Check out my latest poem "How to Do Nothing," which is a villanelle. I also offer an explanation of how villanelles work, as well as famous examples of this dance-like poety form.
Category: Healing Words: Poetry and Trauma
How to Write War, Wounds, and Elegies: Seven More Questions for Pastor Poet Patrick Cabello Hansel
Point of view. Persona & speaker. Distance. All of these factors impact how to write war poetry. Pastor poet Patrick Cabello Hansel shares more, including how his own family ties to Ukraine have influenced his work.
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Walking with the Tender Awe of Poetry: A Hand of Blessing on Ashes
As guest contributor Darcy Wiley notes, "Poetry may not solve problems, but it often de-centers them, bending toward small creatures and hidden moments."
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Triptych for Cosmic Music [Advent pandemic poem]
Check out this Advent pandemic poem, which is one of my attempts at putting the past two years into words.
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Place, Neurodiversity, and Creative Practice: Interviewing Poets Jon and Elisa Rowe
Place. Relationship. Faith. Neurodiversity. Creative practices. Advice for new poets--poetry couple Jon and Elisa Rowe explore all this, and more, in this interview :).
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How to Write War, Wounds, and Elegies: Seven Questions for Pastor Poet Patrick Cabello Hansel
How do we process unanswered questions and gaps in memory, especially regarding war and wounds? Pastor Poet Patrick Hansel gives us some clues in his new book Quitting Time.
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What This Year’s Black History Month Taught Me About Protest and Poetry
This year, I've celebrated Black History Month by learning from Black artists and poets, past present, and future. The more I learn, the more I want to learn.
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How Do We Protect and Include Our Bodies When We Memorize Poems?
Why memorize a poem? What do race, #ChurchToo, and embodiment have to do with poetry? I explore all of those questions, and more, in this hot-off-the-press book review.
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Poetry as Cure for Being Gaslit
Poems (and psalms) alone are not sufficient to address injustice. But they can be a first step in the right direction.
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When God Saves Our Lives Through Poetry: Interviewing Malaysian Poet Ezra Jalin
A discussion about the poetry scene in Malaysia, as well as poetry's role in activism, mental health, and faith.
Melanie Weldon-Soiset 