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    • 'The Wife’s Lament' by Joseph S. Salemi

      The Society
      February 14, 2021
      Humor, Love Poems, Poetry
      11 Comments
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    • ‘Lasting Karma’: A Poem by Thomas Beckman

      The Society
      July 13, 2025
    • ‘Three Philosophical Quatrains’ by Ian Allaby

      The Society
      July 13, 2025
      3
    • ‘Poetry as a Pathway to Critical Thinking’: An Essay by Leland James

      The Society
      July 12, 2025
      3
    • Poetry Challenge: Classic Poem and Response

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      July 12, 2025
      30
    • ‘The Flower’s Refrain’: A Poem by Ulysses Arlen

      The Society
      July 11, 2025
      2
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      July 11, 2025
      18
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      World Poetry Day Limerick Poetry Challenge

      The Society
      March 21, 2023
      Culture, Limerick, Poetry, Poetry Challenge, Poetry Contests
      42 Comments
    Recent
    • The Society of Classical Poets 2025 Haiku Competition

      The Society
      June 21, 2025
      166
    • Winners of Friends of Falun Gong 2025 Poetry Competition Announced

      The Society
      May 13, 2025
      1
    • 2025 Friends of Falun Gong Poetry Competition

      The Society
      March 31, 2025
    • The Best Poems of 2024: Winners of SCP International Poetry Competition

      The Society
      February 1, 2025
      28
    • Winners of 2024 SCP International High School Poetry Competition Announced

      The Society
      February 1, 2025
      2
    • The Best Haiku of 2024: Winners of the 2024 SCP Haiku Competition

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      September 29, 2024
      14
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  • ‘Lasting Karma’: A Poem by Thomas Beckman

    The Society
    July 13, 2025
    Beauty, Culture, Poetry
  • ‘Three Philosophical Quatrains’ by Ian Allaby

    The Society
    July 13, 2025
    Culture, Humor, Poetry
    3 Comments
  • ‘Poetry as a Pathway to Critical Thinking’: An Essay by Leland James

    The Society
    July 12, 2025
    Education, Essays, Poetry
    3 Comments
  • Poetry Challenge: Classic Poem and Response

    The Society
    July 12, 2025
    Poetry, Poetry Challenge
    30 Comments
  • ‘The Flower’s Refrain’: A Poem by Ulysses Arlen

    The Society
    July 11, 2025
    Beauty, Poetry
    2 Comments
  • ‘Family Affair’ and Other Poems by Russel Winick

    The Society
    July 11, 2025
    Culture, Poetry, Satire
    18 Comments
  • ‘Pope Leo XIV’s Green Mass’: A Poem by Susan Jarvis Bryant

    The Society
    July 10, 2025
    Poetry, Satire, The Environment
    16 Comments
  • ‘For Liza Am I Westward Bound’: A Lyrical Folk Ballad by Davis Saunders

    The Society
    July 10, 2025
    Love Poems, Poetry
    9 Comments
  • ‘The Pervading Presence’ and Other Poetry by Martin Rizley

    The Society
    July 10, 2025
    Beauty, Culture, Poetry
    3 Comments
  • ‘Simply Chilling’: A Tetraptych of Poems by Susan Jarvis Bryant

    The Society
    July 9, 2025
    Culture, Poetry, Rondel, Triolet, Villanelle
    16 Comments
  • ‘After If’: A Poem After Kipling, by Josh Mitteldorf

    The Society
    July 9, 2025
    Culture, Poetry
    2 Comments
  • Eternal Rose, with Rows and Rows: Canto XXX of Dante’s Paradise, Translated by Stephen Binns

    The Society
    July 8, 2025
    Dante, Epic, Poetry, Translation
    4 Comments

‘Creativity, Originality, and Eccentricity’: An Essay by Joseph S. Salemi

The Society
July 22, 2022
Essays, Poetry, Shakespeare
38 Comments
. Creativity, Originality, and Eccentricity by Joseph S. Salemi I don’t know why it should be so, but I have a propensity to attract the attention...

