s purpose is crucial to writing a poetry book review.

Understanding why the poet wrote their work and what they intended to convey to readers can help you evaluate the quality and impact of their poems.

To accurately interpret the author’s purpose, you need to understand literary devices, themes, and symbolism in-depth.

When analyzing a poem for its purpose, begin by examining its structure and form. Pay attention to things like rhyme scheme, meter, and stanza length.

These elements can provide clues as to what the poet was trying to achieve with their writing. Next, explore the themes that emerge from the poem.

Ask yourself questions about what message or emotion the poet is trying to communicate through their words. Consider how they use imagery and symbolism to convey these ideas.

Evaluating The Poetic Elements

Evaluating poetry as an art form can be a challenging task. When reviewing a poetry book, it is essential to understand the poetic elements that make up the work.

To begin with, you should look for an overarching theme or message the poem conveys.

This may be evident in the title, but you should consider how each poem contributes to this overall message.

Another crucial element of poetry is its use of language.

A poet’s choice of words and phrasing can significantly impact the meaning and effectiveness of their work.

As you review a poetry book , pay close attention to how language is used in each poem.

Look for poetic devices such as metaphors, similes, imagery, and symbolism that enhance the reader’s understanding and emotional connection to the text.

Finally, consider the structure and form of each poem within the collection.

Analyzing the form and structure of a poetry book is essential for writing a helpful review.

A good review not only praises the poet’s work but also provides insight into their style, themes, and literary devices used.

Before starting to write a review, reading the book thoroughly and taking notes on the individual poems is essential.

When analyzing poetry books , one must pay attention to the book’s overall structure. Does it have a clear narrative arc or thematic progression?

Is there a unifying theme that ties all of the poems together ?

One should also look at how individual poems are structured – what form they take (sonnet, haiku, free verse), what meter and rhyme scheme they use (if any), and how does this contribute to their meaning?

When writing poetry book reviews, incorporating figures of speech can elevate the quality and depth of your writing.

Figures of speech are literary devices that add a layer of meaning to words and phrases beyond their literal interpretations.

They can evoke emotion and create vivid imagery in the reader’s mind, making your review more engaging.

One commonly used figure of speech is a metaphor, which compares two seemingly unrelated things for emphasis or clarification.

For example, “her heart was a fragile glass vase” creates an image that conveys vulnerability in the reader’s mind.

Another popular device is a simile, which compares two things but uses “like” or “as” to make the comparison.

For instance, “his eyes were as blue as the ocean” evokes a specific hue and tone for readers to imagine.

Using personification is another effective way to incorporate figures of speech into your poetry book review.

Examining Historical And Cultural Context

Examining the historical and cultural context surrounding the collection of poems is essential.

This means looking beyond the words on the page and understanding how they fit into a larger societal framework.

By examining the historical and cultural context, reviewers can gain insight into the author’s intentions and how their work has been received by critics and readers alike.

One way to explore historical context is to research significant events or movements occurring when the poetry was written.

For example, reviewing a book of poems published during America’s Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s would be relevant to evaluate how themes of social justice or equality are addressed in each piece.

Establishing historical relevance is an essential element of any poetry book review.

As a reviewer, it is essential to understand the context in which the poet wrote and their literary influences and impact on the genre.

This requires a deep understanding of literary history and identifying historical trends and movements.

It is also important to provide readers with background information about the poet’s life and work.

This includes their education, career path, and any notable achievements or awards they may have received.

Additionally, it is essential to consider the social and political climate of the period in which the poet lived and worked to provide readers with a broader understanding of their work.

Finally, establishing historical relevance also involves analyzing how a poet’s work has impacted the genre.

This includes identifying stylistic innovations or themes that have influenced other poets or movements throughout history .

If you are new to writing poetry book reviews, it can be challenging to know where to begin.

Before diving into the review, providing some background information about the poet and their work is essential.

This will give your readers context and insight into what they can expect from the book.

The first step in providing background information is to research the poet. Please look at their previous works, any awards they have won, and their writing style.

This will help you understand the poet’s perspective and what themes they tend to explore in their writing.

Once you understand the poet’s background, it is time to dive into the book itself. Read through each poem carefully and note any recurring themes or motifs.

Consider how these elements contribute to the overall message of the collection and how they relate to current events or social issues.

In conclusion, writing a poetry book review requires careful attention to the work’s literary elements.

A good review should offer insightful analysis and critique while remaining accessible to readers unfamiliar with poetry.

Consider the author’s intent, themes, and form when crafting your review.

Don’t be afraid to offer your honest opinion, but ensure that it is backed up by evidence from the text.

By following these guidelines, you can write a compelling poetry book review that will engage readers and inspire them to explore new works of literature. Happy reviewing!

r. A. bentinck

Bentinck is a bestselling author in Caribbean and Latin American Poetry, he is a multifaceted individual who excels as both an artist and educator.

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Poetry & Poets

Explore the beauty of poetry – discover the poet within

How To Write A Poetry Review

Understanding Poetry

Poetry is an art form that requires a deep understanding of language and its use. Before attempting to write a review of a poetry work, it is important to understand how the poet intends to communicate, using both literary and figurative language. Working your way through the poem, examining each line or stanza, can help you gain a better understanding of the poem’s intent and composition. Understanding the form of the poem, the intended audience, and the poet’s use of language, can help you prepare to write a review effectively.

Review Criteria

The criteria that you’ll use to evaluate a poem may vary depending on the genre, but some common ones are: structure and form, punctuation, diction and syntax, imagery, humor, and emotion. Structure and form refers to the type of poem being written and its use of rhyme scheme, meter, and other poetic techniques; if the poem is written in a traditional form, you’ll want to judge how closely the poem hews to that form. Punctuation, diction and syntax should be examined for appropriateness with the piece. Diction is the exacting choice of words that make up the poem, and syntax is the arrangement of those words. Imagery looks at the use of vivid language to create visual scenes and evoke emotion. Humor can range from subtle wit to outright satire; the critic should be able to identify when the poet is attempting to use it. Emotion assessment should cover how effectively the poem conveys emotion and how convincing that emotion is.

Before writing your review, it is important to do some research on the poet, their background and past works. You should also review the theme of the poem and try to relate it to other works or to other authors or poets. This background knowledge can help to provide context for the poem and your own interpretation. Doing a comparison of the poem to similar works can help you articulate why the poem stands out and its importance to the genre.

Writing the Review

When it comes to writing the review, it is important to be thorough and detailed. Start by providing an overview of the poem and its structure, provide a brief summary of the poem’s theme, and comment on the author’s use of literary devices, such as similes and metaphors. Then, provide your assessment of the poem’s overall impact, including its originality and strength in capturing the emotions intended by the poet. Be sure to provide reasoning for any criticisms or praise. This can include referencing other works or quotes from the poem. As a reviewer, you should provide an honest and unbiased opinion. It is also important to keep in mind the intended audience of the poem and determine if it accomplishes its purpose.

