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Poem of the Week: “Horizons” by John Montague
Photo by Niall Hartnett Today, on what would have been his 88th birthday, we celebrate one of our beloved poets, John Montague, who passed away this December. Born in Brooklyn, New York, and raised in County Tyrone, Ireland, Montague’s work is known for themes of adolescence, love, family, and personal connection with Irish history. WFU Press has…
Continue ReadingPoem of the Week: “Late Morning” by Peter McDonald
March 1st is the release date for the highly anticipated Volume IV of The Wake Forest Series of Irish Poetry. This volume brings lesser-known Irish voices to an American audience. Editor David Wheatley, himself an established poet and critic, has selected poetry by Trevor Joyce, Aidan Mathews, Peter McDonald, Ailbhe Darcy and Ailbhe Ní Ghearbhuigh. Each…
Continue ReadingPoem of the Week: “She is my love” by Trevor Joyce
This week we are celebrating Valentine’s Day and the forthcoming publication of Volume IV of The Wake Forest Series of Irish Poetry with Trevor Joyce’s “She is my love.” The first lines of each stanza echo the language of traditional love poems, only to be subverted in the lines that follow. Through his manipulation of the…
Continue ReadingPoem of the Week: “Patience” by Justin Quinn
If April is the cruelest month, then February is the most tedious. We’ve moved past the initial rush of the new year, and now we’re in the depth of winter, waiting for spring. At WFU Press, we’re also preparing for the release of Volume IV of The Wake Forest Series of Irish Poetry. This week’s…
Continue ReadingPoem of the Week: “Glaciers” by Sinéad Morrissey
As we approach our publication date for Volume IV of The Wake Forest Series of Irish Poetry, we continue with poetry from previous volumes. This week’s poem by Sinéad Morrissey can be found in Volume I. The simple language reflects the naturalistic and somewhat sinister undertones of the poem, which highlight the connection between humanity, earth,…
Continue ReadingCelebrating St. Brigid’s Day and “Imbolc”
Today, Irish people celebrate St. Brigid’s Day also known as “Imbolc,” which, in the old Irish Neolithic language, means “in the belly.” “Imbolc” is the Gaelic festival to celebrate the beginning of Spring and is one of the four Gaelic seasonal festivals including Beltane, Lughnasadh, and Samhain. This holiday was once only celebrated by pagans…
Continue ReadingPoem of the Week: “Viola D’Amore” by Moya Cannon
This week, we continue to look back through The Wake Forest Series of Irish Poetry as we prepare to publish Volume IV. Today we’re featuring Moya Cannon from Volume II, whose subtle yet distinct voice demands a reader’s attention. Her poems are largely preoccupied with the sphere of landscapes, and how human desire—sometimes expressed through the invocation of Greek myths—is interwoven into…
Continue ReadingPoem of the Week: “Water” by Dennis O’Driscoll
Photo courtesy of Melissa Libutti As we approach the publication date for The Wake Forest Series of Irish Poetry, Volume IV, we’re taking a look back at some of the poets published in previous volumes from this series, which aims to introduce lesser-known Irish poets to an American audience. This week’s poet is Dennis O’Driscoll, whose work…
Continue ReadingIntroducing The Wake Forest Series of Irish Poetry, Volume IV
We are happy to announce that we’ll be publishing the next volume of The Wake Forest Series of Irish Poetry in March. This series brings lesser-known Irish voices to an American audience. In this fourth volume, editor David Wheatley, himself an established poet and critic, has selected poetry by Trevor Joyce, Aidan Mathews, Peter McDonald, Ailbhe Darcy,…
Continue ReadingPoem of the Week: “Snow” by Caitríona O’Reilly
Photo courtesy of Christina Berry The Winter Solstice is upon us as of this week. As temperatures drop, snow will fall and blanket the ground with its hushed whiteness. Every snap of a twig, crunch of ice, and rush in the trees is amplified in the silence of snow. In today’s poem “Snow,” Caitríona O’Reilly’s…
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