In celebration of National Poetry Month, every day we're posting a new poem from the spoken-word album Poetic License, a three-CD set that features one hundred performers of stage and screen reading one hundred poems selected by the actors themselves. From Shakespeare and Dickinson to Lucille Clifton and Allen Ginsberg, the lineup spans contemporary American poetry and classics of the Western canon.
Christina Rossetti (1830-1894) was an English poet of the Victorian era known for her mystical and religious themes and children's verse, but also for her examination of the experience of women during her time. Rossetti's poetry collections include Goblin Market and Other Poems (1862), A Pageant and Other Poems (1881), The Face of the Deep (1892), and Monna Innominata: Sonnets and Songs (1899).
Rebecca Luker has recently appeared in Mary Poppins and Nine on Broadway. The New York City actress and singer, whose latest album is Greenwich Time, has received award nominations for stage performances in The Music Man, The Sound of Music, and Show Boat, among other musicals.
"Remember" by Christina Rossetti, from Poetic License produced by Glen Roven. Copyright © 2010 by GPR Records. Used with permission of GPR Records.
A Virtual Forum for Women Writers
She Writes, a Web site established for women writers, has joined the ranks of literary social networking utilities. Launched in June it aims to provide a place "where women writers working in every genre, in every part of the world, and of all ages and backgrounds, can come together in a space of mutual support."
Inside Indie Bookstores: Women & Children First in Chicago
In the third installment of our series Inside Indie Bookstores, contributor Jeremiah Chamberlin travels to Chicago to talk with Linda Bubon and Ann Christophersen, co-owners of Women & Children First.
Pass-Along Poems
Spread the word about debut poets and their work with this Pass-Along Poems chapbook. Print, assemble, and bind several handcrafted, saddle-stitched editions. Add your recommendations for first-time poets on the back pages, and while you’re at it, paste in your own polished, unpublished work or that of others you admire.
Poetry Challenge
Need a dose of inspiration for your writing routine this April? Take our Poetry Challenge and try out a new writing prompt or poetry-related assignment every day during National Poetry Month.