One would imagine that we”ve read all the poems that a well-loved and well-known poet like Robert Frost ever wrote, but a University of Virginia graduate student has proven that assumption wrong. UVA student Robert Stilling discovered a handwritten copy of the unpublished Frost poem in a copy of Frost”s second collection of poetry, North of Boston, that had once belonged to Frederick Melcher, a friend of Frost”s. Melcher, head of Publishers Weekly helped establish the Caldecott and Newbery medals for children”s books, and was a close friend of the poet”s. The book is now part of an uncatalogued archive of papers and books about Robert Frost at the University of Virginia.

Stilling”s discovery began when he ran across a reference to an unpublished poem about the war which had not been reprinted in a letter written by Melcher. The reference led Stilling to search for the poem, which he found between the pages of Melcher”s copy of Frost”s book. The poem is described as being “dark”, and is a tribute to British fellow poet, Edward Thomas, who was killed in service in France in 1917. The death appears to have hit Frost hard, says Stilling in an article in the Virginia Quarterly Review. The poem will be published next week in the Review.

Frost was a four time Pulitzer Prize winner, and one of the USA”s most famous poets. His poems Stopping By the Wood on a Snowy Evening, The Road Less Taken and Mending Wall are routine assignments in middle school and high school literature courses. Stiller”s discovery was reported by CBC.CA.

Excerpt From “War Thoughts at Home”

“Than the war is in France!

And it glows with an early lamp.”

– Robert Frost , written in 1918 and inspired by World War I

Technorati Tags: Robert Frost, poets, poem, Frost Poem Found, Virginia Quarterly Review, Edward Melcher

…or Something Like It is the very appropos title of a new book of poetry written by members of the St. James Drop-In Center in Montreal. Having put in my time working in a homeless shelter with a drop-in center, this story from www.hour.ca caught my eye. I”ve seen other projects that gave those “marginalized” by society a voice, but this one seems very well put together. The project was started by Greg Rickhaus, McGill social work stagiere helping out at the drop in center. Rickhaus initiated a series of poetry workshops, held weekly at different sites around the city.

The poems in the book were written by clients of the drop in center, and are accompanied by photos taken by them. The book will also include biographies and email addresses where the poets can be contacted. “There”s a lot of pride in the book,” says Rickhaus. “It”s a very big step to have your own poetry in a book [...] In a poem, you”ve poured down your heart. The hard things on your mind are out there, raw, for whoever wants to see. The book was an opportunity for growth.”

The book will be sold at the St. James Drop-In Center and other locations around the city. If you”re interested in knowing more or making arrangements to sell the book at your own venue, email info@stjamescentre.ca.

I spent some time this morning dropping back in on folks I”ve written about in the past thanks to Frank Wilson at BooksInq, who graciously helped put out the word about Carlos Contreras, the New Mexico teacher looking for poems to hand out to his students. The followup on that – Carlos is still looking, and thanks those that have sent poems. He says that subject matter and language are not a concern – “These kids have seen everything,” he told us over at GotPoetry. If you write and still haven”t done it, email Carlos ( soothxsayer@yahoo.com ) a poem of yours along with a short blurb of who you are and what you are about.

What was even neater was that the very next item on Frank”s blog was about Mike Snider, the sonnet blogger, who has prettied up his blog recently and given it a whole new face. Mike writes a new sonnet every week. Being a lover of poetry in form, I had to order his chapbook 44 Sonnets. He responded immediately and graciously and I had the lovely book in my hands within a week. And it is lovely – Snider”s sonnets are refreshingly modern – an example of what you can do with an old form in fresh language. Definitely a keeper.

Quickmuse is now up to 18 poets who have responded to the challenge of writing a poem in 15 minutes based on a piece of writing with which they are presented. New battles take place every two weeks. The next one is coming up on September 20, between Paul Muldoon and Andrew Motion.

You”ve got three weeks left to get in your entries to the Poetry Superhighway 2006 Contest. Remember, entry fee is $1 per poem. The collected entry fees will be shared among the top three poets – 50% to the winner, 30% for second place and 20% for third. The judges for the contest have been chosen, and short bios are on the site. The deadline for receipt of the poem and entry fee is October 7. Last word was over 250 paid entries as of August 26th.

In the bustle of the past week, this story escaped me. I saw it and read it early in the week, and tucked it away for later, then completely forgot about it till I was poking through the latest poetry news. Reported in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on September 6 is this little tidbit about a poet with a mission. Diane Higgins has been writing poetry for the past five years – one poem for each of the nearly 3,000 people who died in the terrorist attacks on 9/11.

She doesn”t know if the poems are any good, she told the reporter. “When I feel inadequate, which I do a lot, they kind of help me. They give me the strength. Maybe I don”t like it but if it means something to them, that”s important.”

Higgins researches and talks to family members before writing each poem so that she can include personal details. Her efforts so far are included in nine bound and alphabetized books that were presented to a representative of the families of victims at a memorial service held last week.

There”s something incredibly touching about this gesture – that a 52 year old woman who never considered herself a poet has set this task for herself in memory of people she never knew. There”s a clue perhaps in the fact that when Higgins broke her wrist last year and was unable to write, she found herself becoming depressed. Poetry is a therapy, an opening to healing, and it has obviously been that for her. Even more importantly, it seems to have become that for the families of some of those she has included in her poems. The project has become far more than she intended originally. She thought she could do it in a year, she says. Now, five years later, she is just about halfway through the list. I wish her luck, and hope that her poetry helps bring healing to those that it touches.

Hear Angelou talk about the influence of radio on her childhood from The Biography Channel by clicking on player. Other Angelou clips here.

More evidence that poetry is regaining its importance in today”s world – poet Maya Angelou will be hosting her own syndicated satellite radio show this fall. Angelou has been signed by the Oprah and Friends radio network channel on XM Satellite Radio. The channel is produced by Harpo Radio of Chicago. XM Satellite radio is the nation”s largest provider of satellite radio.

Oprah signed a 3 year $55 million contract with XM radio back in February with plans to begin broadcasting this month. Besides Angelou, the station, which airs on XM channel 156, will feature shows hosted by Nate Berkus, Dr. Mehmet Oz, Bob Greene, Dr. Robin Smith and Marianne Williamson. Angelou”s show will debut on September 25 on the subscription radio service, and will feature the poet sharing stories of her life and her philosophies on politics, race, sex, age and religion. Angelou is widely regarded as a “popular poet”. Her credits include the book I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings and Oprah Book Club selection Heart of a Woman. Her collection of poetry, Just Give Me a Cool Drink of Water Fore I Diiie was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize in 1971. In 1993, she recited a poem at Clinton”s inauguration.