The Poetry Department . . . aka The Boynton Blog

The National Book Foundation has announced the ten-book Longlist for the 2026 National Book Award for Poetry. They are:

Victoria Chang, Tree of Knowledge Carolina Ebeid, Hide Brenda Hil...

Once again, it’s time for Whatcom County writers to submit their responses to this year’s Whatcom READS book, I Cheerfully Refuse by Leif Enger. The theme is Light in the Dark, and the submi...

Poetry or prose. Fact or fiction. Here’s the scoop from Litera...

2026 Merit Award
By Maddie Patterson (12th grade)

16 and giddy with my new license, I cherished you.
Popped tire in friend’s driveway, I blubbered
over the wreck I’d made. But, like your namesake,

You’re invited to join The Poetry Box LIVE online on Saturday, September 12, 2026, at 4:00pm Pacific, for an inspired reading by Lana Hechtman Ayers, Joanne Monte, Danyen Powell, and Karen Poppy. Ho...