Style and Structure

Writing a review of a poem requires an understanding of the structure of the poem and its subject matter. When it comes to the structure of the review itself, it is important to be clear and concise, as this will ensure that your review is readable and easy to follow. Start with a brief introduction of the poem and its author, then move on to a condensed summary of the poem’s theme and structure. The length of the review should fit the length of the poem; do not focus too much on long quotes of the work if it is a haiku, for example. Finish the review with a clear conclusion, summarizing your opinion of the poem and the writer’s accomplishments.

Quality is Key

Finally, it is important to ensure that your review is of the highest quality. Proofread your review for any spelling or grammar errors, and make sure that your analysis is well reasoned and easy to follow. Clarity of thought and concise arguments are more effective than flowery language and unsubstantiated claims.

Using Emotional Triggers

Writing a review of a poem is more than just an evaluation; it is a way of showing appreciation and understanding of the poet’s work. As a critic, you should strive to capture the emotion of the poem and communicate it to your readers. Utilizing emotional triggers, like metaphors and similes, can help you convey the feelings of the poem. When used sparingly and effectively, these devices can help your readers understand the poem from a personal standpoint rather than a technical one. While a subjective experience will always be necessary for any review, embracing the emotion of a poem can make your words more meaningful and impactful.

Including An Expert Opinion

Including an opinion from a learned expert can help give credibility to your review. Reach out to an academic or respected poet to provide an outsiders perspective on the poem. Providing different interpretations of the poem, especially if the poem has multiple meanings, can provide readers with a well-rounded perspective. Cite the authority of the expert and explain why their opinion is relevant to the poem.

Engaging the Reader

The key to any successful review is engagement. Writing about a poem can be difficult as its component of emotion can often make it difficult to articulate. In order to create an engaging review, the writer should focus on hooking the reader with descriptions that evoke emotion, rather than memorizing individual words and quotes from the poem. With the help of literary devices and emotional triggers, it is possible to craft a review that will make readers stop and think.

Sharing Your Own Unique Perspective

The final component of a quality review is to make sure that your own unique opinion is shared. Many people view the same poem differently, so providing your readers with an outsider’s perspective can be very beneficial. Share your thoughts and observations, as well as your analysis of the poem. Be sure to provide clear, logical explanations for your opinions and to also include your personal experiences with the poem. Ultimately, the goal of a review should be to provide an honest, unbiased opinion of the work and to give readers something to think about.

Minnie Walters

Minnie Walters is a passionate writer and lover of poetry. She has a deep knowledge and appreciation for the work of famous poets such as William Wordsworth, Emily Dickinson, Robert Frost, and many more. She hopes you will also fall in love with poetry!

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SRPR Review Essay

Each issue of SRPR concludes with “The SRPR Review Essay,” a long analytical essay (20-25 pp) that blurs the line between the short, opinion-driven review and the academic article. Each review essay is written by an established poet-critic who situates 3-5 new books of contemporary poetry within relevant conversations concerning poetry and poetics. At least half of the books discussed in the review essay are published by small presses. Recent SRPR review essays include:

Issue 48.2 : Poetics of Entanglement: Recent Interventions in Gay Shame and Stigma by Phil Spotswood. A review of books by Aaron Smith, Justin Phillip Reed, and Patrick Kindig. entire text )--> Issue 48.1 : Exposure, Confinement, Haunting: Visual Poetry in the Twenty-First Century by Joanne Diaz. A review of books by Katy Didden, Sarah J. Sloat, and Mai Der Vang. ( entire text ) Issue 47.2 : “Dreams of Growing to Rock a Rhyme”: Tradition and Experiment in Recent American Sonnets by Brian Brodeur. A review of books by Caki Wilkinson, Rowan Ricardo Phillips, Matthew Buckley Smith, Alexis Sears, and John Murillo. (entire text ) Issue 47.1 : Redefining Our Futures: Recent Abolitionist Poetic Practice by Allison Serraes. A review of books by DaMaris B. Hill, Mahogany L. Brown, and Shayla Lawz. ( entire text ) Issue 46.2 : Seriousness, Humorously by Andrew Dorkin. A review of books by Joan Retallack, Morgan Parker, and Fred Moten. ( entire text ) Issue 46.1 : Poems in a Pandemic by contributing authors Sesshu Foster, Amy Gaeta, Anna Leahy, Timothy Liu, Mark Wallace, and Jillian Weise. Reviewing a book by Alice Quinn. ( entire text ) Issue 45.2 : Black Poems, White Space by Michael Theune. A review of books by Ashley M. Jones, francine j. harris, and Don Paterson. ( entire text ) Issue 45.1 : Disciples of Baldwin by Korey Williams. A review of books by Malcolm Tariq, Jericho Brown, and Carl Phillips. ( entire text ) Issue 44.2 : Migrant Poets Amid the Mire of Republican Antinepantla by Diego Báez. A review of books by Javier Zamora, Marcelo Hernandez Castillo, and Jan-Henry Gray. ( entire text ) Issue 44.1 : Form Dysfunction by Spencer Short. A review of books by Caroline Levine, Terrence Hayes, and Frederick Seidel. ( entire text ) Issue 43.2 : Taking Joy in Keats, the Comedian Poet by Brian Rejack. A review of books by Dan Beachy-Quick and Eric G. Wilson. ( entire text ) Issue 43.1 : Bad Plath: Excess and Theatricality in Contemporary Poetry by Johannes Göransson. A review of books by Cynthia Cruz, Brooke Ellsworth, Moss Angel the Undying, and Sara Tuss Efrik. ( entire text ) Issue 42.2 : The Body Apocalyptic: Recent Books from the Anthropocene by Jennifer Rane Hancock. A review of books by Angela Hume, Meghan Privitello, and Sam Witt. ( entire text ) Issue 42.1 : The Transcendental Circuit by Joshua Corey. A review of books by Ben Lerner, Claudia Rankine, Reginald Gibbons, and Kirill Medvedev. ( entire text ) Issue 41.2 : To Write the Larger Scene: Notes on the New Political Lyric by John Beer. A review of books by Nathaniel Mackey, Bhanu Kapil, Melissa Buzzeo, and Tyehimba Jess. ( entire text ) Issue 41.1 : The New in the News: Poetry, Authenticity, and the Historical Imagination by Bruce Bond. A review of books by Karen Solie and Adam Kirsch. ( entire text )  Issue 40.2 : Evolution and Apophatic Thought: A Theological Poetics for Our Time by Jerry Harp. A review of books by Eric Pankey, Michael Robbins, and Kimberly Johnson. e ntire te xt )--> Issue 40.1 : D U.S. KS by Aracelis Girmay. A review of books by Eduardo C. Corral, Claudia Rankine, and Jean Valentine. ( excerpt ) Issue 39.2 : Inventions of a Barbarous Age: Contemporary Rhyme in Poetry by Robert Archambeau. A review of books by R. S. Gwynn, Michael Robbins, Amanda Smeltz, and Ben Mazer. ( excerpt ) Issue 39.1 : Should "I Quit // Making This Poem"? Chris Dombrowsky’s narrative-style review essay on The Ecopoetry Anthology (Editors Ann Fisher-Wirth and Laura-Gray Street) and The Arcadia Project: North American Postmodern Pastoral (Editors Joshua Corey, SRPR 37.1 Featured Poet, and G. C. Waldrep). ( excerpt ) Issue 38.2 : Portals, Placentas, and the Corpus Entire: Three Takes on Ekphrasis by Katy Didden. A review of books by David Wojahn, Forrest Gander, and Sarah Fox. ( excerpt ) Issue 38.1 : The Golden Age of American Poetry Is Now by Seth Abramson. A review of new books by Anthony Madrid, Chelsey Minnis, and Matt Hart. ( entire essay ) Issue 37.2 : Torture Memos: Tracing Violence in Contemporary U.S. Poetry by Joyelle McSweeney. A review of new books by Richard Greenfield, Ben Kopel, and Khadijah Queen. ( excerpt ) Issue 37.1 : Bridging the Distance: Documentation and Disappearance in Performatic Poetry by Becca Klaver. A review of new books by Cecilia Vicuña, Kaia Sand, and Anne Carson. ( excerpt ) Issue 36.2 : Raising the Net by Michael Theune. A review of new books by Jeff Hilson, Karla Kelsey, Nick Demske, and Joshua Corey. ( excerpt ) Issue 36.1 : Dressed by Fire by Judith Harris. A review of new books by Jeanne Marie Beaumont and Duriel E. Harris. ( excerpt ) Issue 35.2 : Like Animals, Like Love by Andrew Osborn. A review of new books by Peter Campion, David Baker, and Melissa Range. ( excerpt )

