Tagged Poetry

Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month at the Fifth Latin American Book Fair!

The vibrant spirit of the Latino community comes alive at the fifth annual  Latin American Book Fair in Philadelphia (LABF). This annual celebration, organized by a dedicated team of community leaders, has become a staple event…

Introducing the 2023–24 Philadelphia Youth Poet Laureate

The Free Library of Philadelphia is pleased to announce the 2023–24 Philadelphia Youth Poet Laureate: Oyewumi Oyeniyi, a senior at Cristo Rey Philadelphia High School! She was selected from a competitive pool of applicants by the…

Are You Philadelphia’s Next Youth Poet Laureate?

Are you a creative, engaged student who is passionate about writing, reading, performing, and experiencing poetry? Are you equally passionate about working with your peers and other students to bring more poetry to Philadelphia? If so,…

Picture Book Highlights | National Poetry Month

April is National Poetry Month. It is fitting for it to be so, at the start of spring, at the start of renewal and new life. Everyone can be a poet and see poems in the world, in everyday life. Stop and take a moment…

"La femme noir" by Philadelphia's Youth Poet Laureate, Telicia Darius

The City of Philadelphia in conjunction with the Free Library administered the title of Youth Poet Laureate to Telicia Darius in September 2022. This civic position recognizes an exceptional poet who also demonstrates a commitment to…

Virtual Monday Poets - Now in its 28th season!

Monday Poets is one of the longest continuously running programs at the Free Library, currently in its 28th season. Join us for a very special virtual event on Monday, December 19 at 6:30 p.m. with Philadelphia Poet Laureate Airea D.…

Introducing the 2022–23 Philadelphia Youth Poet Laureate...

The Free Library of Philadelphia is pleased to announce the 2022–23 Philadelphia Youth Poet Laureate: Telicia Darius, a senior at Hardy Williams Mastery Charter School in a dual enrollment program at the Community College of…

Are You Philadelphia’s Next Youth Poet Laureate?

Are you a creative, engaged student who is passionate about writing, reading, performing, and experiencing poetry? Are you equally passionate about working with your peers and other students to bring more poetry to Philadelphia? If so,…

The lyrical speaker: Finding your own voice through poetry!

“La poesía es un espacio de libertad/ Poetry is a space of freedom”. Carlos José Pérez Sámano, Mexican poet and writer Poetry explores the language and its limitations. It’s a way to get…

In April, Every Day Is a Poem!

April showers, as they say, bring May flowers, and we’ll be very glad to see them this year! But what else does April bring? It’s National Poetry Month , and there are so many ways to celebrate poetry! Get to know…

Novels-In-Verse Recommendations for Poetry Month

Ah, Spring, that magical season when a young person's mind turns to thoughts of friendship, feelings, and free verse. No wonder April is Poetry Month! Here in Philadelphia, the days are getting longer, the temperatures are getting…

Philly, Meet Your New Poet Laureate

The Free Library and the Philadelphia Poet Laureate Governing Committee are excited to announce that Airea D. Matthews has been appointed the 2022-2023 Philadelphia Poet Laureate . The committee of poets, educators, and…

Nourishing Literacy | Veggie Rap!

If you like sweet beets, nourish your literacy with extra flavor and spice! Brocc out with the Veggie Rap! It's a jam, and it might even make you feel butter. Lime for lime you can farro along. Phyllo ears with some grape…

¡Celebremos la Fiesta del Libro en Español!

The love for the Spanish language and culture can transcend frontiers! The stories, poems and illustrations of the books can reflect personal narratives that touch our collective unconsciousness. A team of talented community…

Nourishing Literacy | Books and Cooks: Strong Rocks

Books and Cooks, a collaboration between the Parkway Central Library Children’s Department and the Culinary Literacy Center’s Nourishing Literacy team, offers an afterschool series of story read-alouds, cooking ideas,…

Andre’a Rhoads Named the 2021-2022 Philadelphia Youth Poet Laureate

You got some change? Bring it out Don’t just stand there Playing a poor man’s game Change jingles in your pocket Like the dangling shackles Stuck in my ear, hurting my soul — from “Jukebox,” by…

Palestinian Stories in Literature for Young People

by Erin H . and Kayla H. What does it feel like to be a child living through war and displacement? How can young people in the United States learn to develop empathy for young people around the world? How do we explain to our children…

Creative Writing: Discovering Your Inner Voice

I always wanted to explore creative writing! It’s fascinating to understand what tools and mechanisms writers use to craft a story or a poem. Creating with words is an amazing and fun experience! The pandemic gave me the…

One Book, One Philadelphia | Youth in Verse

This year’s One Book, One Philadelphia youth titles are Elizabeth Acevedo’s The Poet X and Hey Black Child by Useni Eugene Perkins—both written in verse. While novels in verse are nothing new, with some of the first…

Celebrate Poetry Month Virtually!

