Starting off, I want to thank Jeremy Hatch or subbing in for me last week, both on this column and as Saturday Editor. Great job, dude.

Seth Abramson writes a lot about MFA programs and, by extension, the PhD in Creative Writing. It’s hip to criticize these programs, but Seth does a hell of a job defending them in this piece.

Travis Nichols at Harriet talks about the role of poetry in as concerns Iran.

Diane Lockward celebrates excess in poetry, and I concur.

And finally, an update on Project Verse, which I mentioned in one of my first Poetic Lives Online columns. See you next Saturday!

Brian Spears