Current News

Laureate Lovefest (with Grace Cavalieri!) A FREE webinar presentation of a procession of poets laureate from Ireland, Canada, and across the USA. Readings and panel discussion, including special video readings by former U.S. Poet Laureate TED KOOSER. Featuring our very own Grace Cavalieri! Grace Cavalieri, Poet Laureate of Maryland, has authored 23 poetry volumes, a memoir, myriad texts, lyrics, and 26 produced plays. She created and hosts NPR's weekly The Poet and the Poem. The recipient of many accolades, including the Paterson Lifetime Achievement Award, she has been a teacher, … [Read more...]

Rose Solari Reviews Three New Collections Exploring History and Identity The WIROB critic tackles collections by Steven Leyva, Miles David Moore, and Stanley Moss in the January roundup Rose Solari reviews three exemplar new poetry collections for Washington Independent Review of Books. In her ongoing poetry column, Solari takes great care to tie each of the collections she reviews together and the theme this month is history and identity. From the beautifully drawn New Orleans of Steven Leyva's The Understudy's Handbook, to the WWII of Miles David Moore's Man on Terrace … [Read more...]

Arlington Literary Journal Publishes New Katherine E. Young Poem "If There is a Hell" The former Poet Laureate of Arlington's new poem asks and answers the question if there was a hell, what would it look, feel, smell and taste like? The latest poem by former Arlington Laureate in the Arlington Literary Journal comes direct from the pages of Young's forthcoming collection, Woman Drinking Absinthe. Previously published in Tampa Review, "If There is a Hell" has been making the rounds as a teaser for the collection to come. Katherine E. Young recently read her poem "Women's Work" … [Read more...]

Grace Cavalieri Interviews Poetry Superstar Ocean Vuong Grace Cavalieri kicks off the new year and a new season of "The Poet and The Poem" with an interview of poetry superstar Ocean Vuong. From her website: "Ocean Vuong is the author of The New York Times bestselling novel, On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous, out from Penguin Press (2019) and forthcoming in 30 languages. A recipient of a 2019 MacArthur "Genius" Grant, he is also the author of the critically acclaimed poetry collection, Night Sky with Exit Wounds, a New York Times Top 10 Book of 2016, winner of … [Read more...]

Katherine E. Young Describes Writing of Occasional Poem "Women's Work" for Swearing-In of Libby Garvey "What I found was: almost nothing. In fact, I discovered very few recent poems about public service or public servants in general, and no poems celebrating women in public service." by Katherine E. Young Soon after I was appointed Arlington County's first poet laureate in 2016, I got a phone call: could I please find a poem to read at the swearing in ceremony for County Board Member Libby Garvey? I dutifully pulled up various databases of poets and poetry, ran online searches, and … [Read more...]