‘The Spoonerisms Man, or The Moonerisms Span’ by Jeff Eardley

The Society
July 22, 2022
Children's, Humor, Poetry
34 Comments
. The Spoonerisms Man, or The Moonerisms Span His name was Mr. Spooner and he owned a service station. He kept our vehicles on the road, a noble...

‘Three Literary Smiles’: Poems by James A. Tweedie

The Society
July 21, 2022
Culture, Humor, Poetry
12 Comments
. Three Literary Smiles . Hemingway’s Oopsy “Up in my room the rain was coming down Heavily outside on the balcony.” I didn’t know if I...

‘On the Anniversary of My Father’s Death’ by Jeffrey Essmann

The Society
July 21, 2022
Beauty, Poetry
6 Comments
. On the Anniversary of My Father's Death These rainy mornings have a subtle saltTo them that even in the city canBring back the pier, its rugged...

Two Poems on China Nowadays, by Cheryl Corey

The Society
July 20, 2022
Culture, Human Rights in China, Poetry
4 Comments
. I’m Not Too Keen On China Nowadays I’m not too keen on China nowadays: The moves they’ve made against Taiwan of late; The way they treat...

A Poem on Nostradamus’s July 1999 Prediction, by Daniel Magdalen

The Society
July 20, 2022
Culture, Human Rights in China, Poetry
4 Comments
. A Prophecy the East Fulfilled The year 1999, seventh month, From the sky will come a great King of Terror: To bring back to life the great King of...

Two Courtroom Sonnets by Carl Kinsky

The Society
July 19, 2022
Beauty, Culture, Poetry
6 Comments
. Self Defense When he pulled out his knife I thought I had No choice so I pulled out my gun and shot Him twice, then ran the streets for miles, too...

‘To Serve and Protect’ by Julian Woodruff

The Society
July 18, 2022
Culture, Poetry
12 Comments
. To Serve and Protect Of all the events that fill the history of quiet, little–known Uvalde town, there cannot be a greater tragedy than that...

‘Apology’ by Myrlin A. Hermes

The Society
July 18, 2022
Culture, Poetry
6 Comments
. Apology I’m sorry if you feel like you were hurt. Not everyone in life is going to be As nice to you as you think you deserved. And he sometimes...

On the UK Heatwave: ‘Keep Calm and Carry On!’ by Susan Jarvis Bryant

The Society
July 17, 2022
Culture, Humor, Poetry
105 Comments
. Keep Calm and Carry On! “UK heatwave: Temperatures to rise to 41C amid extreme heat warning” ---BBC News  “The first Red Extreme heat...

‘Mistress’ by Michael Pietrack

The Society
July 17, 2022
Beauty, Humor, Poetry
39 Comments
. Mistress Within those sheets, my mistress lay, her flawless form with perfect feet. One last embrace; I cannot stay! I hear her heart in metered...

‘The Pale Rider Comes’ and Other Poetry by Martin Rizley

The Society
July 16, 2022
Culture, Human Rights in China, Poetry
10 Comments
. The Pale Rider Comes “So then give to Caesar what is his,” our Lord and Master said, __“And to God give what is his---your sacred...

‘Sumo’s Winning Ways’ by Margaret Coats

The Society
July 15, 2022
Beauty, Culture, Poetry
26 Comments
. Sumo's Winning Ways Fierce frontal impact clenches victory In less time than an untrained eye can blink, But connoisseurs of sumo’s...

‘In the First Degree’ and Other Poetry by Brian Yapko

The Society
July 14, 2022
Culture, Poetry, Rondeau
13 Comments
. In the First Degree Had the bullet’s trajectory veered half a foot to the right, It might not have extinguished the life of this innocent...

A Poem on Millet’s The Angelus and Other Poetry by Jeffrey Essmann

The Society
July 14, 2022
Art, Beauty, Ekphrastic, Poetry
7 Comments
. The Angelus, Jean-François Millet (Musée d’Orsay) How soft across the field the muted peal Has caromed off the setting sun, the...