Is it any wonder that April is National Poetry Month ? What a beautiful time of year to be in Philadelphia—a veritable poetry capital, vibrant in the face of challenges—and with April showers and the cherry blossoms in…

The In-Between Spaces: Exhibition

Our newest community collaborative, The In-Between Spaces, opens on November 13 in West Gallery One at The Free Library of Philadelphia’s Parkway Central location (1901 Vine Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103). This…

Monday Poets with Alina Pleskova and Sadie Dupuis

Join us as we kick off one the longest continously running programs at FLP!  Monday Poets 29th season and this year we are back onsite and in the Literature Department on the 2nd floor.  We are super excited about this since…

Treasures from the Literature Vault

Do you love old books? Then join us for Treasures from the Vault– a casual, hands-on book club program spotlighting items from the Literature vault! The vault, home to our closed reference collections, is a treasure trove of…

Alice Dunbar-Nelson

Free Library resources in support of the Rosenbach's Digital Exhibition: "I Am an American!" The Authorship and Activism of Alice Dunbar-Nelson

Poetry - Poets on Film

Documentaries about poets and fictional films based on their lives or featuring their poetry.

Poetry in Translation

Take pleasure in reading poets from other languages and cultures.

Poetry - Novels in Verse

Poetry with special appeal for tweens and teens.

Poetry - Haiku

A poetry form which transcends its traditional roots.

Poetry - Great Contemporary Poetry

Selections from the Literature Department.

Poetry - Children's Poetry for Everyone

The young and the young at heart will relish children’s poetry for all ages.

Poetry - New Poetry for Children

Enjoy new poetry books for children

LitFinder

Discover literature content from more than 150,000 full-text poems, 840,000 poem citations and excerpts, 7,100 full-text short stories and novels, 3,800 full-text essays published in the 16th-20th centuries, 2,400 full-text speeches, and…

Gale Literary Sources (formerly Artemis)

Cross-search all of Gale’s literature databases from a single digital space to find biographies, primary sources, contextual reference, and criticism. Includes Dictionary of Literary Biography, Something About the Author, LitFinder,…

Safiya Sinclair | How to Say Babylon: A Memoir

In conversation with Philadelphia Poet Laureate Airea D Matthews Hailed by Tara Westover as “Dazzling. Potent Vital. A light shining on the path of self-deliverance,”  Safiya Sinclair ’s memoir  How to Say Babylon  recounts her struggle…

Kwame Alexander | Why Fathers Cry at Night: A Memoir in Love Poems, Recipes, Letters, and Remembrances

In conversation with Tracey Michae’l Lewis-Giggetts  Kwame Alexander  is the author of  The Crossover , a “beautifully measured novel” ( The New York Times Book Review ) that follows twin brother basketball stars coming to terms with…

Airea D. Matthews | Bread and Circus

In conversation with poet Phillip B. Williams Airea D. Matthews is the 2022–23 Philadelphia Poet Laureate and directs the poetry program at Bryn Mawr College. Her collection Simulacra won the 2016 Yale Series of Younger Poets Prize and…

Camille Dungy | Soil: The Story of a Black Mother’s Garden

In conversation with Abra Lee Camille T. Dungy  is the author of  Guidebook to Relative Strangers: Journeys into Race, Motherhood, and History , a debut personal essay collection that was nominated for the National Book Critics Circle…

Eileen Myles | a “Working Life”

“Unflinching but also irrepressibly humorous” ( The New York Times Book Review ), Eileen Myles is the celebrated author of nearly two dozen books of poetry, fiction, nonfiction, plays, and performance pieces, including Pathetic…

Camonghne Felix | Dyscalculia: A Love Story of Epic Miscalculation

In conversation with Sharon G. Flake Camonghne Felix is the author of Build Yourself a Boat , “an exquisite and thoughtful” ( Bustle ) poetry collection that was longlisted for the National Book Award in poetry and shortlisted for the…

