poems – Page 2 – Andrew Careaga

New (and free) ‘Live and Let DEI’ anthology turns banned words into poetry

Image of the cover for the poetry anthology 'Live and Let DEI: Poems That6 Draw on the U.S. Government's New "Forbidden Words"'

When the world and everything in it becomes toxic and chaotic, I often turn to works of poetry for solace and insight. And it’s during such times that poets often rise to the challenges of taking a stand against the ascent of totalitarianism and fascism. They emerge as a culture’s moral compass, as prophets and advocates for change, for reformation, for revolution, and it’s important that these voices have a space to be shared.

Last April, Winning Writers launched a project to provide such a space. The website issued a call for poetry that incorporated words and phrases the U.S. government has banned for a new anthology that was published earlier this week. You can download a PDF of the anthology, Live and Let DEI: Poems That Draw on the U.S. Government’s New ‘Forbidden Words’, free of charge.

Celebrate National Poetry Month

April is National Poetry Month in the USA, and the Academy of American Poets have come up with 30 ways for us to celebrate — at home or online or in the classroom.

One way to celebrate is to sign up to receive a poem a day, delivered straight to your inbox every morning. What better way to start your day than with a poem?

Friday Five: Q&A with poet and ‘Sparks of Calliope’ editor Randal Burd

‘I try to make poetic observations that tie in to our common humanity.’

On this, the first Friday of National Poetry Month, I’m pleased to introduce readers to Randal Burd, a fellow Missourian whose second book of poetry, Memoirs of a Witness Tree, was published in 2020 by Kelsay Books. His first book of poetry is a self-published work titled Leaving Home: Discoveries and Reflections of a Once-Sheltered Heart. An educator, freelance editor and writer, and genealogist, he also is the creator of the “journal of poetic observations,” Sparks of Calliope. His poetry appears in numerous print and online journals (partial listing). Learn more about Randal and his writing on his website, The Edge of Memory.

Friday Five: Q&A with poet Agnes Vojta

‘You don’t need anybody’s permission to be a poet. You just need to love it.’

Continuing this blog’s celebration of women authors throughout Women’s History Month, and furthering my desire to use this platform to highlight other authors, I’m delighted today to share this email interview with Agnes Vojta, a poet who happens to live in my neck of the woods here in Missouri and who also happens to teach physics at Missouri University of Science and Technology.

A native of Germany, Agnes is the author of three books of poetry — Porous Land, The Eden of Perhaps, and A Coracle for Dreams — all published by Spartan Press in 2019, 2020, and 2022, respectively. More recently, she and eight other poets from Missouri and Arkansas collaborated to create the anthology Wild Muse: Ozarks Nature Poetry, published in December 2022 by Cornerstone Press. Agnes also serves as an associate editor for Thimble Literary Magazine and hosts Poetry at the Pub, a local reading and open mic event. She and her husband, Thomas, a professor and chair of physics at Missouri S&T, are avid hikers and kayakers who share their passion for the outdoors and information about Ozarks trails and more at RollaHiking.info.