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    • 'The Harmonies of Holst': A Poem by Mary Jane Myers

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      Beauty, Blank Verse, Music, Poetry
      10 Comments
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      ‘History’s Rondel’ and Other Poetry by Cynthia Erlandson

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      July 24, 2025
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    • ‘Five Dappled Things’: A Poem by Leland James

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      July 23, 2025
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      July 23, 2025
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      ‘Spoiled-Rotten Cat Instructs Visitors’ and Other Limericks by Janice Canerdy

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      July 22, 2025
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    • ‘The Old Man and the Mouse’: A Sicilian Folktale in Verse, by Joseph S. Salemi

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      July 22, 2025
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      October 2, 2021
      Poetry, Poetry Challenge, Poetry Contests
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  • history allegory

    ‘History’s Rondel’ and Other Poetry by Cynthia Erlandson

    The Society
    July 24, 2025
    Culture, Poetry, Rondel
    2 Comments
  • ‘Aubade at Seven AM’: A Poem by Bruce Dale Wise

    The Society
    July 24, 2025
    Love Poems, Poetry
    3 Comments
  • ‘Five Dappled Things’: A Poem by Leland James

    The Society
    July 23, 2025
    Beauty, Blank Verse, Poetry
    2 Comments
  • ‘Paradox of Tolerance’: A Poem by Warren Bonham

    The Society
    July 23, 2025
    Culture, Poetry
    3 Comments
  • poem/james/beauty

    ‘Spoiled-Rotten Cat Instructs Visitors’ and Other Limericks by Janice Canerdy

    The Society
    July 22, 2025
    Humor, Limerick, Poetry
    4 Comments
  • ‘The Old Man and the Mouse’: A Sicilian Folktale in Verse, by Joseph S. Salemi

    The Society
    July 22, 2025
    Children's, Poetry
    21 Comments
  • ‘Let Me Hold the Door’: A Poem by Frank Rable

    The Society
    July 21, 2025
    Culture, Poetry
    9 Comments
  • A Poem for the 100th Anniversary of the Scopes Monkey Trial, by Warren Bonham

    The Society
    July 21, 2025
    Culture, Poetry
    25 Comments
  • ‘The Inclusivity Policy of a British School’: A Poem by Susan Jarvis Bryant

    The Society
    July 20, 2025
    Poetry, Satire
    32 Comments
  • ‘Don’t Call Me Shirley’ and Other Poetry by Brian Yapko

    The Society
    July 20, 2025
    Humor, Poetry
    22 Comments
  • ‘On the Epstein Files Debacle’: A Poem by Drilon Bajrami

    The Society
    July 19, 2025
    Culture, Poetry, Villanelle
    5 Comments
  • ‘One Dumb Mistake’: A Sestina by M.D. Skeen

    The Society
    July 19, 2025
    Poetry, Satire, Sestina
    7 Comments

‘Curb Appeal’: A Poem by Cheryl Corey

The Society
April 14, 2025
Culture, Poetry
17 Comments
. Curb Appeal . I. You really couldn't find a better plotOn which to build a house. The yard is rimmedIn masonry. The hedge is neatly trimmed;Without...

‘Druthers’ and Other Poetry by C.B. Anderson

The Society
April 14, 2025
Culture, Poetry, Villanelle
15 Comments
. Druthers I’ve never warmed to the absurd idea That I should lean toward being what I ain’t. I’m more inclined to move to North Korea Than...

‘Ovechkin Beats Gretzky’: A Poem of Hockey Slang by Warren Bonham

The Society
April 13, 2025
Culture, Poetry
15 Comments
. Ovechkin Beats Gretzky He’s the greatest at one task, it’s putting biscuits into baskets. He scores goals from awkward angles after making...

‘Cantarella Wine’: A Poem by Brian Yapko

The Society
April 13, 2025
Culture, Poetry
32 Comments
. Cantarella Wine Rome. 1501. Lucrezia Borgia hosts Bishop Giovanni Cavalieri of the Republic of Siena. He is visiting Rome as the leader of a...