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Poems of Lovesickness

Two Days Twelve Thousand Years Ago

Memories Don’t Live Like People Do

Young People

National poetry month.

Consulting an Astrologer in My 34th Year Without Love

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The editors of Asheville Poetry Review are pleased to announce the WILLIAM MATTHEWS POETRY PRIZE RECIPIENTS for 2023.

Kate DeLay , from Tuscaloosa, AL, is awarded first prize for her poem “Repentance,” and will receive $1000 plus publication in Asheville Poetry Review (Vol. 30, Issue 33), which will be released in December 2023.

Second prize is awarded to Rodney Gomez , from McAllen, TX, for his poem “Tableau With Tarantella, Public Housing, and Underwood Ham.” He will receive $250 as well as publication.

Jeanne Wagner , from Kensington, CA, is the third prize recipient for her poem “Penelope,” and she will also be published in our next issue.

The next reading period for the William Matthews Poetry Prize is from September 15, 2023 – January 15, 2024. The final judge will be announced soon. For the guidelines and more, visit ashevillepoetryreview.submittable.com .

The 2024 William Matthews Poetry Prize

First Prize : $1,000, publication in Asheville Poetry Review , and a featured reading in Asheville Second Prize : $250, publication, and a featured reading in Asheville Third Prize : Publication and a featured reading in Asheville

Judge for 2024 : David Kirby

The final judge will read anonymous manuscripts (all identifying information will be removed from the poems).

All submissions will be considered for publication.

Submission Deadline : January 15 of each year.

Send 1-3 poems, any style, any theme, any length, with a $20 entry fee.

Online submissions only, through Submittable:

Back issue content recently added

The Asheville Poetry Review website is in the process of an all-inclusive update. Our mission is to make all of the content of our back issues available online, creating an archive that contains the complete publishing history of our first fifteen years, dating from our first issue, published in June 1994. We thank you for your patience as we update this site.

Below you’ll find links to the most recently added poetry, reviews, essays and interviews.

The Angels of Our Expectations

The fiction of history, double elegy: for a child, for an old man, morning of the duel, of flesh and heaven, never too late, for camilla wren mcdaniel.

— translated from the Latin by A. E. Stallings

— translated from the Spanish by Louis Bourne

Emmanuel Moses Jonathan Williams Michael Harper Review Hungarian Sally Buckner Jonathan Greene R. T. Smith Bill Knott Simon Perchik Thomas P. Feeny Rene Char Dede Wilson Kathryn Stripling Byer Russian Stella Vinitchi Radulescu Al Maginnes Marilyn Hacker Patricia Smith Welsh J. W. Bonner Luke Hankins Eugenio Montale Thomas Rain Crowe Ryan G. Van Cleave Marilyn Kallet Gearóid Mac Lochlainn Patrick Bizzaro William Matthews Lee Ann Brown Jeffery Beam Gaylord Brewer Jack Hirschman Robert Bly Spanish Janice Moore Fuller Emöke Z. B’Racz Ron Rash Quincy Troupe Phebe Davidson Essay Newton Smith Robert Creeley Keith Flynn Lyn Lifshin

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Of Angel and Puppet: Klee, Rilke, and the Test of Innocence

By Kenneth Gross

Built for his son from the scraps of daily life — matchboxes, beef bones, nutshells, and plaster — Paul Klee’s hand puppets harbour ghosts of human feelings, fragile communications from a world most adults have left behind. Kenneth Gross compares these enchanted objects to angelic figures, in Klee’s artworks and the poetry of Rainer Maria Rilke, helping us dance as well as wrestle with their visions of innocence. more

• Art & Illustrations

Beastly Clues: T. S. Eliot, Torquemada, and the Modernist Crossword

By Roddy Howland Jackson

Just a few years after The Waste Land appeared — a poem whose difficulty critics compared to some “pompous cross-word puzzle” — Edward Powys Mathers (alias: Torquemada) pioneered the cryptic: a puzzle form that, like modernist poetry, unwove language and rewove it anew. Roddy Howland Jackson reveals the pleasures and imaginative creatures lurking in Torquemada's lively grids. more

Petrarch’s Plague: Love, Death, and Friendship in a Time of Pandemic

By Paula Findlen

The Italian poet and scholar Francesco Petrarch lived through the most deadly pandemic in recorded history, the Black Death of the 14th century, which saw up to 200 million die from plague across Eurasia and North Africa. Through the unique record of letters and other writings Petrarch left us, Paula Findlen explores how he chronicled, commemorated, and mourned his many loved ones who succumbed, and what he might be able to teach us today. more

The Skeptical Pilgrim: Melville’s Clarel

By Jeff Wheelwright

Weighing in at a colossal 18,000 lines, Herman Melville’s Clarel (1876), which centres on the theological musings of a group of pilgrims touring the Holy Land, is not for the faint-hearted. Jeff Wheelwright explores the knot of spiritual dilemmas played out in the poem and its roots in Melville’s trip to the Middle East two decades earlier. more

