Sarah Kirsch: 1935-2013 May 23, 2013: We're saddened to hear about the death of German-lyric poet, Sarah Kirsch. Kirsch died on May 5th: her death was recently announced by her publisher, the Munich-based publishing house Deutsche Verlags-Anstalt (DVA), a Random House subsidiary. From Deutsche Welle: Born during the Nazi era in 1935 as Ingrid Bernstein, she changed her [...] by Harriet Staff

RIP David Hernández, Chicago’s Unofficial Poet Laureate February 26, 2013: We received the sad news yesterday via the WBEZ blog that Chicago poet David Hernández died early yesterday morning of a heart attack. Achy Obejas writes a heartfelt tribute to Hernández: There’s a chance this blog might be a little sloppy. As I write, I’m a mess of tears. And these aren’t soft poetic tears but real sobs. My [...] by Harriet Staff

Tom Raworth Remembers Anselm Hollo January 31, 2013: As promised (and expected) more remembrances and tributes to Anselm Hollo, who died this week, are pouring in. We wanted to draw your attention to this tribute by Tom Raworth in the Independent. Raworth reminds us of Hollo's place in the world of letters, a place that spanned national and linguistic borders: Anselm Hollo was a major [...] by Harriet Staff

Poet and Translator Lucien Stryk has Died January 30, 2013: This week we were saddened by the news of Lucien Stryk's passing. In addition to writing numerous books of poetry and poetry in translation, Stryk was a long-time professor of English at Northern Illinois University. NIU Today reports: The NIU community is mourning the loss of Lucien Stryk, an internationally acclaimed Zen poet and former [...] by Harriet Staff

RIP Anselm Hollo January 29, 2013: We are very sorry to hear the sad news today of Anselm Hollo's passing. We reported recently that he was recovering from post-operative pneumonia and in the care of his family. Robert Archambeau offers a brief remembrance at his blog Samizdat: I am very sad to have heard from Mark Johnson that Anselm Hollo died this morning. give up [...] by Harriet Staff

New York Times Obituary of Poet and Editor Harvey Shapiro January 9, 2013: On Monday the New York Times published this obituary of Harvey Shapiro, poet and a long-time editor at the New York Times. In the obituary Margalit Fox calls Shapiro "an admired American poet who chose newspaper work over the time-honored academic vocation of his peers," and noted that as an editor at the Times, Shapiro "made an epochal [...] by Harriet Staff

Jayne Cortez Obituary at the New York Times January 7, 2013: A little over a week ago we heard the sad news that poet Jayne Cortez had died, and we promised more news as it arrived. The New York Times has posted this obituary, noting that Cortez's poetry was "known for its visceral power, its political outrage and above all its sheer, propulsive musicality..." The piece goes on to discuss Cortez's [...] by Harriet Staff

RIP Jayne Cortez December 28, 2012: We've caught wind today of the very sad new of Jayne Cortez's passing, via the Black Rock Coalition. From their Facebook feed: It is with great sadness and heavy hearts that we announce that Jayne Cortez, a poet and performance artist of the highest order, made her peaceful transition this morning. She served as a mentor to many within [...] by Harriet Staff

O’Driscoll’s Departure December 27, 2012: Yesterday we posted briefly on the passing of Dennis O'Driscoll. We hear today from the Belfast Telegraph that president Michael D. Higgins of Ireland has paid tribute to the poet. To add more context to his life and work, surf over to this article at the Irish Times by Eileen Battersby that begins: Civility, a word all too infrequently used, [...] by Harriet Staff

RIP Dennis O’Driscoll December 26, 2012: We are sorry to hear of the passing of Dennis O'Driscoll yesterday. From RTE News of Ireland: The death has taken place of the poet, Dennis O'Driscoll. Mr O'Driscoll, who was originally from Thurles in Co Tipperary, was 58. He was the author of nine volumes of poetry, as well as being an essayist and critic. His work has [...] by Harriet Staff