Video

Classic Poems Turn Lyrical on Natalie Merchant's New Album

After a seven-year hiatus, singer and songwriter Natalie Merchant has just released a two-disc album titled Leave Your Sleep, a collection of 26 traditional poems set to original music. 6:17

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MORE VIDEOS FROM NewsHour Poetry Series

Poet Kwame Dawes Takes On HIV/AIDS in Jamaica
Kwame Dawes reads his poems and talks to correspondent Jeffrey Brown about HOPE: Living and Loving with HIV in Jamaica. 06:35

Pau-Llosa Discusses Latin American Art, Shares Poem
Poet and art critic Ricardo Pau-Llosa reads from his new collection, "Parable Hunter." 04:04

Poetry Program Gives Prisoners Unexpected Voice
For more than 30 years, poet and professor Richard Shelton has traveled to a high security prison in Arizona to run a program that encourages prisoners to write and read poetry. 09:14

Richey's Poetry Addresses Son's Role as a Soldier
The poems in Frances Richey's "The Warrior" are written to her son, who has served two tours in Iraq. 08:48

Robert Hass Reads From Prize-Winning Collection
The poet reads selections from "Time and Materials," the 2008 Pulitzer Prize-winning poetry book. 06:46

For Terrance Hayes, Pittsburgh and Poetry Are No Strangers
The poet discusses life in Pittsburgh, "where no one is a stranger," and shares some of his work. 08:01

Mary Jo Bang Examines Grief's Poetic Form, the Elegy
The poet shares two poems from her recent collection. 04:42

Charles Simic: From Belgrade to Poet Laureate
Born in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, Poet Laureate Charles Simic has authored 18 books and won numerous awards, including the Pulitzer. Simic reflects on his craft. 08:57

From the Air to the Page: The Poetry of John Ashbery
Profile of one of the nation's most important contemporary writers. 08:14

Fit to Print: The Business of Publishing Poetry
Seattle poetry publisher finds method to adapt to changing cultural times. 07:58

Elizabeth Bishop: Poems, Prose, and Letters
Bishop's writings collected in a new volume. 08:10

Descended from Dreamers: Poems by Li-Young Lee
The poet reads two poems from his recent collection. 04:24