• Religion, Myth & Legend

The Sound and the Story: Exploring the World of Paradise Lost

By Philip Pullman

John Milton’s Paradise Lost has been many things to many people — a Christian epic, a comment on the English Civil War, the epitome of poetic ambiguity — but it is first of all a pleasure to read. Drawing on sources as varied as Wordsworth, Hitchcock, and Conan Doyle, author Philip Pullman considers the sonic beauty and expert storytelling of Milton’s masterpiece and the influence it has had on his own work. more

Walt Whitman in Russia: Three Love Affairs

By Nina Murray

Walt Whitman’s influence on the creative output of 20th-century Russia — particularly in the years surrounding the 1917 Revolution — was enormous. For the 200th anniversary of Whitman's birth, Nina Murray looks at the translators through which Russians experienced his work, not only in a literary sense — through the efforts of Konstantin Balmont and Kornei Chukovsky — but also artistic, in the avant-garde printmaking of Vera Ermolaeva. more

“O Uommibatto”: How the Pre-Raphaelites Became Obsessed with the Wombat

By Angus Trumble

Angus Trumble on Dante Gabriel Rossetti and company’s curious but longstanding fixation with the furry oddity that is the wombat — that “most beautiful of God’s creatures” which found its way into their poems, their art, and even, for a brief while, their homes. more

Divining the Witch of York: Propaganda and Prophecy

By Ed Simon

Said to be spawn of the devil himself and possessed with great powers of prophetic insight, Mother Shipton was Yorkshire’s answer to Nostradamus. Ed Simon looks into how, regardless of whether this prophetess witch actually existed or not, the legend of Mother Shipton has wielded great power for centuries — from the turmoil of Tudor courts, through the frictions of civil war, to the spectre of Victorian apocalypse. more

• Culture & History

Eric, Count Stenbock: A Catch Of A Ghost

By David Tibet

With his extravagant dress, entourage of exotic pets, and morbid fascinations, Count Stenbock is considered one of the greatest exemplars of the Decadent movement. David Tibet on the enigmatic writer’s short and curious life. more

The Poetry of Victorian Science

By Gregory Tate

In 1848, the mineralogist, pioneer of photography, and amateur poet Robert Hunt published The Poetry of Science , a hugely ambitious work that aimed to offer a survey of scientific knowledge while also communicating the metaphysical, moral, and aesthetic aspects of science to the general reader. Gregory Tate explores what the book can teach us about Victorian desires to reconcile the languages of poetry and science. more

• Science & Medicine

Lofty Only in Sound: Crossed Wires and Community in 19th-Century Dreams

By Alicia Puglionesi

Alicia Puglionesi explores a curious case of supposed dream telepathy at the end of the US Civil War, in which old ideas about the prophetic nature of dreaming collided with loss, longing, and new possibilities of communication at a distance. more

On Oscar Wilde and Plagiarism

By Joseph Bristow and Rebecca N. Mitchell

Celebrated for his innovative wit, Oscar Wilde and the notion of originality are common bedfellows. The pairing, however, is not without its complications. Joseph Bristow and Rebecca N. Mitchell explore the claims of plagiarism that dogged Wilde's career, particularly as regards his relationship with that other great figure of late-19th-century Decadence, the American painter James McNeill Whistler. more

Sex and Science in Robert Thornton’s Temple of Flora

By Martin Kemp

Bridal beds, blushing captives, and swollen trunks - Carl Linnaeus' taxonomy of plants heralded a whole new era in 18th-century Europe of plants being spoken of in sexualised terms. Martin Kemp explores* how this association between the floral and erotic reached its visual zenith in Robert Thornton's exquisitely illustrated Temple of Flora . more

Wild Heart Turning White: Georg Trakl and Cocaine

By Richard Millington

To mark the 100th anniversary of the death by cocaine overdose of Austrian lyric poet Georg Trakl, Richard Millington explores the role the drug played in Trakl's life and works. more

Ghostwriter and Ghost: The Strange Case of Pearl Curran & Patience Worth

In early 20th-century St. Louis, Pearl Curran claimed to have conjured a long-dead New England puritan named Patience Worth through a Ouija board. Although mostly unknown today, the resulting books, poems, and plays that Worth "dictated" to Curran earned great praise at the time. Ed Simon investigates the curious and nearly forgotten literary fruits of a “ghost” and her ghostwriter. more

The Strangely Troubled Life of Digby Mackworth Dolben

By Carl Miller

In 1911 the soon-to-be poet laureate Robert Bridges published the poems of Digby Mackworth Dolben, a school friend who had drowned to death at the age of 19 almost half a century earlier. Carl Miller looks at Bridges' lengthy introduction in which he tells of the short and tragic life of the boy with whom fellow poet Gerard Manley Hopkins was reportedly besotted. more

The Krakatoa Sunsets

By Richard Hamblyn

When a volcano erupted on a small island in Indonesia in 1883, the evening skies of the world glowed for months with strange colours. Richard Hamblyn explores a little-known series of letters that the poet Gerard Manley Hopkins sent in to the journal Nature describing the phenomenon - letters that would constitute the majority of the small handful of writings published while he was alive. more

An 18th-Century Genius in Bondage: The Poems and Politics of Phillis Wheatley

By Vincent Carretta

Transported as a slave from West Africa to America when just a child, Phillis Wheatley published in 1773, at the age of twenty, her Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral . Vincent Carretta takes a look at the remarkable life of the first ever African-American woman to be published. more

An Unlikely Lunch: When Maupassant met Swinburne

By Julian Barnes

Julian Barnes on when a young Guy de Maupassant was invited to lunch at the holiday cottage of Algernon Swinburne. A flayed human hand, pornography, the serving of monkey meat, and inordinate amounts of alcohol, all made for a truly strange Anglo-French encounter. more

Robert Southey’s Dreams Revisited

By W.A. Speck

As well as being poet laureate for 30 years and a prolific writer of letters, Robert Southey was an avid recorder of his dreams. W.A. Speck, author of Robert Southey: Entire Man of Letters , explores the poet's dream diary and the importance of dreams in his work. more

Lewis Carroll and The Hunting of the Snark

By Edward Wakeling

In 1876 Lewis Carroll published by far his longest poem - a fantastical epic tale recounting the adventures of a bizarre troupe of nine tradesmen and a beaver. Carrollian scholar, Edward Wakeling, introduces The Hunting of the Snark . more

Christopher Smart’s Jubilate Agno

By Frank Key

The poet Christopher Smart — also known as "Kit Smart", "Kitty Smart", "Jack Smart" and, on occasion, "Mrs Mary Midnight" — was a well known figure in 18th-century London. Nowadays he is perhaps best known for considering his cat Jeoffry. Writer and broadcaster Frank Key looks at Smart's weird and wonderful Jubilate Agno . more

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SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

Harvard Review publishes short fiction, poetry, essays, and book reviews. Writers at all stages of their careers are invited to apply, however, we can only publish a very small fraction of the material we receive. If you are interested in submitting your work for consideration, please refer to the guidelines below. We recommend that you familiarize yourself with Harvard Review before you submit your work. You can find information about the current issue as well as subscription information online.

