A photograph of a young boy walking past a military tank. In the background are apartment buildings.
Essay
By Federico Perelmuter

In her new collection, Carolyn Forché asks whether poetry of witness is still possible in a world fractured by algorithms and overwhelming catastrophe. 

Poem

From the magazine:

Ode to a Dolly Parton Drag Queen

By Bruce Snider
She lip-syncs “Hello God,” then “9 to 5.”
She struts. Or does she fly? Like the soul,
a rhinestone, she tells us, will never die.
She’s a blush-pink Bible. Patched together,
she’s a cosmic doll. Mirror of a mirror,
she winks, her face the only...
Poem

From the magazine:Filling Up at Love’s

By Faylita Hicks
When Love’s vector straddles me
—filling the mini-SUV with neon and gas—

                                  is when I feel safest sleeping…
Poem

From the magazine:

How to Be a Poet

By Wendell Berry
Make a place to sit down.   
Sit down. Be quiet.   
You must depend upon   
affection, reading, knowledge,   
skill—more of each   
than you have—inspiration,...

Poem of the day

From the magazine:Positivity

By D. A. Powell
“Anyway, it isn’t forever,” Chris said,
“eventually you’re dead.” And we laughed
...
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FROM THE CURRENT ISSUE OF

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Quote:

It is time to sing like cobblestones in rain.

. Unquote.
— Carolyn Forché
Poem

From the magazine:Wind

By Carolyn Forché
Quote:

Listen, this may take a while

 

Listen, this may take a while

. Unquote.
— Jay Gao
Poem

From the magazine:January Afternoon

By Daniel Durand
Translated By Jordan Landsman
Poem

From the magazine:Beast

By Elena Croitoru-Reed
Quote:

I have started from happiness again.

. Unquote.
— jason b. crawford
Poem

From the magazine:Bella Notte

By Gilad Jaffe
Poem

From the magazine:play cousins

By Nicole Adabunu
Quote:

All that repeats—
let it be sweet? 

. Unquote.
— Tracy K. Smith
Poem

From the magazine:God of Song

By Tracy K. Smith
Poem

From the magazine:From Below

By Carl Phillips

The Poetry Foundation transforms lives through the power of words. Our work aims to amplify poetry and celebrate poets by fostering spaces for all to create, experience, and share poetry.


Featured Poets

Ted Joans

1928—2003

Ted Joans published some forty books and booklets of poetry. His major poetry collections include Afrodisia (Hill & Wang, 1970), Black Pow-Wow: Jazz Poems (Hill & Wang, 1969), and All of Ted Joans and No More (Excelsior, 1961)

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