Nocturne at High Noon. And the National Book Award Goes to . . . November 19, 2009: From a list of the most interesting list of of finalists ever (so says Ron Silliman), the National Book Award judges picked Keith Waldrop's Transcendental Studies: A Trilogy (UC Press) as this year's winner. Waldrop, a fixture of the poetry world of Providence, Rhode Island, has been celebrated as a translator (most recently of Baudelaire's [...] by Travis Nichols

dubious poetry: the palin comparison November 17, 2009: Many have noted the poetry latent in Sarah Palin’s speech. Now that she's published a memoir, Going Rogue, many are noting the non-poetry of her non-prose. But who would have imagined that Palin had a poetic forerunner, a partner in rhyme, a fellow Bard of Bad? Julia A. Moore (1847-1920), popularly called the “Sweet Singer of [...] by Abigail Deutsch

Vladimir, Ron, and Gregori November 17, 2009: by Melissa Friedling

So long and thanks for all the fish + a question about translation November 16, 2009: Dear readers of this here Harriet blog, Well, looks like my time here has come to a close. It's been interesting watching you all anonymously thumbs up and thumbs down one another. In all seriousness, thank you for reading my posts, and allowing me to introduce you all to some poets, poetry, and indie presses which may not have otherwise [...] by Barbara Jane Reyes

Controllable Git November 15, 2009: One thing that happened the other day was the memorial, at which one found the issue in which one’s article on the other one recently passed was printed. Agh! I was blogging around trying to nosedive into ashes (more...) by Anselm Berrigan

To Vaya in the Viva of Time November 15, 2009:   The crowd arrives in a burst of flashlights and tango. The ears primed for tin can cantatas. The white-dressed flamenceros waltzing with the cubists. (more...) by Edwin Torres

Spoken Words November 14, 2009: Last week we held our annual Literary Festival at school. We had an amazing line-up (including Harold Ramis; 2-time Newberry winner, Gary Schmidt; the rock band, The Handsome Family; and sports writer, Melissa Isaacson). But we always make sure to invite at least one performance poet and, without fail, this performer is the overwhelming fan [...] by John S. O'Connor

Love, Jack November 13, 2009: We love poetry at Poetry. We especially love poetry that comes over the transom, wrapped in fine ink on paper, accompanied by missives that state: "This is the most important letter you have ever received." This week we're abuzz over Ryan Murphy's latest art press incarnation (The North Beach Yacht Club) and its newly minted Hokku Notebook, by [...] by Fred Sasaki

second sex takes second place? November 12, 2009: I own a pink skirt, a pink dress, a pink scarf, a pink coat, three pink sweaters, and six pink shirts. Each time I shop for clothes, my eyes wander toward another rose tee, and my fingers fondle another salmon sarong, and I ask myself, Why? But I know why. I love pink because I am Woman. Obviously. The more serious implications of [...] by Abigail Deutsch

Tomas November 11, 2009: by Melissa Friedling