Do you waive submission fees in case of financial hardship?

If the reading fee at Submittable presents a financial hardship, please email us at info [at] harvardreview.org.

How should I format my manuscript?

Manuscripts must be paginated and clearly labeled with the author’s name on every page. Please submit no more than 5 poems or 7,000 words of prose. Do not send the only copy of your work as we do not accept responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts.

Do you accept book reviews?

We do not accept unsolicited book reviews. If you are interested in reviewing please write to [email protected] describing the kind of books you would be interested in reviewing and enclosing one or more recent clips.

Do you accept paper submissions?

We accept paper submissions by mail:

Harvard Review Lamont Library Harvard University Cambridge, MA 02138

Please include a self-addressed, stamped envelope with your submission. Manuscripts will not be mailed back.

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We ask that writers submit no more than twice a year.

Do you accept simultaneous submissions?

Simultaneous submissions are encouraged, but we ask that you notify us if the work is accepted elsewhere. If you sent work via Submittable, do not email the editors to withdraw part or all of your submission; instead, withdraw in Submittable, or for partial withdrawals, add a note to your submission.

What is your response time?

While we try to respond to submissions within 6 months, it can occasionally take longer for a manuscript to be read. We ask for your patience as we do make every effort to read all the submissions we receive.

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Valparaiso Poetry Review

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Valparaiso Poetry Review presents poems, interviews, and essays by new, emerging, or well-known poets, including Sherman Alexie, David Baker, John Balaban, Walter Bargen, Claire Bateman, J.P. Dancing Bear, Pam Bernard, Christopher Buckley, Jared Carter, Billy Collins, Mark Conway, Peter Cooley, Alfred Corn, Barbara Crooker, Jim Daniels, William Virgil Davis, Kwame Dawes, Mark DeFoe, Cornelius Eady, Lynnell Edwards, W.D. Ehrhart, Claudia Emerson, Bernardine Evaristo, Patricia Fargnoli, Annie Finch, Daisy Fried, Jeff Friedman, Carol Frost, Brendan Galvin, Reginald Gibbons, David Graham, Jonathan Holden, T.R. Hummer, Colette Inez, Gray Jacobik, Allison Joseph, Adrianne Kalfopoulou, Julia Kasdorf, David Kirby, Dorianne Laux, Laurence Lieberman, Frannie Lindsay, Diane Lockward, Rachel Loden, Amit Majmudar, William Matthews, Walt McDonald, Jeff Mock, Alicia Ostriker, Eric Pankey, Elise Paschen, Kevin Pilkington, Stanley Plumly, Doug Ramspeck, Rochelle Ratner, Lex Runciman, Sherod Santos, Margot Schilpp, Vivian Shipley, Beth Simon, Jeffrey Skinner, Floyd Skloot, Karen Skolfield, Dave Smith, Kate Sontag, Barry Spacks, A.E. Stallings, Virgil Suarez, Barton Sutter, Catherine Tufariello, Brian Turner, Ingrid Wendt, Lesley Wheeler, Charles Wright, and many more.

Valparaiso Poetry Review  also offers book reviews and commentary on various poets, including Maggie Anderson, David Baker, John Balaban, Michael Bazzett, Linda Bierds, Elizabeth Bishop, Marianne Boruch, David Bottoms, Jericho Brown, Jared Carter, Carl Dennis, James Dickey, Sharon Dolin, Rita Dove, Rebecca Dunham, Claudia Emerson, Eve Ewing, B.H. Fairchild, Patricia Fargnoli, Beth Ann Fennelly, Ann Fisher-Wirth, Jeff Friedman, Carol Frost, Brendan Galvin, Jorie Graham, Marilyn Hacker, Zbigniew Herbert, Brenda Hillman, Janet Holmes, Cathy Park Hong, Marie Howe, Tom C. Hunley, Donald Justice, Adrianne Kalfopoulou, Ilya Kaminsky, Mary Karr, Ted Kooser, Brad Leithauser, Philip Levine, Larry Levis, Rachel Loden, William Matthews, Campbell McGrath, Susan Mitchell, Gregory Orr, Michael Palmer, Marianne Poloskey, Sherod Santos, Vivian Shipley, William Stafford, A.E. Stallings, Mark Strand, Michael Waters, Charles Wright, James Wright, and others.

Valparaiso Poetry Review  suggests an extensive reading list with  recent and recommended books  of contemporary poetry and poetics. Publishers are encouraged to send review copies of new poetry collections or volumes on poetics to  Valparaiso Poetry Review , c/o Edward Byrne, English Department, Valparaiso University, Valparaiso, IN 46383.

VPR  invites submissions of unpublished poems, book reviews, author interviews, and essays about poetry or poetics which have not appeared online and for which the rights belong to the author. Unsolicited manuscripts are read year round. For further information, please visit the  submission guidelines  and correspondence page.

• Marie Howe: Review by John Ruff
• Valparaiso Poetry Review List of Issues
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The Letter Review Prize for Poetry

Entry to this round of The Prize is free.

Poetry is one of the most ancient and revered forms of creative expression, stretching back to the dawn of literature. Poetry competitions represent a wonderful opportunity for emerging writers to demonstrate their ability and secure publication. They offer established writers an exciting arena in which to showcase new work. We believe in poetry, in literature, and in the importance and magic of new writing. 

The literary mission of The Letter Review includes fostering accessibility to the professional writing industry, and supporting writers at all stages in their efforts to be published, performed, and produced. Pursuant to this our Prize offers:

• The top 2-4 winning entries of the Prize for Poetry are declared the Winners, and share equally in the Prize pool of $1000 USD. 
• To recognize the abilities of the writers who do not place as a Winner, 10-20 entries are Shortlisted. 
• All entries are considered for publication. 
• Winning entries are published by The Letter Review online, and in our Winners Anthology. 
• Winning entries are also frequently submitted to further prestigious anthologies such as the Pushcart Prize. 
• Winners and Shortlisted entries are celebrated on our mailing list, social media channels (FB 34,000 members), at our website (50,000 monthly visitors), and our Subreddit (11K). 
• Winners may request a professional recommendation / endorsement of their work in the form of a letter from our Judges which they may submit to agents, publishers etc.
• Winners may also participate in our interview series, further raising their professional profile. 
• Entrants may elect to access Judges' feedback: "Thank you for such thoughtful - discrete steps to help move my craft forward. There is nothing better that can be said of feedback. In five short graphs, you managed to establish credibility, objectivity, and deliver insight. Cheers to Letter Review's continued success."   Morgan Hatch (Feedback Recipient)

The Letter Review Prize is judged blind to ensure all entrants including emerging, established, and diverse writers have an equal chance of success. We do not assign entries to anonymous readers: Every entry is personally read by our highly qualified Judges. The Letter Review is a proud member of the international Community of Literary Magazines and Presses, and we adhere to the CLMP Contest Code of Ethics.