‘Strange Blindness: A Play in Two Acts’ by Cynthia Erlandson

The Society
April 12, 2025
Culture, Poetry
12 Comments
. Strange Blindness: A Play in Two Acts . Prologue Joseph and Jesus knew that perfect timing---and not plain, unforeshadowed proclamation---would...

‘A Ballad of Life’: A Poem by Margaret Brinton

The Society
April 12, 2025
Ekphrastic, Poetry
10 Comments
. A Ballad of Life ---after Winslow Homer's "Through the Fields" They spoke of life unfolding, A future far from home. No more of country...

‘Hannah Duston’: A Poem by A.R. Pereira

The Society
April 11, 2025
Culture, Poetry
13 Comments
. Hannah Duston She looms there, immortalized, in bronze gone blue, a puritan woman with crude hatchet cocked. Her stare is as cold as the New...

‘The Wife of Bath and Winston Smith Go on a Date’: A Poem by Paul A. Freeman

The Society
April 11, 2025
Poetry, Satire
16 Comments
. The Wife of Bath and Winston Smith Go on a Date ---after Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales and George Orwell's 1984 The Wife of Bath was...

‘Spring Bloomers’ and Other Spring Poetry by Susan Jarvis Bryant

The Society
April 10, 2025
Culture, Humor, Poetry, Triolet
28 Comments
. Spring Bloomers ---a triolet A lick of spring has kissed the air Whispering of skimpy knickers--- It’s time to toss thick underwear. A lick of...

John Neihardt’s Epic Western Poetry (Part 2): A Video by Andrew Benson Brown

The Society
April 9, 2025
Classical Poets Live, Epic, Poetry
8 Comments
. https://youtu.be/bC_JL8Ap8ow . . Andrew Benson Brown‘s epic-in-progress, Legends of Liberty, chronicles the major events of the American...

‘The Tale of the Moon’s Reign’: An Elegy by Yoshikaze Kawakami

The Society
April 9, 2025
Beauty, Culture, Poetry, Song Lyrics
6 Comments
. The Tale of the Moon’s Reign ---an elegy Above the skies where reigns the moon _So bright in hours of gloom Lived those whose hearts no longer...

‘Dirty Dishes’ and other Poetry by Gigi Ryan

The Society
April 8, 2025
Beauty, Humor, Poetry
16 Comments
. Dirty Dishes The dust is often out of handAnd should I write my name uponThe coffee table and night standIt will be seen when morning dawns. But...

‘Porphyro and Madeline: The Epilogue By Byron’: A Poem by Joseph S. Salemi

The Society
April 8, 2025
Culture, Poetry
28 Comments
. Porphyro and Madeline: The Epilogue By Byron "Let us away, my love, with happy speed; There are no ears to hear, or eyes to see..." —John Keats,...

‘The Four Seasons’: A Poem by Daniel Howard

The Society
April 7, 2025
Beauty, Love Poems, Poetry
13 Comments
. The Four Seasons . Spring I Amidst the cloudless sky and crimson dawn Comes bursting forth the bluebird’s orange breast, Whose shadow dances...

‘My Meltdown Over the Meltdown’: A Poem by Mark F. Stone

The Society
April 6, 2025
Poetry, Satire
16 Comments
. My Meltdown Over the Meltdown I’ve worked since the summer when I was thirteen. Selling pink lemonade gave me plenty of green. I want to retire,...

‘Apologia’: An Essay in Verse, by T.M. Moore

The Society
April 6, 2025
Education, Essays, Poetry
6 Comments
. Apologia "Bring…the books…" ---2 Timothy 4.13 John Calvin, writing on this verse, extolled the benefits that come from reading old and trusted...

‘Sit in Silence’: A Poem by Bennett Chatigny

The Society
April 5, 2025
Culture, Pantoum, Poetry
2 Comments
. Sit in Silence ---a pantoum It's pure stupidity to sit in silence. It's only idiotic to be idle. Unconscientious deeds should be derided. Decisive...

