Poem of the Week: “Ghazal,” by Reginald Dwayne Betts

We hope you’ll join us on September 23 as we welcome Reginald Dwayne Betts for two virtual appearances. Please visit our Events page for details. GHAZAL Name a song that tells a man what to expect after prison; Explains Occam’s razor: you’re still a suspect after prison. [br][br] Titus Kaphar painted my portrait, then dipped

Poem of the Week: “Exegesis” by Leila Chatti

Congratulations to RCAH alum, Leila Chatti, on the publication of her debut collection, Deluge! For ordering details click here. Exegesis I bled. God didn’twant to hear about it. He said uncleanand so it was. He said it isharm, and so it was. Want to hear about it? He said unclean.Once a woman wanted, so he

Poem of the Week: “What the Angels Left” by Marie Howe

What the Angels Left At first, the scissors seemed perfectly harmless.They lay on the kitchen table in the blue light. Then I began to notice them all over the house,at night in the pantry, or filling up bowls in the cellar where there should have been apples. They appeared under rugs,lumpy places where one would

Poem of the Week: “The Gardener” by Patricia Hooper

The Gardener Since the phlox are dyingand the daisies with their bright bodieshave shattered in the wind, I go out among these last dancers,cutting to the ground the withered asters,the spent stalks of the lilies, the black rose, and see them as they were in spring, the timeof eagerness and blossoms, knowing howthey will all

Poem of the Week: “A Small Needful Fact” by Ross Gay

A Small Needful Fact Is that Eric Garner workedfor some time for the Parks and Rec.Horticultural Department, which means,perhaps, that with his very large hands,perhaps, in all likelihood,he put gently into the earthsome plants which, most likely,some of them, in all likelihood,continue to grow, continueto do what such plants do, like houseand feed small and

Poem of the Week: “My Wisdom” by Naomi Shihab Nye

My Wisdom When people have a lotthey want more When people have nothingthey will happily share it * Some people saynever getting your waybuilds characterBy now our character must bedeep and wide as a continentAfrica, Australiagiant cascade of starsspilling over our huge night * Where did the power go?Did it enjoy its break?Is power exhausted?What

Poem of the Week: "a woman's place" by Denice Frohman

a woman’s place i heard a woman becomes herselfthe first time she speaks without permission then, every word out of her moutha riot say, beautiful& point to the map of your bodysay, brave& wear your skin like a gown or a suitsay, hero& cast yourself in the lead role /// when a girl pronounces her

Poem of the Week: “Bird” by Dorianne Laux

Assistant to the Director, Estee Schlenner, chose this week’s poem. “I always turn to Dorianne Laux’s work when I need some comfort, and I feel like we could all use a little comforting right now. I love the way she ties in nature to her poetry, and how this poem leaves you thinking about gratitude

Poem of the Week: “Waking After the Surgery,” by Leila Chatti

We couldn’t have been more tickled to see this poem from RCAH alumna Leila Chatti’s new book “Deluge” in Friday’s New York Times (and selected by friend of the Center for Poetry Naomi Shihab Nye). Be sure to save the evening of Tuesday, April 21 for a reading here with Leila celebrating the release of

Poem of the Week: “Late February” by Ted Kooser

Center for Poetry intern, Kaylee McCarthy, choose this week’s poem. “I chose this poem because we’ve had a warm couple of days, and I think Kooser’s description really captures the facade of spring offered by the end of February. He masterfully conveys how the snow fades to reveal everything hidden in winter. He challenges our