Read our wonderful previous winning entries by clicking here. 

Read inspiring comments, such as the one below, from our community about the life changing impact of the Prize here.  

"The Letter Review stands as a monument of writing wisdom and talent. Being part of this mosaic of narrative and verse is a true honor." - Frederick Joseph: two-time New York Times bestselling author, activist, philanthropist, and poet (First Place in Letter Review Prize for Poetry)

How To Enter  

• It is free to enter once, and $5 to enter each additional poem. 
• You may enter as many times as you wish. To enter multiple times, select the "Enter Additional Poems" drop down menu, and attach up to 10 files to your first entry form. If you wish to enter more than 10 times please start a second entry form. 
• We are seeking poems up to 70 lines.
• The Prize is open to anyone, from anywhere in the world.
• There are no style or subject restrictions: all poems welcome.
• Please include a short biography (suitable for publication) of less than 200 words in the Cover Letter section.
• Ensure the file name of each document is only the title of your entry. Do not include your name inside your entry document(s) or in the file name as the Prize is judged blind.
• The judges will be Dr. Ol James and Kita Das .
• Format: Original works only. Submissions must be primarily written in English. Any non-English phrases which are uncommon should be accompanied by a translation. The author must own the copyright to the majority of the poem: Light quotation from another work is acceptable if it is acknowledged in your cover letter or in the submission document.
• Your entry must be unpublished, and free from any claims by other parties. You must be the sole author of the work. 'Retellings' or contemporizations must be acknowledged in the cover letter or submission document.  
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• Simultaneous submissions are allowed. If you decide to publish your entry elsewhere, please withdraw from our Prize. If selected for the Shortlist you will have 72 hours in which to confirm your entry remains unpublished (we will contact you).
• You may submit work that has been awarded elsewhere, as long as no part of it has been published. 
• By entering you agree to our Terms and Conditions .
• Prize entry fees may be tax deductible (speak to your accountant).
• The Letter Review Prize offers monetary awards to the Winners, and also improves their public profile, increasing the odds of further publication, and lifting careers to new zeniths. The Letter Review Prize is a career-enhancing laurel.  
• Enter via Submittable using the form below: No entries via post please. Click here for a guide to using Submittable.  

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Bearing witness, celebrating strength: How poetry has changed lives for NPR's audience

Suzanne Nuyen

Trisha Fountain reads "Epitaph"

The last photo Trisha Fountain took with her mother in May, 2006. Fountain's mom died the week after her graduation. She said the poem "Epitaph" has helped offered her comfort. Trisha Fountain hide caption

The last photo Trisha Fountain took with her mother in May, 2006. Fountain's mom died the week after her graduation. She said the poem "Epitaph" has helped offered her comfort.

Last month, we asked NPR readers what poetry means to them. We received nearly 500 responses, from lifelong poetry fans to those who have only recently come to enjoy the genre. From sparking the imagination to helping with mental health, listen to poems read by NPR readers and see how poetry has affected their lives.

Responses have been edited for length and clarity.

Poetry to heal from grief

Dozens of readers shared stories of how poetry helped them process grief. Trisha Fountain of Ann Arbor, Mich., lost her mother to cancer the week after she graduated from college. "The months that followed were filled with feelings of confusion, anger, sadness, emptiness and lack of purpose," she said.

Six months later, Fountain spent her first birthday without her mother at the funeral of her friend's mother, who died of the same cancer. She heard Merrit Malloy's "Epitaph" read at this funeral. Now 40 years old, Fountain still remembers the poem. "This poem allowed me to feel seen, held, directed and connected to my mom in a way that my grief didn't allow me to process before that moment," she said. "Throughout the last few decades, I have shared that poem with countless others during the loss of their loved ones as a way to 'pay it forward' and attempt to gift others with the same comfort and life affirmation it gave to me.

Melissa McNabb reads "One Art"

Many readers shared their love for "One Art" by Elizabeth Bishop. Melissa McNabb of Michigan said it was the first poem that made her gasp aloud when reading it. Aerie Treska of Baltimore, Md., said the poem took her breath away, "both because of the rawness of the speaker's grief and the poem's deceptively simple, yet elegantly complex structure, rhythm, and diction." Treska calls it a "master class in the power of poetry to bear witness."

Poetry for mental health

Evan de back reads "the things i didn't do".

For many readers, poetry has been a transformative force in their lives as they battle various mental health struggles.

"Poetry has been an outlet for my emotions in stressful times, most often while I was depressed," said Evan De Back of Johnston City, Tenn. The 39-year-old sometimes feels like he can't express himself to others because his emotions are too raw. "[Writing poetry] helps me process and move past emotions that would otherwise mire me in rumination." De Back reads a poem he wrote called "The Things I Didn't Do."

Poetry to inspire confidence

Some readers said they always have a poem they reach for when they need a reminder of everything they are capable of achieving. "In poems, we readers see our mirrored reflection and gain new insight into ourselves," Lara Cowell of Honolulu, Hawaii, said. Cowell read Kimberly Blaeser's "About Standing (in Kinship), because of how it "celebrates our collective strength and power when we work in synergy, harmony and friendship."

Evan Wang reads "Muse for Night"

Evan Wang of King of Prussia, Pa., said poetry helped both him and his community blossom. Once a self-described "timid student," Wang now performs his poetry as a Youth Poet Laureate. "Poetry found me — a first-generation American living in the quiet suburbs — in this vastness, took my hand, and helped me find myself. He shares his poem, "Muse for Night."

Poetry to rouse the imagination

Hayley Kelsey of Florida calls poetry the highest literary art. "It comes closer to rendering the world around us than any other," she said. "It has opened my eyes and ears to the wonders of the world again and again: sound, images, perception."

Many other readers agreed that poetry sparks their imagination and stimulates their senses. Coel Whitemab of Honolulu, Hawaii, believes "poems are for everyone and everything" because everyone will interpret a poem differently. "Poetry sets me free...to imagine my life as a bird soaring on the breeze of imagination and thoughtfulness," he said.

Nina Laubach reads "Absence, Presence"

Nina Laubach of Lawrenceville, N.J., shares her favorite poem, "Absence, Presence," by Luisa A. Igloria. "I love how this poem moves through time, seasons, and generations and also returns us to our present, daily mundane lives," she said. "It is...as if imagination was not some alternate, secondary path, but rather the very essence of expressing the experience, memory and longing to be human."

