SCP Poetry Competition Winners’ Symposium—You’re Invited! (Updated with Link) The Society June 28, 2025 From the Society, Poetry, Readings, Symposium 3 Comments . The SCP Poetry Competition Winners’ Symposium Join the Symposium...
‘Rolling the Dice’: A Poem by Warren Bonham The Society June 28, 2025 Culture, Poetry 16 Comments . Rolling the Dice “Spontaneous creation is the reason there is something rather than nothing, why the Universe exists, why we exist.”...
‘A Whale Is a Whale’: A Poem After Ogden Nash, by Jonathan Bear The Society June 27, 2025 Culture, Poetry 3 Comments . A Whale is a Whale ---after Ogden Nash While laughing aloud at Ogden's smart rhymes, I was struck by a way to interpret his lines. Though Nash's...
‘Hope’ and Other Poems by Russel Winick The Society June 27, 2025 Culture, Poetry 13 Comments . Hope ---in homage to Langston Hughes Hold steadfastly to hopeFor if hope should subsideLife’s a slippery slopeWhere dreams only...
‘Dad and I’ and Other Poems by C.B. Anderson The Society June 26, 2025 Culture, Humor, Poetry 13 Comments . Dad and I Our sessions last an hour or two at most, for we get through them just as fast as can be managed, trying not to stir the ghost of hurts...
‘Rodrigo’s Lament’: A Poem by Damon Rose The Society June 26, 2025 Culture, Poetry 5 Comments . Rodrigo’s Lament The legendary knight El Cid duels with his fiancé’s father. His rasping knavish voice profanes my good name. It grates my...
‘New York, New York’: A Poem on the NYC Mayor Race, by Brian Yapko The Society June 25, 2025 Culture, Poetry 18 Comments . New York, New York “Give up Manhattan, the Bronx and Staten Island too…” (with apologies to Rodgers & Hart) How many songs about New York...
‘A Sonnet for My One True Love’ and Other Poetry by Aaron Nydegger The Society June 25, 2025 Humor, Poetry 10 Comments . A Sonnet for My One True Love Forever let the night go on and on, My body to your softness gently pressed, Nor let the touch of shameful, blushing...
‘Gruesome’: A Poem on the LA Riots of 2025, by Adam Wasem The Society June 24, 2025 Poetry, Satire 17 Comments . Gruesome Grinning Gavin smooths his tie, Makes sure he’s framed against blue sky. He pats his hair—one’s out of place; He frowns to note...
A Poem on John Duns Scotus, by Mary Jane Myers The Society June 24, 2025 Beauty, Culture, Poetry 6 Comments . Doctor Subtilis ---Blessed John Duns Scotus (1265--1308) A proud and canny Scot from Duns am I, an infant when Franciscans reached our coast. These...
‘Another Species’ and Other Poems by Sally Cook The Society June 23, 2025 Beauty, Culture, Poetry 5 Comments . Another Species Each time you felt some shame you could confess The sins you had committed, but instead You whispered a revision, something less In...
‘Six’: A Poem by Patricia Rogers Crozier The Society June 23, 2025 Culture, Love Poems, Poetry 10 Comments . Six Bitter were the crimson seeds, Beautiful they were to me, Sparkling like ruby beads, In his palm of ivory. Dark they were to look upon, Rivers...
‘Archaic Torso of Apollo’ by Rilke and ‘Reconciliation’ by Goethe, Translated by Josh Olson The Society June 22, 2025 Ekphrastic, Music, Poetry, Translation 10 Comments . Archaic Torso of Apollo by Rainer Maria Rilke (1875-1926) translated from German by Josh Olson We cannot know that enigmatic head in which his eyes...
‘The Prayer Blanket’: A Poem Based on the Real Experience of Tim Cassar The Society June 22, 2025 Beauty, Culture, Poetry 12 Comments . The Prayer Blanket ---as related to me by my friend Tim Cassar, who recently survived a brain cancer operation by Brian Yapko The paramedics came....
The Society of Classical Poets 2025 Haiku Competition The Society June 21, 2025 Haiku and Senryu, Poetry, Poetry Contests 186 Comments . WHO Anyone in the world, of any age or background, may participate (SCP Membership not required). Among members of the Society of Classical Poets,...
‘Together’: A Poem by Margaret Coats The Society June 21, 2025 Beauty, Poetry 26 Comments . Together The windows of our dawning day_Let light in through the dew,But outdoors ambling in cool air,_I knew that I’d find you. Close comfort,...
‘I Would Say Yes’ and Other Poetry by Gigi Ryan The Society June 20, 2025 Humor, Love Poems, Pantoum, Poetry, Villanelle 15 Comments . I Would Say Yes ---a villanelle for Larry on our 36th Anniversary We were young and rather stupid then, But still I see that we were meant to be. I...
‘The Comings and Goings of Heaven and Earth’: A Poem by David L. Williams The Society June 20, 2025 Beauty, Poetry 9 Comments . The Comings and Goings of Heaven and Earth Clouds’ movement in the sky, the sight of birds, phenomena that draw an upward glance, may sometimes...
‘Tilted Tales’: Three Poems by Susan Jarvis Bryant The Society June 19, 2025 Culture, Poetry, Triolet, Villanelle 21 Comments . Clueless ---a villanelle How can I tell what is and isn’t true In daffy days that stupefy the wise? I’m sifting through the chaos for a...
‘Enigma’: A Poem by Steve Cooper The Society June 19, 2025 Love Poems, Poetry, Shape Poems 5 Comments . . . Steve Cooper is a retired professional career counselor. He lives near Salem, Oregon. He has one traditionally published picture book on...
