In the realm of literary criticism, Harold Bloom is one of the biggest names ever in the American scene. Here on eNotes, we have many examples of Bloom's criticism and even criticism of his criticism. His exploration of poetry’s relationship with death represents a profound and thought-provoking dimension of his broader theoretical framework. Bloom's essay…
Read More "Harold Bloom’s Meditations on Poetry and Death: An Analytical Overview"
Five poetry activities for your classroom.
The beloved American poet Mary Oliver (1935–2019) died today, leaving behind a rich and vast body of literary work. Oliver was arguably the most popular poet of her generation, best known for her poems of the natural world. Her style is quickly recognizable; at once sublime and grounded, her language conveys sweeping spiritual states through…
At first, analyzing a poem may seem like an intimidating task, especially considering the myriad poetic forms out there. It’s important to note, however, that a poem can have different meanings for different readers. Many poems are intentionally left open-ended and refuse to resolve their internal tensions. As poet Billy Collins says, you should not…
With only a few more days left in National Poetry Month, we want to highlight one of the last major events of this month’s celebration: Poem in Your Pocket Day. This year, Poem in Your Pocket Day will be held on April 26. It’s a day to carry around pocket-sized works of poetry to encourage…
It’s official: we’re living in the “age of the Insta-poet.” The “Insta-poet” is defined as a young poet who publishes verse primarily on social media. With social media’s dominance in our ever-evolving digital world, it’s not surprising to hear that Instagram, alongside various other social media platforms, is contributing to the success of aspiring artists. While…
It's important to highlight the extraordinary influence female poets have had on our literary culture. Early codes of feminine behavior did not encourage women to express their personal passions, desires, and reflections through writing. Though women have written poetry for ages, it wasn't until the first wave of the women's movement in the twentieth century…
In fifth grade, my music teacher asked me to recite a poem during our holiday concert. This meant having to stand in front of my classmates, teachers, and parents, and, I guess, read? I practiced it, but practice always felt like a weird term for that. More like, read it over and over in my…
