(Click on links to poems, essays & reviews below.)
Editors' Notes
"It's Political" Poems / Visual Poems / Songs
Notes, Poems & Reflections from Hip Hop in the Heartland: 7th Annual Educator and Community Leader Training Institute—UW-Madison
- A bit about "Hip Hop in the Heartland"
- A Suburban Alphabet, by Jonathan Balcerak
- Dead Ass & I Am Hip Hop, by Michael Cirelli
- The Children's "Musifesto," Teaching Hip-Hop Unit Plan, by Antía González Ben
- Second Chance, by Diane Hardy
- To Dr. Chris Emdin With Love, by Ronnie Inda
- Old School Like When Scratchin' Was Something You Did to Your Ass When No One Was Looking & Education Rant, by Dana Kaleta
- How I Got Here & Solicited Advice to Yours, by Brandi Kruse
- Thank you Yo-land-ah & Reflection on Hip Hop in the Heartland, by Sarabeth Leitch
- Blue., by Jamal Msebele
- Where I come from, by libelula roja
- Homeward - bound & The Heartlander Experience, by Sifundo
- swaggacity in the heart land, or the hart that crosses a city street: notes from "Hip Hop in the Heartland," by Wendy Vardaman
Essays, Interviews & Other Features
- Censored Arts—Janine Arseneau & David Lenz, Kathleen Phillips & Angel Troyer
- Alan Dugan and Discontent, by Adam Halbur
- In Defense of Political Poetry, by Estella Lauter
- Poems for Politicians, by Gillian Nevers
- Community Inclusive: A Poetics to Move Us Forward, by Margaret Rozga
- At the Kitchen Table: Shoshauna Shy Talks to Mark Kraushaar
- Enrichment and Repair: How Poetry Can Refresh Our Vision, by Thomas R. Smith
- Frank X Walker, A Conversation with CX Dillhunt & Drew Dillhunt
- Teaching Akhmatova, by Greg Weiss
- It’s Meant to Be Read: Making Poetry Public, by Marilyn Zelke-Windau
Wisconsin Poetry News
- Frank X Walker & VW at the Wisconsin Book Festival, Madison, November 7-11
- Wisconsin Fellowship of Poets Conference, Stevens Point, November 2-4
- Wisconsin Poetry Festival, Fort Atkinson, November 2-4
- Poet Laureate Commission of Wisconsin Announces New Members
- Madison Common Council Poems
- The UW-Madison First Wave Hip Hop and Urban Arts Learning Community
Scholarship - Reedsburg Fermentation Fest Poetry Winners
- Annual JFK Reading in Milwaukee
More on Political Poetry—in previous issues of VW
- Main Street Issue, Poems About the Wisconsin Protests, (2/18/11-9/11/11)
- Interview with Martín Espada (VW 103)
- Poetic Justice: Books for Troubled Times, A Review-Essay, by Wendy Vardaman (VW 106)
- Interview with Kimberly Blaeser (VW 107)
- The Making of an Eco Poet, by Jeff Poniewaz (VW 107)
- The Lamentable Tragedie of Scott Walker, by Doug Reed (VW 108)
- The Latina Monologues, by Angela Trudell Vásquez (VW 108)
- Interview with Brenda Cárdenas (VW 109)
- 100,000 Poets for Change in Wisconsin, & Interviews with Co-founders Michael Rothenberg & Terri Carrion, by Lisa Vihos (VW 109)
Review-Essays
- Political Poetry, by Estella Lauter, on books by Charles Portolano and Thomas R. Smith
- Red Miss Takes, or A Little Pink In Your Cover/Color Scheme, by Wendy Vardaman, on books by Robin Chapman, Ching-In Chen, Fabu, Nikky Finney, Matthea Harvey, Karla Huston & Cathryn Cofell, Amy King, Noelle Kocot, Julie L. Moore, Jennifer Tamayo, Lesley Wheeler
Book Reviews
- Grace Marie Grafton, Whimsy, Reticence & Laud: Unruly Sonnets, Poetic Matrix Press, 2012, by Trena Machado
- Eric Greinke, Conversation Pieces – Selected Interviews, Presa Press, 2012, by Timothy McLafferty
- Nick Lantz, The Lightning That Strikes the Neighbor's House, University of Wisconsin Press, 2010, by Lisa Vihos
- Charles Portolano, The little, lingering, white, lies we allow ourselves to live with, As Is Arts Press, 2012, by Steven C. Levi
- Cecilia Rodríguez Milanés, Everyday Chica, Long Leaf Press, 2010, by Lucia Cherciu
- Elizabeth Savage, Grammar, Furniture Press, 2012, by Sherry Chandler
- Theresa Malphrus Welford (ed.), The Cento: A Collection of Collage Poems, Red Hen Press, 2011, by Chloe Yelena Miller
- Scott Wiggerman & David Meischen (eds.),Wingbeats: Exercises & Practice In Poetry, Dos Gatos Press, 2011, by Ramona Davis
