American poetry

Pulitzer Prize-winning poet and essayist William Stanley Merwin was known in the 1960s as an anti-war poet. Now an environmental activist, Merwin has published a new book of poems, The Shadow of Sirius, which addresses themes of memory and mortality.

When Emily Dickinson died in the 1880s, she was a reclusive, barely published writer. Today, she is a fully canonized, iconic poet. Former U.S. poet laureate Billy Collins says the progress of her status was unprecedented.

Blanco, who read his poem "One Today" at Obama's second inauguration, is the first immigrant, Lation and openly gay poet chosen to read at an inauguration.

The former U.S. poet laureate explains his admiration for Emily Dickinson -- and shares some of his favorite Dickinson poems. Collins says her words have a "sheer, untouchable originality."

Poet Jehanne Dubrow shares several poems from her third poetry collection, Stateside, about her experience as a Navy wife, trying to understand her own life while waiting for her spouse to return from war.

The former poet laureate reflects on his brother's passing in the new poem "August Notebook: A Death." The elegy is included in Hass' new collection, The Apple Trees at Olema, which includes material from his first five works — as well as new poems on the art of storytelling and personal relations in a violent world.

W.S. Merwin won his second Pulitzer Prize for poetry on April 20. In a 2008 interview, Merwin talked with Fresh Air about memory, mortality and acceptance.

The legendary singer-songwriter is touring the U.S. for the first time in 15 years. He joins Terry Gross to talk about his poetry, his songwriting and his time at a retreat called the Zen Center.

Natasha Trethewey won the 2007 Pulitzer Prize for poetry for her book Native Guard. Her parents had an interracial marriage while it was still illegal in Mississippi, and Tretheway's poetry often draws on her childhood as a biracial child in the south.

Songwriter and poet Leonard Cohen. His latest volume of poetry is called “Book of Longing.” He’s also working on an upcoming album. Cohen’s poetry career began 50 years ago with the 1956 publication of “Let Us Compare Mythologies.” Cohen is also known for his deep voice and slow phrasing of songs that straddle the folk-rock fence. He’s made 17 albums. The latest is “Dear Heather” (2004). He also appeared in the 2005 feature length documentary, “Leonard Cohen: I’m Your Man,” which is now out on DVD.