“If ‘The Best American Poetry’ captures ‘the zeitgeist of the current attitudes in American poetry,’ we should be asking: Why are those attitudes so f****d up?”
poetry
Posted inEditor's Pick
Is Mary Oliver Embarrassing?
“Shame seemed like an obstacle to appreciating the poet. Instead, it became the key to understanding her work.”
Posted inEditor's Pick
Maximalisma
“A professor endeavors to separate treasure from trash—before her children have to do it for her.”
Posted inEditor's Pick
In Defense of Despair
“The feeling is most commonly framed as an end point, a level of despondency that cannot be overcome. But it doesn’t have to be.”
Posted inEditor's Pick
Nights and Days
“Maybe anybody who can become transparent to experience and articulate it truthfully and without distortion is a poet. Even if the facts are scary or horrible, what comes out, if true, might be beautiful.”
Posted inEditor's Pick
The Poetry Fan Who Taught an LLM to Read and Write DNA
“By treating DNA as a language, Brian Hie’s ‘ChatGPT for genomes’ could pick up patterns that humans can’t see, accelerating biological design.”
Posted inEditor's Pick
Stevie Nicks: ‘I Believe in the Church of Stevie’
“In a nearly four-hour interview, the legendary singer goes deep on longevity, Kamala Harris, why Fleetwood Mac are finished, and much more.”
Posted inEditor's Pick
To Own the Future, Read Shakespeare
“Tech and the liberal arts have always been at war. Don’t assume Silicon Valley will win.”
Posted inCuration
The Top 5 Longreads of the Week
This week features pieces from Sabrina Imbler, Natan Last, Lulu Miller and John Megahan, Casey Cep, and David Grimm.