On the Recent Overturning of Roe vs. Wade, by Alena Casey

The Society
July 13, 2022
Culture, Poetry
10 Comments
. “Hosanna,” All The Children Cried “Hosanna,” all the children cried, And Christ was pleased to open wide For them his hands and feet and...

‘The Automated Phone System’ and Other Poetry by Russel Winick

The Society
July 13, 2022
Blank Verse, Culture, Humor, Poetry
11 Comments
. The Automated Phone System I called up a business But no person answered, I got a phone system With multiple options Some rather confusing; I kept...

‘For Then’ by Manuel Gutiérrez Nájera, Translated by Cheryl Corey

The Society
July 12, 2022
Beauty, Poetry, Translation
14 Comments
. For Then by Manuel Gutiérrez Nájera (Mexico, 1859-1895) translated by Cheryl Corey O, to die upon the open sea At sunset, facing heaven, where...

A Translation of Horace’s Barine Ode, by Joseph S. Salemi

The Society
July 11, 2022
Culture, Love Poems, Poetry, Sapphic Verse, Translation
20 Comments
. Quintus Horatius Flaccus, Odes, II.8 “The first thing we learn about Barine is that she is in the habit of making and breaking promises (of love...

‘ While Pondering Pope’s Ode’ by Lucia Haase

The Society
July 11, 2022
Beauty, Poetry
15 Comments
. While Pondering Alexander Pope’s "Ode to Solitude" Grateful am I in solitude while reading Pope’s inspiring ode, a time for pause---an...

‘A Hopeless Rondelet’ and Other French Form Poetry by Susan Jarvis Bryant

The Society
July 10, 2022
Culture, Poetry, Rondeau, Rondel, Villanelle
27 Comments
. A Hopeless Rondelet  All trust is dead, Killed by lies in love’s disguise. All trust is dead--- It’s buried in a sigh of dread. Its memory...

‘In the City’ and Other Poetry by Adam Wasem

The Society
July 10, 2022
Culture, Poetry
16 Comments
. In the City The city, where the liars are in charge And all the criminals are still at large: The just have been imprisoned, brought to...

‘The Drive to Reconcile’ and Other Poetry by C.B. Anderson

The Society
July 9, 2022
Beauty, Humor, Poetry
15 Comments
. The Drive to Reconcile __We never wish to eat a bug __Or force an unexpected hug, But intimacy doesn’t come without A cost, and those who...

‘Back in My Day’ and Other Poetry by David Whippman

The Society
July 9, 2022
Culture, Humor, Poetry
18 Comments
. Back in My Day I tested my courage---well, no, not really. The heroic stuff had been done before. My generation was all touchy-feely. It was our...

‘Free Verse’ by Clive Boddy

The Society
July 8, 2022
Beauty, Culture, Poetry
14 Comments
. Free Verse Let us free verse from "free verse" while we can;A pile of branches does not make a tree,And fruit squashed on a plate does not make...

A Definition of Formal (or “Classical”) Poetry: A Short Essay by James A. Tweedie

The Society
July 7, 2022
Essays, Poetry
22 Comments
. A Definition of Formal (or “Classical”) Poetry by James A. Tweedie One of the frequent comment threads on SCP involves the subject of the...

Percy Bysshe Shelley Poem Put to Music for Death Commemoration, by Guntbert Markefka

The Society
July 7, 2022
Beauty, Love Poems, Music, Poetry
5 Comments
. . Introduction Percy Bysshe Shelley was born August 4, 1792 and died in a boating accident on July 8, 1822. To mark the 200th anniversary of his...

On the Recent Destruction of the Georgia Guidestones, by Susan Jarvis Bryant

The Society
July 6, 2022
Culture, Poetry
51 Comments
. America’s Most Mysterious Monument The first of the anonymously funded Georgia Guidestone’s guidelines: “Maintain humanity under...

‘The Pigeon’ and Other Poetry by Norma Pain

The Society
July 6, 2022
Beauty, Culture, Humor, Poetry, The Raven
22 Comments
. The Pigeon Once upon a workday morning, sleepy-eyed and loudly yawning, I was splattered without warning by a pigeon from the shore. At my half...

