News & Notes

announcements, events, and occasional reflections

Poetry Writing Lesson: Using Metaphor to Carry Emotional Weight

This poetry lesson on Alicia Ostriker’s “Years” explores how metaphor creates emotional depth, compression, and honesty in poetry without relying on exposition.

May 45 min read

Poetry Writing Lessons: Opening Doorways Like Jane Hirshfield

Learn how Jane Hirshfield’s “Almond, Rabbit” can inspire your own writing through consequence, perspective, and restraint in this month’s poetry writing lessons.

Jan 205 min read

Poetry Writing Lessons: Asking Questions Like Aimee Nezhukumatathil

This month’s Poetry Writing Lessons post looks at Aimee Nezhukumatathil’s poem ‘Are All the Break-Ups in Your Poems Real?’ Discover how titles, structure, and sound can inspire fresh poems this December.

Dec 16, 20254 min read

Poetry Writing Lessons: Using "In Which" Like Denise Duhamel

This month’s Poetry Writing Lessons post dives into Denise Duhamel’s playful “Poem in Which I Press Fast Forward.” Learn how to use parallel phrasing, couplets, and compressed time to generate new work. Perfect inspiration for November’s writing life—or as a prompt for the Gentle 30-Day Micro-Writing Challenge.

Nov 20, 20254 min read

Poetry Writing Lessons: Following the Thread in Sara Eliza Johnson’s "Fable"

Discover poetry writing lessons from Sara Eliza Johnson’s "Fable." Learn how associative leaps, layered imagery, and sound create mystery in poetry—and try a guided exercise of your own.

Oct 21, 20255 min read