The Concise Verse

Recent Episodes

46
Aug. 9, 2026

"Epitaph for a Romantic Woman" by Louise Bogan

She has attained the permanence She dreamed of, where old stones lie sunning. Untended stalks blow over her Even and swift, like young men running. Always in the heart she loved Others had lived,—she heard their laughter. She lies where none has lain before, Where certainly none will follow after.
45
Aug. 2, 2026

"Prime" by Amy Lowell

YOUR voice is like bells over roofs at dawn When a bird flies And the sky changes to a fresher color. Speak, speak, Beloved. Say little things For my ears to catch And run with them to my heart.
44
July 26, 2026

"Theology" by Paul Laurence Dunbar

There is a heaven, for ever, day by day, The upward longing of my soul doth tell me so. There is a hell, I'm quite as sure; for pray If there were not, where would my neighbours go?
43
July 19, 2026

"The Deep-Sea Pearl" by Edith M. Thomas

The love of my life came not As love unto others is cast; For mine was a secret wound— But the wound grew a pearl, at last. The divers may come and go, The tides, they arise and fall; The pearl in its shell lies sealed, And the Deep Sea covers all.
42
July 12, 2026

"Dooryard Roses" by Sara Teasdale

I HAVE come the selfsame path To the selfsame door, Years have left the roses there Burning as before. While I watch them in the wind Quick the hot tears start— Strange so frail a flame outlasts Fire in the heart.
41
July 5, 2026

"Moon-Shadows" by Adelaide Crapsey

Still as On windless nights The moon-cast shadows are, So still will be my heart when I Am dead.

Recent Blog Posts

Aug. 9, 2026

The Quiet Haven: Louise Bogan's "Epitaph for a Romantic Woman"

First published in 1923 in her celebrated debut collection Body of This Death, "Epitaph for a Romantic Woman" is a masterclass in irony and formal precision by Louise Bogan (1897–1970). Bogan was a titan of American letters who went on to serve as t…
Aug. 2, 2026

The Resonance of Intimacy: Amy Lowell's "Prime"

First published in 1922 in American Poetry: A Miscellany, "Prime" is a brilliant display of Imagist technique by Amy Lowell (1874–1925). Lowell was an absolute powerhouse of early 20th-century poetry—loud, unapologetic, and fiercely passionate about…
July 26, 2026

Divine Irony: Paul Laurence Dunbar's "Theology"

First published in 1896, "Theology" is a short, sharp work by Paul Laurence Dunbar. One of the first internationally recognized African-American poets, Dunbar (1872–1906) was celebrated for his mastery of traditional lyric forms alongside powerful e…