poetry

The National Endowment for the Arts says that since its last survey period in 2012, the number of U.S. adults reading poetry had nearly doubled. And the agency says social media may be responsible.

Scores of students submitted their poems about teamwork to an NPR callout. Here are a few of the highlights.

Kevin Young's new book of poetry, Brown, is colored by memories from his family and childhood, U.S. history and black culture.

Allan Monga won Maine's Poetry Out Loud competition last month, but the NEA barred him from the national stage because of his immigration status. Now he's suing for his right to participate.

Many of the books of poems coming out this year are sad, but also powerful; full of poets processing their lives, looking into pains both personal and political through the cracked glass of poetry.

Akbar, a poet himself, waves his pom poms for the form at DiveDapper, a site dedicated to in-depth interviews with his favorite poets. He says he wants to live his life "in joyful service" to poetry.

For Ward, who won the fiction prize for Sing, Unburied, Sing, it was her second National Book Award. For Bidart, whose poetry collection spanned 51 years, it was akin to a lifetime achievement honor.