BOA Blog

Over the years, Naomi Shihab Nye has never failed to surprise and delight me. Most recently, she reached out after hearing that BOA was set to publish Light and Heavy Things by the late Pakistani poet Zeeshan Sahil this spring. It turns out that Naomi was friends with Sahil and she was thrilled to hear that BOA would be publishing the first U.S. edition of his work. I asked Naomi if she would be willing to share some thoughts on Sahil and the publication of Light and Heavy Things with our blog readers. Despite her busy schedule, Naomi immediately agreed...

Lake Superior Magazine commends Barton Sutter's The Reindeer Camps for being "an excellent collection and a philosophy tinged with humor and insight." Praising the first and final sections of the book, the review describes the opening of The Reindeer Camps an "examin[ation of] the darker sides of people" and "the conditions that challenge our sense of living." While this opening section is one highly complimented for its ability to "observe nature and its celebration of diversity," the closing of the collection is truly something to marvel. "The final section is one epic poem - 'Reindeer Camps' - that takes us...

Geffrey Davis Awarded 2013 A. Poulin, Jr. Poetry Prize [caption id="attachment_2191" align="alignleft" width="300"] Geffrey Davis, winner of the 2013 A. Poulin, Jr. Poetry Prize[/caption] Rochester, NY — Geffrey Davis is the 2013 A. Poulin, Jr. Poetry Prize winner for his first collection of poems, Revising the Storm. Dorianne Laux selected this manuscript and will write a Foreword to the published collection. Davis will receive a $1,500 honorarium and book publication by BOA Editions, Ltd. in April 2014, in the A. Poulin, Jr. New Poets of America Series. An annual competition, the A. Poulin, Jr. Poetry Prize is open to poets...

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="150"] Photo courtesy of ellenbass.com[/caption] There are some exciting months ahead for BOA author Ellen Bass (Mules of Love, BOA, 2002). Just recently, The New Yorker ran her "What Did I Love," a grotesque and beautiful poem about the slaughtering of chickens; and coming soon, Bass will be offering several valuable workshops (one with Dorianne Laux) for poets and poetry lovers. TRUTH AND BEAUTY May 28 - June 2, 2013 Taught by Dorianne Laux, Marie Howe, and Ellen Bass Mabel Dodge Luhan House, Taos, NM Marie Howe, Dorianne Laux, and Ellen Bass are poets who work to...

Be sure to tune in to 91.5 (WXXI) on Tuesday, February 12, to hear a reading of Sharon Bryan's  "The Underworld" (Sharp Stars, 2009). The poem will be featured on Garrison Keillor's The Writer's Almanac, which is broadcasted at 8:20 a.m. on Brenda Tremblay's show. Bryan's Sharp Stars is the winner of the Isabella Gardner Poetry Award for 2009. Rattle describes Bryan's work as possessing "sharp wit, infinite energy, delightful word plays, and luminous insights." The Writer's Almanac is a daily radio program produced by American Public Media (APM). In each program, Mr. Keillor presents a list of cultural events and anniversaries, many associated...