Reginald Dwayne Betts | Redaction

In conversation with Airea D. Matthews A “powerful work of lyric art” and “tour de force indictment of the carceral industrial state” ( The New York Times Book Review ), Reginald Dwayne Betts ’ poetry collection  Felon  won the NAACP…

Ross Gay | Inciting Joy: Essays with Major Jackson | A Beat Beyond: Selected Prose of Major Jackson

Ross Gay is the author of The Book of Delights , a life-affirming collection of short lyric essays that reminds readers to appreciate so-called ordinary wonders, even during turbulent times. His several volumes of poetry include Catalog…

Ada Limón | The Hurting Kind

The 24th United States Poet Laureate, Ada Limón is acclaimed for her explorations of the “frightening mysteries and hopeful uncertainties of the everyday” ( The New York Times Book Review ). Her many poetry collections include the…

Raquel Salas Rivera | antes que isla es volcán / before island is volcano

Introduced by Denice Frohman In conversation with Cynthia Dewi Oka The 2018–19 Poet Laureate of Philadelphia, Raquel Salas Rivera is the author of five full-length books of poetry. These poetry collections include lo terciario/the…

Garrett Hongo | The Perfect Sound: A Memoir in Stereo

In conversation with Major Jackson Garrett Hongo was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize for the poetry collection  The River of Heaven . His other books of poetry include  Yellow Light  and  Coral Road . The distinguished professor in the…

Bernardine Evaristo | Manifesto: On Never Giving Up

In conversation with Tamala Edwards, anchor, 6ABC Action News morning edition Bernardine Evaristo won the 2019 Man Booker Prize and the Dublin Literary Award for  Girl, Woman, Other , “a breathtaking symphony of Black women’s…

Nikole Hannah-Jones | The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story

In conversation with Tamala Edwards, anchor, 6ABC Action News morning edition, and Dr. Anthea Butler, Geraldine R. Segal Professor in American Social Thought and Chair of Religious Studies, University of Pennsylvania Introduced by…

Tracy K. Smith | Lucille Clifton’s Generations: A Memoir

In conversation with Trapeta B. Mayson Chronicling African American family life and women through 14 celebrated poetry collections, Lucille Clifton won the National Book Award and the Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize, and is the only author ever…

Honorée Fanonne Jeffers | The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois with Kevin Young | Stones

Honorée Fanonne Jeffers is the author of five poetry collections, including The Gospel of Barbecue , Red Clay Suite , and T he Age of Phillis , which was longlisted for the 2020 National Book Award for Poetry and won a 2021 NAACP Image…

Jackie Kay | Bessie Smith: A Poet’s Biography of a Blues Legend

In conversation with Sapphire The National Poet Laureate of Scotland from 2016 to 2021, Jackie Kay is the author of the celebrated poetry collections  Life Mask ,  Off Colour , and  The Adoption Papers , winner of the Scottish Arts…

Rita Dove | Playlist for the Apocalypse: Poems

In conversation Trapeta Mayson, Philadelphia Poet Laureate Former United States Poet Laureate Rita Dove won the 1987 Pulitzer Prize for Thomas and Beulah , a semi-fictional collection of verse that examined the lives of her…

Camille T. Dungy, Gregory Pardlo and Joshua Bennett | There’s A Revolution Outside, My Love: Letters from a Crisis

In conversation Trapeta Mayson, Philadelphia Poet Laureate A reflection of the heartrending turmoils of racial injustice and brutality against Black Americans amidst the fear and uncertainty of a pandemic,  There’s a Revolution Outside,…

Yusef Komunyakaa |  Everyday Mojo Songs of Earth: New and Selected Poems, 2001–2021

Yusef Komunyakaa won the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry for Neon Vernacular , a collection of poems that spoke about the realities of the Vietnam War, of which he was a veteran. His other collections include Warhorses , Taboo , and The…

Natalie Diaz | Postcolonial Love Poem with Denice Frohman

Natalie Diaz is the author of When My Brother Was an Aztec , an “ambitious . . . beautiful” ( New York Times ) American Book Award–winning poetry collection that ruminates on her sibling’s drug addiction. A former professional…

Poetry

Poetry in all its forms including classic selections from our Literature Department, Haikus, poetry for children, and poetry with special appeal for tweens and teens. Read poets from diverse cultures and in other languages, as well as…