Live at the White House, it’s
Elizabeth Alexander, Billy Collins, Common,
Rita Dove, Kenneth Goldsmith, Alison Knowles,
Aimee Mann & Jill Scott

Kenny’s not the controversial one

Linh Dinh has a different take

Al Filreis responds to Linh Dinh

Should Common be censored?

Obama welcomes
Common to the White House

Are Common’s lyrics
really so bad, Sarah Palin?

Common Sense eludes Sarah Palin

Palin: I’m not anti-rap

Fox News
provides its perspective
(with some helpful context from The Young Turks)

Is this overblown?

Gerri Willis
is just against poetry
(and can prove it)

Backing Common @ the White House

Jon Stewart’s commentary

What Common actually read

One attempt to
trash Common while
staying “above the fray”

For Smerconish,
it all comes down
to Mumia

Is Common controversy
raising the profile of poetry
at the White House?
(with videos of readings by
Elizabeth Alexander & Kenny G)

The dangers of metaphor

The Politics of Distraction

Barack Obama on the power of poetry