poetry

  • Seek the Story

    Edward Hopper’s paintings were inspired as well as inspiring. Who could view his moody and spare piece, “Nighthawks,” and not look for a story therein? A recent short story collection, edited by Lawrence Block, called In Sunlight or in Shadow: Stories Inspired by the Paintings of Edward Hopper, makes that point. In the foreword, Block writes:  “Hopper… Continue reading

  • This Valentine’s Day, Use Your Words!

    What truly says “I love you” to your Valentine? A fancy dinner out? Good luck getting a table, or avoiding romantic indigestion as you navigate the desperate crush of other romance seekers. A box of chocolates? Hardly original, and not exactly helpful with our New Year’s resolutions. Do diamonds speak louder than words? Nope – not even close:  … Continue reading

  • Celebrate Native American Heritage Month through poetry

    National Native American Heritage Month, observed in November, honors the histories, cultures, and contributions – historical and ongoing – of American Indians and Alaska Natives. Here are a few suggestions of poets to read in celebration, both this month and all year; you can also find this list in our catalog. Or check out the… Continue reading

  • Quick Reads That Make My Queer Heart Skip A Beat

    Introducing Teddy by Jess Walton. I don’t even know where to begin with this sweet and tender children’s book without spoiling it. Jess Walton knocks it out of the park with this one: it’s a children’s book that has a transgender character that isn’t rejected and who doesn’t perpetuate the stereotype that transgender people are… Continue reading

  • The Wondrous World of the Central Library

    Emily Winfield Martin is the writer of the blog The Black Apple that I have been following for eons it seems. She has also written a few children’s books that are beautiful, delightful, and available from the library; one being Oddfellow’s Orphanage. That particular story tells us about Delia, a silent albino girl, who discovers… Continue reading

  • Book Bingo: Collection of Poetry

    Join The Seattle Public Library and Seattle Arts & Lectures for our 2nd annual Summer Book Bingo for adults! Follow us throughout the summer for reading suggestions based on each category. Our guest blogger today is Rebecca Hoogs, Associate Director of Seattle Arts & Lectures. Rebecca curates and manages the Literary Arts Series, Poetry Series, Hinge, and SAL Presents. She is the… Continue reading

  • The Language of Water: Poetry on Buses

    By Library Staff Do you have a thirst for verse? Well, there’s a way to quench it! The Poetry on Buses Public Art Program, a partnership between 4Culture and Metro Transit, invites poets of all inclinations to submit a poem around a particular theme.  The 2016 theme is “Your Body of Water” and the Office… Continue reading

  • FIRST FOLIO! From You Have I Been Absent in the Spring: Of Shakespeare and the Sonnet

    When forty winters shall besiege thy brow (Sonnet 2) Then let not winter’s ragged hand deface (Sonnet 6) Not marble nor the gilded monuments (Sonnet 55) Full many a glorious morning have I seen (Sonnet 33) One glorious morning before April has fled, perhaps, you will mosey on down to the Central Library, with ticket in… Continue reading

  • Begin the Poem

    ~posted by Library Staff Let’s get down to business, the business of beginning to enter the poem. It will cost you, you know, time and more time that you can imagine.  But, if you allow yourself the journey, if you permit the path to form then may you, traveler, travel on, On Poetry. There is… Continue reading

  • The Possibility of Poetry

    By Library Staff Sometime, during this season of growth, why not follow that bud of thought and branch out, bloom into the possibility of poetry. Poetry is as wide-mouthed as a nest of hungry birds. Where to begin but with that squiggly line of a title whose scent reeks of earthbound adventures beckoning you to… Continue reading

  • Fernando Pessoa

    by Alex L. November 30th marks anniversary of Fernando Pessoa’s death in 1935. Pessoa is arguably the most popular Portuguese poet to date, and inarguably the poet with the most heteronyms ever. Even looking up the word heteronym on Wikipedia brings up a photo of Pessoa. In his short lifetime, he wrote more than many… Continue reading

  • On Veteran’s Day

    This is the year we commemorate the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of World War I. There is a beautiful and moving installation of poppies at the Tower of London, especially to honor the British and colonial deaths in that war. Continue reading

  • Seattle’s Favorite Poems — read aloud at Town Hall Thursday night

    Thursday night at Town Hall — poets and poetry lovers read aloud. We asked former U.S. Poet Laureate Robert Pinsky for his thoughts on this wonderful community tradition for celebrating poetry:   I think the truly memorable Favorite Poem Reading at Seattle’s Town Hall years back was the first event at that noble space in… Continue reading

  • Seattle Reads is NOW

    ~Posted by Jen B. We are delighted to welcome inaugural poet, Richard Blanco, for Seattle Reads 2014, beginning on Saturday, April 26! The featured work this year, For All of Us, One Today: An Inaugural Poet’s Journey, traces Blanco’s experience after receiving the White House committee invitation to submit three poems from which the inaugural… Continue reading

  • Music and poetry pairs

    Posted by Chelsea W. WIn case you haven’t heard already, April is National Poetry Month! I normally write music posts here, but I also love poetry. So, in honor of Poetry Month, I will bring music and poetry together today! Because the Library, of course, can help you get both. Recently, I was reflecting on one… Continue reading

  • Got Poem?

    Posted by Tom It’s National Poetry Month once again, and as usual, Seattle and its libraries are awash in poetry events. The Northeast Branch is hosting its annual all-ages poetry contest, in which everyone is invited to submit a poem at any time in April, and potentially win prizes (including the Wedgie grand prize trophy) and… Continue reading

  • It’s Rhyme Time in Seattle: Poetry events around town

    It’s National Poetry Month once again, and Seattle’s got it covered. First of all, Seattle Public Library offers many opportunities to write, read, and hear poetry all month long at various branches around the city: The winning haikus from our city-wide Haiku contest are posted here on our website, with one featured each day through April… Continue reading

  • Haiku Hullabaloo: Enter the Library’s Poetry Contest

    Isn’t it interesting that you can find books about haiku on the shelves of our library, but not one book of haikus about libraries? Let’s show the world what we’re made of! In celebration of National Poetry Month  (April), National Library Week (April 14-20) and National Haiku Day (April 17), we’re having an all-ages haiku… Continue reading