‘Pets and People’ and Other Poetry by Julian Woodruff

The Society
July 5, 2022
Children's, Humor, Poetry
20 Comments
. Pets and People Do cats and kittens ever wonder Why their owners have no fur? Do dogs think it was blind fate’s blunder That the likes of humans...

‘O Say, Can You See?’ by Susan Jarvis Bryant

The Society
July 4, 2022
Beauty, Culture, Poetry
24 Comments
. O Say, Can You See?   Let’s think as we sink into star-spangled wonder, Intolerable acts were the reason to fight Each pillaging bully who’d...

‘Anew’ and Other Poetry by Talbot Hook

The Society
July 3, 2022
Beauty, Culture, Poetry
10 Comments
. Anew Whisk me away to the mountainside. __Spirit me far to the glen. For I long to find that secret place __Where I can begin again. All of us...

Two Riddles by Jack DesBois

The Society
July 2, 2022
Poetry, Riddles
11 Comments
. Riddle This tiny thief Has ground to grief Many a mighty poem, No wiser for The learned lore He nibbles, tome by tome— But though he'll...

‘A Ballade on Being Commissioned’ and Other Poetry by Brian Yapko

The Society
July 1, 2022
Beauty, Culture, Poetry
32 Comments
. A Ballade on Being Commissioned  Twixt Florence and the Holy See Of every artist you could hire You thought it meet to torture me. You gave no...

‘On Palestrina’s Music’ by Margaret Coats

The Society
June 30, 2022
Beauty, Culture, Music, Poetry
28 Comments
. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHUuaA8DKiQ . On Palestrina's Music Sicut cervus desiderat ad fontes aquarum, Ita desiderat anima mea ad te, Deus....

Haiku Competition 2022

The Society
June 29, 2022
Haiku and Senryu, Poetry, Poetry Contests
612 Comments
. Our 2023 Haiku Competition is on now HERE. WHO Anyone in the world, of any age or background, may participate. Among members of the Society of...

How to Write Haiku: What Makes a Good Haiku?

The Society
June 29, 2022
Education, Essays, Haiku and Senryu, Poetry
49 Comments
. How to Write Haiku What Makes a Good Haiku? by Margaret Coats The required 5-7-5 syllable form alone does not make a haiku. A good haiku ⦁...

Freedom in China Open Poetry Reading

The Society
June 29, 2022
Human Rights in China, Poetry, Readings
2 Comments
. You are invited to a reading of poetry that shines a light on the plight of ordinary, innocent people in China today who are unjustly persecuted by...

‘Gleam by Any Means’ by David Watt

The Society
June 29, 2022
Beauty, Poetry
17 Comments
. Gleam by Any Means The poem that I seek to write, the piece with flair and form, Which raises spirits high as clouds on zephyr breezes warm, Or...

Poems on Sexualizing School Children, by Susan Jarvis Bryant

The Society
June 28, 2022
Culture, Poetry
32 Comments
. Groomers   The words the school kids speak are not their own--- Fiends mold the untrained brain till every thought Is hostage to their noxious...
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  1. Cynthia L Erlandson on Poetry Challenge: Classic Poem and ResponseJuly 13, 2025

    Wonderful, Susan! I can just imagine you sonnet-sparring with The Bard.

  2. Cynthia L Erlandson on Poetry Challenge: Classic Poem and ResponseJuly 13, 2025

    Oh, my goodness, James, I laughed out loud at least four or five times reading this! The title, for a…

  3. Cynthia L Erlandson on Poetry Challenge: Classic Poem and ResponseJuly 13, 2025

    Thank you much, Brian!

  4. M.D. Skeen on Poetry Challenge: Classic Poem and ResponseJuly 13, 2025

    Thank you Mr. Peterson, it was a fun challenge!

  5. Brian Yapko on ‘The Juggler’ and Other Poetry by Brian YapkoJuly 13, 2025

    Thank you for reading and commenting, C.B. I tend to subscribe to the Ronald Reagan understanding of leftist liberals: "The…

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