Take this poem

Episode 26: What's Left Unsaid

Some things, in love, can't be put into words.  In this episode, I share two poems written decades apart by Stephen Dunn that explore this concept.  

Episode 25: The Star Market

The power of Marie Howe's empathetic imagination flames out in this poem about a simple trip to the grocery store. 

Episode 24: The Ordinary

George Bilgere's work explores the quotidian and what is poetic, sad, and beautiful there. In this episode Keith Hansen reads three of Bilgere's poems: "Horseplay", "The Table", and "Strawberries". I think you'll find something to love here.

I quote this video of Bilgere speaking about his poetry.

https://vimeo.com/94205250

Episode 23: Sea Fever

May I humbly suggest that you take this poem--"Sea Fever" by John Masefield--and memorize it? You won't regret it. 

Episode 22: "Forgetfulness" by Billy Collins

My friend Anna and I discuss and enjoy a poem that ambushed her. 

Episode 21: Poetry Transplanted

What is lost and what is gained when poetry moves from one language to another? I briefly ponder this question and share three translations of Anna Akhmatova's poem "Heart's Memory of Sun Grows Fainter". 

Episode 20: Good Mail

In this episode I share two highlights from the mailbag this week.

Tom Clark reads from Paige Lewis' collection Space Struck. 

Episode 19: "Memorial" by A.E. Stallings

This episode is another field trip to a cemetery, this time in the good company of classicist-poet A.E. Stallings and her beautiful poem "Memorial (Mnemosyne)".

Episode 18: A Child's Garden of Verses

Two of my college roommates sent me audio files recently, and they both happened to be poems by Robert Lewis Stevenson. It seemed like a good time for an episode featuring his winsome, easily memorizable poetry that so captures the childhood experience. 

I read "Bed in Summer"

Lydia and Will share "My Shadow"

Melanie shares "The Swing" 

Episode 17: Why Poetry?

In this episode I share "The Pupil" by native Kentucky poet Maurice Manning. This poem tells the story of an interior Appalachian scene and does artistic work that I believe is unique to poetry. I draw upon Matthew Zapruder's book Why Poetry? to aid my attempts to explain it.