‘Periwinkle’: A Poem by Jeffrey Essmann The Society June 18, 2025 Beauty, Poetry 11 Comments . Periwinkle Don't know that I was on the spectrum, no, But I was weird. I read too much and played Pretend too much. My mind too often strayed To...
‘A Winter’s Tale’ by Jeff Eardley The Society June 18, 2025 Children's, Humor, Poetry 18 Comments . A Winter's Tale There’re many strange and spooky tales, That come from England’s hills and dales. When Winter tightens up its grip, As feet and...
‘Get Along, Little DOGE-ie’ and Other Social Commentary Poetry by James A. Tweedie The Society June 17, 2025 Poetry, Satire 19 Comments . Get Along, Little DOGE-ie Should come a day my fortunes be increased, It’s guaranteed such bounty will be fleeced. For government, like vacuum...
‘Salmon Skin’ and Other Poetry by Adam Sedia The Society June 17, 2025 Beauty, Culture, Poetry 19 Comments . Salmon Skin _Laid temptingly Upon a china dish, _Poached perfectly, A long, pink flank of fish. _Its scents amaze. Fork poised to dig right in, _I...
‘What Is a Man?’: A Poem by Cynthia Erlandson The Society June 16, 2025 Culture, Poetry 15 Comments . What Is a Man? “Ask now, and see, whether a man is ever in labor with child?” ---Jeremiah 30: 6 The prophet’s statement clearly is...
A Poem for Father’s Day: ‘The Weight of a Father’ by Susan Jarvis Bryant The Society June 15, 2025 Beauty, Poetry 30 Comments . The Weight of a Father . I. The Smell of Sawdust On bawling-brother, busy-mother days, The saint who slew the dragons in her dream Whisked her...
‘Shakespeare’ and Other Poetry by Lee Evans The Society June 15, 2025 Culture, Poetry, Shakespeare 13 Comments . Shakespeare The Master strolled upon the beach, __And stooped to find Among the shells washed up in heaps, __Mere husks of Mind— Selecting them...
‘Florida Beach Vacation 2025’: A Poem by Evan Mantyk The Society June 14, 2025 Culture, Poetry 12 Comments . Florida Beach Vacation 2025 They buried me in pale white sand. _They took away my phone. The mouse was wrested from my hand _And now I’m all...
‘Term Limits’: A Poem by Warren Bonham The Society June 14, 2025 Culture, Poetry 13 Comments . Term Limits Without term limits, nothing prevents the eruption of bribery, graft, and unbridled corruption. Too few of our founders felt our...
‘When the Child Appears’: A Poem by Victor Hugo, Translated by Bruce Phenix The Society June 13, 2025 Beauty, Poetry, Translation 8 Comments . When the Child Appears by Victor Hugo (1802-1885)translated from French by Bruce Phenix When the child appears, the family’s loud praiseBursts...
‘Boomerang’ and Other Poems by Russel Winick The Society June 13, 2025 Culture, Poetry, Satire 24 Comments . Boomerang He was a very handsome guy, Cute girls would stick to him like glue, And his interest in them was high, But only for a night or...
‘Ode to Chronic Pain’ and Other Poetry by Dan Davis The Society June 12, 2025 Culture, Poetry 9 Comments . Ode to Chronic Pain I curse your name and spit as you supply these diverse proofs that I am not divine— and yet I should embrace you for the...
‘Reading in Bed’ and Other Poems by Martin Briggs The Society June 12, 2025 Culture, Poetry 9 Comments . Reading in Bed Crowded years from now, and late one wintry night, a certain turn of phrase or trick of poetry will summon me. Pillowed in the warm...
‘Stealthy Slayer’: A Riddle by Asther Kane The Society June 11, 2025 Poetry, Riddles 12 Comments . Stealthy Slayer Stealthy slayer, murderous sneak, A crafty trick, or lifeless freak--- I slip behind your walls unseen Despite the guards whose...
‘Durus Frater, Alma Mater’ and Other Poems by C.B. Anderson The Society June 11, 2025 Beauty, Culture, Humor, Poetry 8 Comments . Durus Frater, Alma Mater Spring forward to where former arch-rivals Fall back on tall stories of the travels They enjoyed after two years of...
Formal Aspects of Free Verse: A Video by Andrew Benson Brown The Society June 10, 2025 Classical Poets Live, Essays, Poetry, Video 24 Comments . https://youtu.be/vAjMoMKye0c . . Andrew Benson Brown‘s epic-in-progress, Legends of Liberty, chronicles the major events of the American...
‘Alotta Lip About my Hip’ and Other Hip Replacement Poetry by Jeff Kemper The Society June 10, 2025 Culture, Humor, Poetry 5 Comments . Alotta Lip About my Hip Alotta lip about my hip On paper, phone, computer-drive. The new one at my femur’s tip Has generated verbal jive Beyond...
‘Samhain Spree’: A Poem by Patricia Rogers Crozier The Society June 9, 2025 Culture, Poetry 12 Comments . Samhain Spree Come, gather underneath the horns _That rise out of the east! Come, join the host in revelry _To frolic, sing, and feast! The winter...
‘An Update for Dylan Thomas’s Aunt’: A Poem by Joseph S. Salemi The Society June 9, 2025 Culture, Poetry 30 Comments . An Update for Dylan Thomas’s Aunt "Fie on you, aunt! I’ll show you how To elevate your middle brow, And how to scale and see the sights From...
‘Time and Place’: A Poem by Margaret Brinton The Society June 8, 2025 Beauty, Poetry 11 Comments . Time and Place He gave me his coat once in Dublin At dusk in a damp, chilly draft. We spoke of those old Irish writers--- Just where had they...