‘Divine Complaint’: A Poem by Eustache Deschamps, Translated by Margaret Coats

The Society
April 5, 2025
Poetry, Translation
32 Comments
. Divine Complaint Chant royal by Eustache Deschamps (1346-1406), translated and adapted by Margaret Coats In all the world there is one creature...

Poetry Challenge: Anachro-Poem

The Society
April 4, 2025
Culture, Poetry, Poetry Challenge
42 Comments
. Challenge: Take a well-known figure from history or literature and insert him or her into a modern-day situation. Choose any form. Choose any mood....

‘A Ceiling Fan’s Life (Is Like a Man’s)’ and Other Poetry by Shamik Banerjee

The Society
April 4, 2025
Beauty, Culture, Poetry
12 Comments
. A Ceiling Fan's Life (Is Like a Man's) On wintry days, it rarely spins Except when mopped floors need to dry. Its mission, once December's in, Is...

‘The Wedding Dress’ and Other Poems by Russel Winick

The Society
April 3, 2025
Culture, Humor, Poetry
14 Comments
. The Wedding Dress The dress, first cleaned and vacuum-packed, _Was safely stored back then, Remaining perfectly intact _And never seen...

‘Spring’s Unfolding View’: A Poem by Bruce Dale Wise

The Society
April 3, 2025
Beauty, Poetry
8 Comments
. Spring’s Unfolding View ---after Dylan Thomas’ “The force that through the green fuse drives flower” The force that through the green fuse...

‘Spring Snow’: A Poem by Adam Sedia

The Society
April 2, 2025
Beauty, Poetry
12 Comments
. Spring Snow Tyrant Winter reaches Beyond its frozen tomb, Dares cast its icy mantle On bud and crocus-bloom. Long it reigned unchallenged In dark...
poetry/bryant/poetry contests

‘Canyon’: A Poem by Brian Palmer

The Society
April 2, 2025
Beauty, Poetry
9 Comments
. Canyon I’m traveling on a road down which I’m cast, a road that I am fitted for, no doubt, since I can see in arid skies white buffaloes, and...

Two Poems on Happiness, by Roy E. Peterson

The Society
April 1, 2025
Beauty, Children's, Poetry
17 Comments
. Happy Like Winnie the Pooh If I could be happy like Winnie the Pooh, Just thinking of good things in all that I do. I’d just want some honey—a...

A Poem for April Fools’ Day, 2025: ‘Spot the Fool!’ by Susan Jarvis Bryant

The Society
April 1, 2025
Culture, Poetry, Rondeau, Satire
25 Comments
. Spot the Fool! ---for April Fools’ Day, 2025 . I.  Today’s the day to fox and fool. Today’s the day to flick some fuel On laughter with a...

2025 Friends of Falun Gong Poetry Competition

The Society
March 31, 2025
Human Rights in China, Poetry, Poetry Contests
. The Contest Know nothing or next to nothing about Falun Gong? Perfect! This poetry competition is for you! The Friends of Falun Gong Poetry...
poem/wise/culture

On the Release of JFK Assassination Files: ‘Worth the Wait?’ by James A. Tweedie

The Society
March 31, 2025
Culture, Poetry
8 Comments
. Worth the Wait? At last! The long-awaited, much belated Recreated digital creations Of ten thousands JFK-related CIA et alia...

‘Ink’ and Other Poetry by C.B. Anderson

The Society
March 31, 2025
Culture, Poetry, Satire
23 Comments
. Ink A lot of people nowadays adorn The spotless skin they had when they were born. While many think it’s smart to gild a lily, Dissenters deem...

‘The Polish Martyrs’: A Poem by Michael Curtis

The Society
March 30, 2025
Culture, Poetry
8 Comments
. The Polish Martyrs Forever faithful to his flock, Good Father Rapacz would not flee. Steadfast he heard the soldiers knock. Devout, the priest was...

‘The Restoration’ and Other Poetry by Brian Yapko

The Society
March 30, 2025
Beauty, Poetry, Rondeau
39 Comments
. The Restoration ---for SJB Words sometimes fail. How best explainThat life can seem eternal rain?That though friends care they cannot seeOr grasp...

