If you read the full poem, you will come to know what constitutes a true friend for him, and what makes friends so essential in life. 30. “Little Things” by Marion Strobel ...

This week’s guest on Poetry from Daily Life is Ellen Hopkins, who lives in Cape Girardeau. She has been a writer for more than thirty years and particularly likes to write contemporary verse novels.

Our critic A.O. Scott walks you through a poem that speaks to his mood right now. It’s called “Party Politics,” but it’s not about those parties, or those politics.