A Charles Simic poem celebrating the magic of libraries.
Tag Archives: William Wordsworth
Listen Carefully, the Books Are Whispering
Sterne’s Uncle Toby and My Own Toby
In which I reflect on the name I gave to my youngest son, linking him back to the kindly Uncle Toby in “Tristram Shandy.”
Sad Thoughts in Early Spring
A guest post on Wordsworth’s “Lines Written in Early Spring” from Tobias Wilson-Bates to celebrate the official start of spring.
Micah and Dickinson on Kindness
The prophet Micah’s famous observation about justice, kindness, and humility can lead us to other poems about kindness, including Dickinson’s “If I can stop one heart from breaking.”
Pullman’s Debt to the Romantic Poets
In Secret Commonwealth and Rose Field, Pullman takes inspiration from the great Romantic poets in his quest to keep the imagination open.
Travel to Innisfree—in Your Mind
Dreaming of a rural paradise as you find yourself trapped in an hot and smelly urban environment? You can travel, in your mind, to the lake isle of Innisfree with Yeats.
Oliver: My Work Is Loving the World
in Mary Oliver’s “Messenger,” the poet provides insight into what it means to live forever.

