Take this poem

Episode 29: What the Living Do

After the death of a friend, it's the living ones who stagger around--dealing with plumbing problems, eating pie, and trying to make sense of it all. Here are two poems about that. 

"What the Living Do" by Marie Howe

"Ray" by Hayden Carruth 

Hayden Carruth reads "Ray"

Episode 28: Strawberrying

For this week a sweet, red June poem: "Strawberrying"by May Swenson. I love this poem and marvel how Swenson captures the fleshy, violent abundance of nature with a tone of matter-of-factness and restraint. 

Episode 27: Broken Seashell

I pair a listener's poem "Broken Seashell" with Grace Shulman's "Because" and see what the two poems say together about the material world's brokenness and beauty. 

 

Kaitlin Wachter can be reached by email at Kaitlin.a.wachter@gmail.com and you can find more of her poetry on Instagram @songsinthekeyofk

 

 

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.