2020 The Poet's Pulse

Mary Gilliland discusses her poems, which “speak in or of lives…not literally lived, lives that come to life in [her] imagination.”

WTP poet Adrienne Su discusses how her experience of displacement growing up Chinese-American in the Atlanta suburbs, and how it informed her food-themed collection, Peach State.

Sara London and Cherene Sherrard discuss her new collection, Grimoire; inherited trauma; recent events; and more.

WTP editor Sara London interviews Rachel Eliza Griffiths, whose most recent book includes her work as both a poet and photographer.

“I’ve never felt voice in poetry was something a writer could ‘find;’ it simply came as one matured as a writer.” Interview with WTP poet Cleopatra Mathis.

“The wonder is that not more women poets have headless or sawn women in their poems!” WTP poet Sue D. Burton on her collection BOX: the theme of women’s bodies, finding a structure, and the personal inspiration.

“Writing was a deeper imperative, my soul home—and I was the breadwinner for my family. Eventually I began to write about work—and the two worlds merged.”

“Poetry brings us back to tangible language and solid ground.” A conversation with Poetry Editor Sara London and Jeffrey Harrison.

WTP poet Nathan McClain speaks with poetry editor Sara London on fatherhood as inspiration, writing political poems, and his work at Hampshire College.

“My aim is to make my formal devices seem naturally connected to my subject, no matter how calculated the interweaving comes to be in the later stages of writing.” WTP poet Robert B. Shaw speaks with Sara London.

“I tell myself to live writing!” Sara London speaks with Lee Briccetti, executive director of Poets House in New York City, on stylistic choices in her work, events from Poets House, her inspiration, and more.

“I’m definitely happier now as a mixed-bag poet.” WTP poet Terri Witek discusses her new collection THE RAPE KIT, her collaborations with other artists and poets, and the changing nature of poetry in the digital age in her interview with Jennifer Nelson.

Joyce Peseroff speaks with WTP 2018 contest winner Cynthia Manick on her winning poems, advice for working writers, and finding inspiration.

“Creating the first draft of a poem often involves gathering sparks,” says Dina Elenbogen, and her poems reflect this statement: flashes of illumination and light, beautiful yet with the potential to start a blaze.

Richard Hoffman talks his poetry and nonfiction as well as advice for young writers.

David Hamilton, professor emeritus at the University of Iowa and former editor of The Iowa Review, is hailed as a master of contemporary pastoral.

Jo Ely interviews a group of American poets who discuss poetry as resistance, poetry as renaissance, and poetry in the time of Trump.

Charlotte Holmes gives a behind-the-scenes look into her writing process and her short memoir, “Klavern,” from her forthcoming book: The Grass Labyrinth.

“I want [my poetry] to take off the diver’s mask.” Nancy Mitchell interviews Jean Valentine on her work, life history, and literary inspirations.

One poet and his aspiration for other poets: “crowd sourcing” recommendations to help people find their new favorite poets.

Performance poet Sophia Blackwell talks about herself as a writer and performer. She says her audience is always smarter than she is.

David Loret de Mola speaks on performance poetry, guerrilla poetry, & how his video Bi-Planetary Culture comes from alien origins.

“I’ve been telling stories since I was knee high to a grasshopper… It’s all I ever wanted to do.”

“Sometimes I write like I’m a spirit whispering in your ear in the dark and other times like I’m screaming into a hurricane.”

It was the concentration, the distillation, the pressing close of words, the patterns opening in eye and ear, the hope of the sheer complexity of life finding some kind of clarified echo…

“It’s always been my sanctuary. Ever since I was very, very young I’ve retreated into the written word.”