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David Biespiel

David Biespiel is a poet, literary critic, memoirist, and contributing writer at American Poetry Review, New Republic, New York Times, Poetry, Politico, The Rumpus, and Slate, among other publications. He is the author of numerous books, most recently The Education of a Young Poet, which was selected a Best Books for Writers by Poets & Writers, A Long High Whistle, which received the 2016 Oregon Book Award for General Nonfiction, and The Book of Men and Women, which was chosen for Best Books of the Year by the Poetry Foundation and received the 2011 Oregon Book Award for Poetry.

Poetry, Politics, Rumpus Original

David Biespiel

Dec 6, 2016

David Biespiel’s Poetry Wire: 21 Poems That Shaped America (Pt. 7): “Facing It”

There should be no forgetting, much less forgiveness, of what happened during the Vietnam War.
Poetry, Rumpus Original

David Biespiel

Nov 22, 2016

David Biespiel’s Poetry Wire: 21 Poems That Shaped America (Pt. 6): “To Elsie”

Now the battle is joined. I will prosecute my part of it as a writer till the last dog dies…
Poetry, Rumpus Original

David Biespiel

Nov 8, 2016

David Biespiel’s Poetry Wire: 21 Poems That Shaped America (Pt. 5): “The Lost Pilot”
Poetry, Rumpus Original

David Biespiel

Oct 25, 2016

David Biespiel’s Poetry Wire: 21 Poems That Shaped America (Pt. 4): “Roosters”

the roosters brace their cruel feet and glare // with stupid eyes / while from their beaks there rise / the uncontrolled, traditional cries.
Poetry, Rumpus Original

David Biespiel

Oct 11, 2016

David Biespiel’s Poetry Wire: 21 Poems that Shaped America (Pt. 3): “Prospective Immigrants Please Note”
Poetry, Rumpus Original

David Biespiel

Sep 27, 2016

David Biespiel’s Poetry Wire: 21 Poems That Shaped America (Pt. 2): “Ave Maria”

Mothers of America / let your kids go to the movies!
Poetry, Rumpus Original

David Biespiel

Sep 13, 2016

David Biespiel’s Poetry Wire: 21 Poems That Shaped America (Pt. 1): “The Idea of Ancestry”

I know / their dark eyes, they know mine.
Poetry, Rumpus Original

David Biespiel

Jun 7, 2016

David Biespiel’s Poetry Wire: The Suit

It was as if he understood that the authentic must begin in the voice. And through the texture of the voice—its moral and psychological claims—sensory details emerge with absolute authority.
Poetry, Rumpus Original

David Biespiel

May 17, 2016

David Biespiel’s Poetry Wire: The Pale of Vermont

But to become a writer I needed at least to learn about my own superstitions. I needed space in the house to sketch with words. I needed to commit heresies. And those acts had to feel pleasurable.
Poetry, Rumpus Original

David Biespiel

May 3, 2016

David Biespiel’s Poetry Wire: Something’s Happening Out There

The big crowd stretched form the gold-domed State House to Park Street. I had the urgent feeling that we were part of something. That we counted.
Poetry, Rumpus Original

David Biespiel

Apr 19, 2016

David Biespiel’s Poetry Wire: The Dugout

So much of politics is symbolic speech in the service of the syncopations of the lives we actually live. But the ways we gather to vote is with our bodies. It’s the dance that goes along with those rhythms.
Poetry, Rumpus Original

David Biespiel

Apr 5, 2016

David Biespiel’s Poetry Wire: Primal Talk

One of the thrills of being a writer is becoming aware of the wildness that percolates inside of you. If you’ve learned to listen, you’re able to hear it.