On Common Ground: Loess Hills anthology book review

What is on common ground .

On Common Ground is a collection of essays, poetry, art, and all about the Loess Hills created by experts and creatives from a wide range of fields after a trip to the Loess Hills together in 2021. The participants include writers, artists, theologians, biologists, and more, who each viewed the Loess Hills through the lens of their own expertise and life experiences. The resulting works share each contributor's unique perspective on the Loess Hills.  Some are celebratory, other mournful, and many have a conservation element. For those who may not know or remember, loess is a deposit of ancient glacial silt that forms hills, and here in western Iowa, we have the most extensive loess hills in the world other than a remote part of China. I think it's great to see such an insightful work devoted to this geological treasure. On Common Ground was edited by Drs. Ryan Allen and Brian T. Hazlett, and I think perhaps Dr. Allen said it best in his epilogue: "At the heart of the  On Common Ground experience is a realization that there is wisdom in collaboration."

On Common Ground is published by Ice Cube Press , an independent publisher based in North Liberty, Iowa. 

Contributors to  On Common Ground

On Common Ground is edited by Ryan Allen and Brian T. Hazlett

Ryan Allen is an assistant professor of English and writing and Brian T. Hazlett is a biology professor, both at Briar Cliff University here in Sioux City.

On Common Ground  also includes pieces from 

• Kristen Drahos, assistant professor of theology at Baylor University
• Jim Helfers, a literature professor from Grand Canyon University
• Patrick Hicks, a professor of creative writing and literature and writer-in-residence at Augustana University
• Mike Langley, a local musician and member of the Iowa Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame
• Melanie Krieps Mergen, a writer, musician, and Briar Cliff alum
• Vincent Miller, chair of Catholic Theology and Culture at the University of Dayton
• Scott R. Moats, a biologist who lives at Broken Kettle Grasslands and serves the Nature Conservancy as their Iowa and Missouri Fire Manager and Iowa director of Stewardship
• Cornelia F. Mutel, an ecologist and writer of many works including the iconic Fragile Giants
• Dan O'Brien, a wildlife biologist, rancher, and award-winning writer
• Aric Michael Ping, a conservationist who works in ecological management
• John T. Price, a professor at University of Nebraska Omaha, director of his English Dept's Creative Nonfiction Writing Program, writer, and editor of The Tallgrass Prairie Reader
• James Calvin Schaap, a writer and retired Dordt University professor 
• Daryl Smith, one of the founders of the University of Northern Iowa's Tallgrass Prairie Center
• Jerry Wilson, a writer of many works, former editor of South Dakota Magazine , and retired teacher
• Norma Clark Wilson, a poet, editor, essayist, and University of South Dakota English Professor Emerita
• Nan Wilson, a noted regional artist
• William M. Zales, a retired professor who now lives in the Loess Hills

Phew! That's quite an impressive collection of thinkers and creators! (note: these are based on their author bios in the book. Many of them have doctoral degrees but chose not to include the title Dr. in their bios so I didn't use them either.)

How to get On Common Ground

On Common Ground: Learning and Living in the Loess Hills is available on (affiliate link:) Amazon and other online retailers. It is also available in store at Book People in Sioux City, Prairie Lights in Iowa City, and is likely to be available at other bookstores and gift shops around Iowa that sell books by local authors.

There are also some in-person events celebrating the book, and some copies of the book are likely to be available at those events:

• Thursday, August 24th, 2023 at 7pm at Briar Cliff University in the St. Francis Assisi Room
• Saturday, August 26th, 2023 from noon to 2pm, at Book People on Hamilton Boulevard 

I really encourage you to go to these events if you're at all interested--it takes a lot of work to write a book and it is so heartening to reach that finish line of having it published and out to the public, and one of the best parts is definitely getting to go celebrate your book at public events! 

Congratulations and well done to all the contributors to On Common Ground: Learning and Living in the Loess Hills . I definitely think this is an important book that furthers the literature on the Loess Hills, plus an enjoyable and thought-provoking read for anyone interested. 

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Guest Essay

Saying Goodbye to My Brilliant Friend, the Poetry Critic Helen Vendler

By Roger Rosenblatt

The author, most recently, of “Cataract Blues: Running the Keyboard.”

One makes so few new friends in older age — I mean, real friends, the ones you bond with and hold dear, as if you’d known one another since childhood.

Old age often prevents, or at least tempers, such discoveries. The joy of suddenly finding someone of compatible tastes, politics, intellectual interests and sense of humor can be shadowed, if tacitly, by the inevitable prospect of loss.

I became friends with Helen Vendler — the legendary poetry critic who died last week — six years ago, after she came to a talk I gave at Harvard about my 1965-66 Fulbright year in Ireland. Our friendship was close at the outset and was fortified and deepened by many letters between us, by our writing.

Some critics gain notice by something new they discover in the literature they examine. Helen became the most important critic of the age by dealing with something old and basic — the fact that great poetry was, well, lovable. Her vast knowledge of it was not like anyone else’s, and she embraced the poets she admired with informed exuberance.

The evening we met, Helen and I huddled together for an hour, maybe two, speaking of the great Celtic scholar John Kelleher, under whom we had both studied; of Irish poetry; and of our families. Helen was born to cruelly restrictive Irish Catholic parents who would not think of her going to anything but a Catholic college. When Helen rebelled against them, she was effectively tossed out and never allowed to return home.

She told me all this at our very first meeting. And I told her the sorrows of my own life — the untimely death of my daughter, Amy, and the seven-plus years my wife, Ginny, and I spent helping to rear her three children. And I told Helen unhappy things about my own upbringing. The loneliness. I think we both sensed that we had found someone we could trust with our lives.

I never asked Helen why she had come to my talk in the first place, though I had recognized her immediately. After spending a life with English and American poetry — especially the poetry of Wallace Stevens — how could I not? The alert tilt of her head, the two parenthetical lines around the mouth that always seemed on the verge of saying something meaningful and the sad-kind-wise eyes of the most significant literary figure since Edmund Wilson.

And unlike Wilson, Helen was never compelled to show off. She knew as much about American writing as Wilson, and, I believe, loved it more.

It was that, even more than the breadth and depth of her learning, that set her apart. She was a poet who didn’t write poetry, but felt it like a poet, and thus knew the art form to the core of her being. Her method of “close reading,” studying a poem intently word by word, was her way of writing it in reverse.

Weeks before Helen’s death and what would have been her 91st birthday, we exchanged letters. I had sent her an essay I’d just written on the beauty of wonder, stemming from the wonder so many people felt upon viewing the total solar eclipse earlier this month. I often sent Helen things I wrote. Some she liked less than others, and she was never shy to say so. She liked the essay on wonder, though she said she was never a wonderer herself, but a “hopeless pragmatist,” not subject to miracles, except upon two occasions. One was the birth of her son, David, whom she mentioned in letters often. She loved David deeply, and both were happy when she moved from epic Cambridge to lyrical Laguna Niguel, Calif., to be near him, as she grew infirm.