‘Be Careful What Ya’ Wish For’: A Poem by Mark Stellinga

The Society
March 29, 2025
Humor, Poetry
13 Comments
. Be Careful What Ya’ Wish For Well, all o’ ya’ knows when ol’ Paddy McFarland’s _been drinkin’ ‘e’ll spin up a tale Oooozin’ with...

A Poem Written Upon Watching Public Cremations in Nepal, by James A. Tweedie

The Society
March 29, 2025
Beauty, Culture, Poetry
11 Comments
. Burning the Pieta Thoughts After Viewing Public Cremations at the Pashupatinath Temple Complex in Kathmandu, Nepal ---for Alok With tears wash...

‘Dim & Blinding Lights’: A Poem by Dan Davis

The Society
March 28, 2025
Culture, Poetry
6 Comments
. Dim & Blinding Lights The lights that shine from streets and cities block out all the stars at night. The dim lights of our partial...

‘Blood Moon Eclipse (14 March 2025)’: A Poem by Paul A. Freeman

The Society
March 28, 2025
Culture, Poetry, Science
8 Comments
. Blood Moon Eclipse (14 March 2025) The Moon’s blood red this morning as it floats within Earth’s shadow, bathing it in light refracted round...

Society of Classical Poets High School Artwork Gallery—Spring 2025

The Society
March 27, 2025
Art, High School Submissions, Poetry
11 Comments
. In line with its mission to preserve humankind’s artistic traditions, the Society of Classical Poets is featuring the best of artwork submitted...

‘What the Wind May Do’ and Other Poetry by Julian Woodruff

The Society
March 27, 2025
Culture, Poetry
19 Comments
. What the Wind May Do The wind’s come out to exercise today. It tests itself: how long can it exhale? With steady breath it makes the trees...

‘Bohème’ and Other Poems by Sally Cook

The Society
March 26, 2025
Beauty, Performing Arts, Poetry
9 Comments
. Bohème Opera in a bare and frigid room As winter winds were sweeping, like a broom, Raised an enthusiasm, understood As contrast to the landscape....

‘The Lilliputians Confront Elon Musk’ and Other Poetry by Warren Bonham

The Society
March 25, 2025
Poetry, Satire
22 Comments
. The Lilliputians Confront Elon Musk One giant has thoughts that are new and transcendent,It’s clearly a sign that he’s too independent.He...

John Neihardt’s Epic ‘Cycle of the West’: A Video by Andrew Benson Brown

The Society
March 25, 2025
Classical Poets Live, Epic, Essays, Poetry
19 Comments
. https://youtu.be/lUU-G7-7nKE . . Andrew Benson Brown‘s epic-in-progress, Legends of Liberty, chronicles the major events of the American...
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  1. C.B. Anderson on ‘After If’: A Poem After Kipling, by Josh MitteldorfJuly 24, 2025

    I think you got it just right, Scharlie, and so I have nothing to add.

  2. Joseph S. Salemi on ‘The Old Man and the Mouse’: A Sicilian Folktale in Verse, by Joseph S. SalemiJuly 24, 2025

    Thank you, Cynthia. I did not want the poem to be this long, but as I worked on it, it…

  3. Joseph S. Salemi on ‘The Old Man and the Mouse’: A Sicilian Folktale in Verse, by Joseph S. SalemiJuly 24, 2025

    Dear Mary Jane, thank you for these thoughtful and insightful comments. Yes, the tale is clearly coming from the context…

  4. Cynthia L Erlandson on ‘The Old Man and the Mouse’: A Sicilian Folktale in Verse, by Joseph S. SalemiJuly 24, 2025

    What a great -- though tragic -- story. I really enjoyed it, particularly its rhythm, and its concise characterization of…

  5. Cynthia L Erlandson on ‘Five Dappled Things’: A Poem by Leland JamesJuly 24, 2025

    I really like this. It's a masterpiece of concise description with a subtle meaning behind it.

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