“Introduction to Poetry” By Billy Collins

There are two approaches to studying poetry: observation and interrogation. Only one leads to enjoyment. Which will you choose?

In the Bleak Midwinter by Christina Rossetti

“In the Bleak Midwinter” In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan,Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone;Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow,In the bleak midwinter, long ago. Our God, Heaven cannot hold Him, nor earth sustain;Heaven and earth…

“Caterpillar” by Christina Rossetti

Were you a caterpillar kid? I know I was. Growing up in Michigan, I loved finding “wooly worms” in the fall. Their black and orange stripes stood out boldly against the dry, brown leaves, and I couldn’t wait to hold them, coiled up into…

“Earth’s Crammed with Heaven” by Elizabeth Barrett Browning

According to Elizabeth Barrett Browning, there are two kinds of people in the world: those who see and those who don’t. We all enjoy the same universe around us, but our reactions depend on whether or not we see God’s signature in the mundane.

Lord of Late Summer: A Poem by Yours Truly

Happy August, friends! I could have sworn that yesterday was May, but here we are. My late-summer flowers are blooming, the weather is scorching, and the cicadas are simply deafening. I love it! While I’m always sad to say goodbye to my favorite time…

“I Hear America Singing” by Walt Whitman

Happy Independence Day, America! If you’re reading this on July 4th, you’ve probably got a busy day planned with cookouts, boat rides, and time with family—all topped off by fireworks. These are a great way to spend any summer day, and I plan to…

“Pied Beauty” by Gerard Manley Hopkins

Today I’d like to point you back to a post I wrote four years ago. It’s about one of my favorite poems by my very favorite poet, Gerard Manley Hopkins. In “Pied Beauty,” Hopkins celebrates the dappled variety of creation in language that does…