Do you feel called upon to justify the activity of reading the dictionary? Seek no further! This month we visit a poet who whiled away many hours with her eyes glued to the fine print, and ended up having quite a lot to show for it. Continue reading...

This month we sweep away the cobwebs in the Poetry Corner to spend some time with a poem just over a hundred years old that still speaks loud and clear today. Continue reading...

These websites celebrate the singularly American genre of cowboy poetry. So rustle up the livestock, pull up a seat by the fire, and read on... (assuming your particular cattle range is wired!)

Western Poetry by Clark Crouch

Cowboy Poetry Online

Jim Janke's Old West

Lonely Prairie Cowboy Page

Hal Sirowitz's special education students in the New York City public school system were doubly lucky: Their devoted teacher was also an award-winning poet. Now retired after 25 years as an educator, Hal is the author of four books of poetry including Mother Said and Father Said -- delicious dry humor based on his parents' harping. From 2001 to 2003 the borough of Queens honored Hal by naming him their "Poet Laureate." We spoke to him about his poetry and how he incorporated it into his teaching.

Continue reading...

Prizewinning poet Hal Sirowitz, who we interview in this week's "Word Count" feature, recommends these books of poetry and teaching poetry:

"For new haiku enthusiasts, read Basho and Issa. After you read them you'll understand why they only had one name. Michelangelo only needed one name, too. Need I say more? I also recommend Kenneth Koch's book Wishes, Lies, and Dreams for teaching poetry."

"Poetry can and should be an important part of our daily lives," The Library of Congress's Poetry 180 website proclaims. It's designed to for students to read a poem a day for every one of the 180 school days of a year. But you don't have to be a student to enjoy this selection of poems, of course. Click here to see the complete list of poems.