The Academy of American Poets is for people who love poetry. Our membership is nearly 9,000 strong and growing, and our programs reach over 20 million people every year. Our programs include Poets.org, the Poets Forum, Poem in Your Pocket Day, National Poetry Month, American Poet magazine, the Poem-A-Day email series, the Poetry Audio Archive, educational initiatives, readings and events, awards and prizes, and so much more. We’ve been doing this since 1934, and we still think it's fun.

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From the Academy Archive: Eileen Myles, Erica Jong, Fran Winant, Joan Larkin, and Jean Valentine in the back; Honor Moore, Susan Griffin, Toi Derricotte, and Anne Waldman in the front, being posed by photographer Star Black at an event focusing on poetry from the women’s movement.

From the Academy Archive: Eileen Myles, Erica Jong, Fran Winant, Joan Larkin, and Jean Valentine in the back; Honor Moore, Susan Griffin, Toi Derricotte, and Anne Waldman in the front, being posed by photographer Star Black at an event focusing on poetry from the women’s movement.

“And yes that was the only life we could bear witness to.”

Adrienne Rich, reading “In Those Years”

from Sappho’s papyrus fragments

from Sappho’s papyrus fragments

visual-poetry:

by seiichi niikuni
kawa ~ riversasu ~ sandbank(from the anthology of concrete poetry, edited by emmett williams) 

visual-poetry:

by seiichi niikuni

kawa ~ river
sasu ~ sandbank

(from the anthology of concrete poetry, edited by emmett williams) 

Rita Dove, head majorette of Buchtel High School in Akron, Ohio, 1969. Photo © Ray A. Dove

Rita Dove, head majorette of Buchtel High School in Akron, Ohio, 1969. Photo © Ray A. Dove

Postcard from Sharon Olds. “Graylag, Wild Goose Pond, N.H.” Postmarked July 6, 2011, New Hampshire.

Postcard from Sharon Olds. “Graylag, Wild Goose Pond, N.H.” Postmarked July 6, 2011, New Hampshire.

Charles Olson reads ‘Letter # 41 [broken off]’ (Mar 1966)

from Pablo Neruda’s Bestiary—illustrated by Antonio Frasconi and translated by Elsa Neuberger.

I have always been curious about the erotic rabbit. Who excited them and whispers in their genital ears? They procreate endlessly and pay no attention to Saint Francis, they hear no nonsense: the rabbit mounts and remounts with an inexhaustible organism. I wish to speak with the rabbit, I like his flighty habits.

from Pablo Neruda’s Bestiary—illustrated by Antonio Frasconi and translated by Elsa Neuberger.

I have always been curious
about the erotic rabbit.
Who excited them and whispers
in their genital ears?
They procreate endlessly
and pay no attention to Saint Francis,
they hear no nonsense:
the rabbit mounts and remounts
with an inexhaustible organism.
I wish to speak with the rabbit,
I like his flighty habits.