Portside

Mississippi poet Philip C. Kolin takes the president at his word(s) and turns the table(s).

Peter Neil Carroll’s “Sanctuary” honors the work of Proactiva Open Arms, a non-governmental volunteer group of lifeguards who rescue refugees at sea.

In an era of endless war and more war, poet Eve Sutton contrasts a world of peace and safety.

The son of Mexican immigrants, the poet José Olivarez explores the ambiguities (and realities) that determine who labels whom in the discourse of ethnic identity.

Poet Joseph Zaccardi, Laureate of Marin County, explores the local chit-chat, reminding us it’s also about what folks don’t want to say or hear.

Peter Neil Carroll's poetry pays homage to the veterans of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade who left a legacy of fighting fascism.

For the London-born poet Jane Spiro, her father’s school photo taken in 1929 represents the “before” but cannot foresee the changes that await a Polish-born Jewish boy.

The poet Metta Sáma depicts the travails of high school taunts and bullying that ultimately reduce to a single trait: race.

California poet Esther Kamkar’s “Undocumented” puts the great Wall debate in botanical perspective.

Massachusetts poet Anne Champion raises a protest against the sale of guns and weapons of mass destruction.