In that sense, poems are a declaration of hope in language: Even if we can’t pull off something magnificent, we can at least try. Through poetry, we can perhaps come closest to capturing the ...

But Emily was different. She was for me. These days, it’s her poem about hope that I find myself repeating. Do you know it? “Hope is the thing with feathers,” it starts. It compares hope to a small ...

Naruhito’s poem read: “Sekai tono/ Ikikigatakaru/ Yo ha Tsuzuki/ Mado Hiraku Hi wo/ Hitoe ni Negau” (As our contacts with the world/ Remain difficult/ I earnestly hope for a day/ When the ...