Tuesday was the final day of the 2023 February Poetry Project. This year’s theme was STORY. There were so many incredible prompts, dreamed up by the group’s participants. I’ve been thinking a lot about poems and how we use them to tell stories. I’m gearing up to teach my virtual class once again: “Poetry Techniques […]
Original Poem
Friday, 3 March 2023
Friday, 27 January 2023
January rain —
Lenten roses budding,
woodpeckers at work.
Thursday, 12 January 2023
I made a special video just for Poetry Friday. You’ll get a sneak peek at some of Michael’s monsters… and I read a poem from Welcome to Monsterville that I haven’t shared before.
Thursday, 15 December 2022
The miracle we celebrate on Hanukkah has to do with oil. So whether you like your treats sweet or savory, it’s time to get out those fryers and put on those aprons.
Thursday, 8 December 2022
One of my favorite projects of 2022 was writing a series of poems for Nature Culture’s Writing the Land Series. This organization pairs poets with local-to-them land trusts, to highlight our deep and abiding relationship with the soil, the forests, the farms.
Thursday, 1 December 2022
My heart is broken. My dear friend and collaborator, the poet Michael Rothenberg, passed away on November 21.
Thursday, 4 August 2022
Hi, Poetry Friday friends. My website has been down or wonky for several months. (Was anyone else affected by the Go Daddy hack?) I’m back to blogging at last, though—sadly—some of my posts from this spring were lost and can’t be recovered. Did you develop any habits or family traditions during the pandemic that have […]
Thursday, 17 March 2022
Happy Poetry Friday! Thanks to Ruth at the blog There Is No Such Thing as a God-forsaken Town for hosting this week’s list of poetry links and posts. I’m always happy when a poem written years ago finds a home with a journal or anthology. Back in winter 2011, when my children were still children, […]
Thursday, 27 January 2022
I’m just “back” from my first residency at Vermont College of Fine Arts. “Back” in quotes because the entire 10 days of panels, lectures, and workshops was virtual — but still magical! Focusing on the craft of writing for was the creative food I’d been craving. One of the first events was a panel called, […]
Thursday, 2 December 2021
Short post this week, my friends, but it comes with a book giveaway and a BIG announcement! Announcement first: At the start of 2022, I’ll be starting a new job, one I’m excited (and a little bit nervous) about. I’m honored to be joining the faculty of Vermont College of Fine Arts’ MFA in Writing […]
Laura Shovan is the author of the award-winning middle grade novel, The Last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary. Her second book, Takedown, is a Junior Library Guild and PJ Our Way selection. Look for A Place at the Table, co-written with Saadia Faruqi, in 2020. Laura is a poet-in-the-schools Maryland.
