May Poem: Spring Storm
Amid the sweet smell of flowers, the temperature dips and a pouring rain comes through — but the sun dries it up quickly
Tag: poetry
February Poem: Without Work, There is No Love
This poem explores how a father shows love for his son in concrete but unspoken ways — and passes the practice to the next generation.
Lineage in Verse: The Book of Alice
Poet, author and NC State University professor Diamond Forde discusses her latest body of work and the woman who inspired it.
September Poem: My Country, My Tray
In this poem, writer Amal Kassir serves up her traditional foods with love, a show of hospitality for guests from any land.
March Poem: Green Heart on a Gravel Road
After intense storms and sleepless nights, beauty can be found in sunlight, new flowers and a fresh morning.
July 2024 Poem: The Cardinal
On a beautiful spring day, a writer captures the feeling as she connects with a brilliant cardinal hopping nearby.
Sweet Memories: A Journey to Adulthood
Longtime North Carolina poet Stephen E. Smith’s new memoir, The Year We Danced, recounts his eye-opening freshman year at Elon College.
April 2024 Poem: Ibis of Guyana
This poem parallels a mother bird building a nest and a parent raising a child before each sends their young off into the world.
March 2024 Poem: The last time my mother
Debra Kaufman reflects on a melancholy but special time with an aging parent as her memories start to fade.
November 2023 Poem: Elsewhere
This poem is dedicated to George Moses Horton, an enslaved poet and the first Black American to publish a book in the South.
October 2023 Poem: What I Kept
A writer reflects on the items she held on to after her mother passed away.
August 2023 Poem: How I Want to Love You
In this poem, a couple contemplates whether to continue with their relationship.
June 2023 Poem: this i know for sure
In this poem, North Carolina Poet Laureate Jaki Shelton Green writes about the joy of Juneteenth and the horror that came before it.
Meet North Carolina’s High School Poet Laureates
A new program developed by Jaki Shelton Green celebrates talented young poets across the state. Meet the first four high school laureates.