Poetry

The acclaimed actor talks about the essential message of love he discovered at the heart of each sonnet while recording all 154 for a new audiobook. He also shares recordings of three of the sonnets, including his favorite one.

In an excerpt from Straight Acting, Will Tosh tells the story of Richard Barnfield’s meteoric rise in literary London in the 1590s and how his groundbreaking poetry influenced Shakespeare’s sonnets.

How did early modern England perceive race? Patricia Akhimie, editor of The Oxford Handbook of Shakespeare and Race, and contributing writers Dennis Britton and Kirsten Mendoza examine race, gender, and power in Venus and Adonis and The Rape of Lucrece.

From hotshot poet to penniless prisoner to rock star preacher, the extraordinary life—or should we say lives?—of John Donne.

Poet Billy Collins talks about humanizing Shakespeare and other literary titans, delves into his own work and inspirations, and reads from his new collection, Musical Tables.

‘Shakespeare’s Sisters: Say Her Name’ is an online writing seminar that celebrates the poetry of Black women in America. We are pleased to bring you a special collaboration with DCanter wines, pairing a poem from the Shakespeare’s Sisters curriculum with…

Folger Public Programs is pleased to present ENCORES. This week we remember Kamilah Aisha Moon with her reading from ‘Cave Canem Drops the Mic’ (2016).

‘Shakespeare’s Sisters: Say Her Name’ is an online writing seminar that celebrates the poetry of Black women in America. We are pleased to bring you a special collaboration with DCanter wines, pairing a poem from the Shakespeare’s Sisters curriculum with…

‘Shakespeare’s Sisters: Say Her Name’ is an online writing seminar that celebrates the poetry of Black women in America. We are pleased to bring you a special collaboration with DCanter wines, pairing a poem from the Shakespeare’s Sisters curriculum with…

Folger Public Programs is pleased to present ENCORES, a bi-weekly online series highlighting past performances and recalling the rich history of programming on the historic Folger stage. Enjoy a selection read by Manuel Gonzales from his novel, ‘The Regional Office…

Assistant Curator of Collections Elizabeth deBold shares items related to Shakespeare’s sonnets, part of a presentation preceding the October 5 poetry reading with Diane Seuss and t’ai freedom ford.

Folger Public Programs is pleased to present ENCORES, a weekly online series highlighting past performances and recalling the rich history of programming on the historic Folger stage. Enjoy a selection read by Tananarive Due from her upcoming novel, ‘The Reformatory.’