Her second miracle, coincidentally, occurred when Seamus Heaney drove her to see a solar eclipse at Tintern Abbey. There, among the Welsh ruins, Helen had an astonishing experience, one that she described to me in a way that seemed almost to evoke Wordsworth:

I had of course read descriptions of the phenomena of a total eclipse, but no words could equal the total-body/total landscape effect; the ceasing of bird song; the inexorability of the dimming to a crescent and then to a corona; the total silence; the gradual salience of the stars; the iciness of the silhouette of the towers; the looming terror of the steely eclipse of all of nature. Now that quelled utterly any purely “scientific” interest. One became pure animal, only animal, no “thought-process” being even conceivable.

One who claims not to know wonders shows herself to be one.

She was so intent on the beauty of the poets she understood so deeply, she never could see why others found her appreciations remarkable. Once, when I sent her a note complimenting her on a wonderfully original observation she’d made in a recent article, she wrote: “So kind of you to encourage me. I always feel that everything I say would be obvious to anyone who can read, so am always amazed when someone praises something.”

Only an innocent of the highest order would say such a beautiful, preposterous thing. When recently the American Academy of Arts and Letters awarded her the Gold Medal for Belle Lettres and Criticism, Helen was shocked.

“You could have floored me when I got the call,” she wrote to me, adding: “Perhaps I was chosen by the committee because of my advanced age; if so, I can’t complain. The quote that came to mind was Lowell’s ‘My head grizzled with the years’ gold garbage.’”

She was always doing that — attaching a quotation from poetry to a thought or experience of her own, as if she occupied the same room as all the great poets, living with them as closely as loved ones in a tenement.

Shelley called poets the “unacknowledged legislators of the world.” I never fully got that famous line. But if the legislators’ laws apply to feeling and conduct, I think he was onto something. If one reads poetry — ancient and modern — as deeply as Helen did, and stays with it, and lets it roll around in one’s head, the effect is transporting. You find yourself in a better realm of feeling and language. And nothing of the noisier outer world — not Donald Trump, not Taylor Swift — can get to you.

In our last exchange of letters, Helen told me about the death she was arranging for herself. I was brokenhearted to realize that I was losing someone who had given me and countless others so much thought and joy. Her last words to me were telling, though, and settled the matter as only practical, spiritual Helen could:

I feel not a whit sad at the fact of death, but massively sad at leaving friends behind, among whom you count dearly. I have always known what my true feelings are by whatever line of poetry rises unbidden to my mind on any occasion; to my genuine happiness, this time was a line from Herbert’s “Evensong,” in which God (always in Herbert, more like Jesus than Jehovah), says to the poet, “Henceforth repose; your work is done.”

She closed her letter as I closed my response. “Love and farewell.”

Roger Rosenblatt is the author, most recently, of “Cataract Blues: Running the Keyboard.”

The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. We’d like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips . And here’s our email: [email protected] .

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Near-Life Experience by Rowland Bagnall review – the time traveller’s life

The British poet’s second collection is an exacting examination of the past, the present and an uncertain future

P oetry is a form of scrutiny, an inquiry that, when it succeeds, advances further than it is possible to go in prose. Rowland Bagnall ’s attractively questing second collection is an investigation of consciousness. Like Virginia Woolf, he records moments of being although, unlike her, his moments are likely to be guarded and seldom ecstatic and to involve openly philosophical reckoning. He is curious about how to situate himself – and by implication us – in time and space. The recognition that time can neither hold or be held is at once an ongoing preoccupation – and a provocation. In The Hare, he lends the day a human quality: “I wake into the morning / and find unanimous spring / and the windows are pale with filtered light / and the day asks, How shall I survive myself?” Time runs out and into Bagnall’s writing and, at the same time, each piece is a moment of standing still (the day can survive in a poem).

The poems themselves seem to stand to attention in this fine, exacting and hyper-vigilant project in which he cross-examines the present, past and most often (he is in his 30s) an unsteady future.

Nothing Personal, the opening poem, begins: “The century surges, / shuddering on, accelerating in pursuit / of someplace rumoured up ahead”. He gives us a hint, from the start, of his determination to consider the bigger picture and not neglect historical perspective while pointing out personal insignificance in a doomed world: “Still, like the inhabitants of a city / soon to be razed by a unit of cavalry, know / that this is happening in spite of not because of you”.

Self-consciousness turns out to be a strength and he seems to have found his own frequency on which to write – plus ample bandwidth. Double Vision at the Sink begins humbly as he looks down into a white ceramic sink, engaged in the task of shelling jumbo shrimp “snapping the carapace away” and the poem then takes off without warning (we do not discover how the meal turned out). He has an exhilarating and unpredictable sense of direction, launching himself from kitchen sink to sky and onward to the Mérode Altarpiece (c1428), which he has seen earlier on shrimp-shelling day. He is especially assured writing about paintings (reassured, perhaps, by their non-verbal authority). He describes Joseph “drilling holes into a piece of wood. Behind / him is a street-scene of a European / town outdating him by something close to fourteen hundred years”. By the end of the poem, he has (without notice) boarded a plane and describes watching an onscreen flight path and the attendant vertigo: “The planet is divided into time zones / on a gridded map. I zoom in on the country / then the city we’ve just left, then the apartment, / then the kitchen where I see myself before / the sink, my fingers working neatly on the silvery-grey / shrimp”.

Bagnall proves a master Zoomer and with a great eye for closeups. Unripe Plum is a wonderful description of a stubborn, dented fruit resistant to becoming a still life (the plum is subject to time too): “It changes colour / in the light getting weaker each day – sometimes purple, / sometimes mauve, even the dark blue that Cézanne uses / to underline his apples”.

The poems in which Bagnall allows the present moment to consume him, such as Landscape Unevenness, are his most arresting (in every sense) allowing for a fusion of time, place and self: his conjuring of a muntjac leads almost to becoming one with it: “like watching myself crash / away through the bush”.

Near-Life Experience by Rowland Bagnall is published by Carcanet (£11.99). To support the Guardian and Observer order your copy at guardianbookshop.com . Delivery charges may apply

Landscape Unevenness

In spring, when rain that fell some days ago has all but evaporated, becoming purposeful humidity, the ground gives slightly into you, your feet meeting the half resistance, a landscape unevenness.

Usually this has no impact – is largely ignorable – unless your movement makes it happen, where “it” equals everything and everything that comes to mind, each step bringing about the trees, engendering clouds.

Today produced a single muntjac – or so it appeared – initiated by a slip, the colour of raw clay, emitting centuries of heat – millennia even – like watching myself crash away through the brush.

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