On the Poet Yevgeny Yevtushenko On the Poet Yevgeny Yevtushenko
The “poetician, not politician” always seemed conscious of the Russian adage that a great writer is more than a writer—he is a second government.
Apr 5, 2017 / Katrina vanden Heuvel
The Model of Perfection in Morgan Parker’s Poems The Model of Perfection in Morgan Parker’s Poems
The poet allows the struggles and the messiness of life—with a particular focus on black womanhood—to breathe.
Mar 17, 2017 / Books & the Arts / Christopher Soto
Stop the Trump Administration From Defunding the Arts and Humanities Stop the Trump Administration From Defunding the Arts and Humanities
This is not about fiscal responsibility.
Mar 13, 2017 / NationAction
Letters From the December 19-26, 2016, Issue Letters From the December 19-26, 2016, Issue
Return of the repressed… Book therapy… Happily enough ever after… Dylan revisited… Bentham’s revenge…
Dec 1, 2016 / Our Readers and Samuel Moyn
Seeing Mars, Seeing Red Seeing Mars, Seeing Red
As the climate warms and this planet of ours continues sprinting toward extinction, we’re seeing the cultural fixation with Mars take center stage.
Nov 19, 2016 / Sam Sax
Did Medieval Muslims Invent Modern Secularism? Did Medieval Muslims Invent Modern Secularism?
The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam was embraced by many Western intellectuals as an aid to their own secularization.
Nov 7, 2016 / Juan Cole
Bob Dylan, Nobel Laureate in Ashtray-Binding Bob Dylan, Nobel Laureate in Ashtray-Binding
The poetry in Dylan’s music has always been something different from the language on the page that we associate with poets.
Oct 13, 2016 / David Hajdu
A Seat at Solange’s Table A Seat at Solange’s Table
A poem inspired by her new album.
Oct 7, 2016 / Morgan Parker
A Poet Undone A Poet Undone
Poetry defeats poems. Beguiled by this decorous paradox, Ben Lerner’s The Hatred of Poetry evades the art’s difficulty and strangeness.
Sep 22, 2016 / Books & the Arts / John Palattella
A Part of Denise Riley’s Song A Part of Denise Riley’s Song
The shadow of ballad meter haunts Riley’s poems, which can never not be a sign of vitality.
Sep 20, 2016 / Books & the Arts / Ange Mlinko