744: Contentment

Today’s poem is At Last the New Arriving by Gabrielle Calvocoressi. The Slowdown is your daily poetry ritual. In this episode, Maggie writes… “I don’t know what might happen tomorrow, or the next day, or the next. I can’t know! That can be a source of stress, but it can also be a ... Show More

Today’s poem is Soot by Kaveh Akbar. The Slowdown is your daily poetry ritual. In this episode, Maggie writes… “My friend, the poet Dana Levin, once said that my poems are “God Curious,” and I loved that description. Part of what I do in my poems is pose existential questions to ... Show More

Today’s poem is Six Hours Lost, Land Between the Lakes by Kathleen Driskell. The Slowdown is your daily poetry ritual. In this episode, Maggie writes… “Today’s poem tells a story about a tense encounter in the woods. I so admire how this poet unfolds the narrative, then leaves me ... Show More

Some students and I walk through Hopkins' poem, celebrating its particular pleasures and insights, as well as talking in general about how easy it is to access the strange mysterious power of a poem. 

We talk about the life-affirming poems of Adam Zagajewski. 

Poet Laureate Joy Harjo says she loved poetry as a kid, but didn't feel like it belonged to her. "It wasn't until I heard Native poets," she tells NPR's Michel Martin, "that I realized that, wow, this is a powerful tool of understanding and affirmation. And I don't know, I just s ... Show More

Poet Franny Choi knows that marginalized communities have been facing apocalypses forever. But in her new book, The World Keeps Ending, and the World Goes On, she uses their survival as a way to look forward. In this episode, she tells NPR's Leila Fadel how understanding that pai ... Show More

Today's devotion is written by Bonnie Engstrom. 

What a searching, stimulating conversation this was. Elisa Gabbert joins the podcast to talk about a poem she and I have both long loved, Sylvia Plath's "Lady Lazarus."Elisa is a poet, critic, and essayist—and the author of several books. Her recent titles include Normal Distance ... Show More

Cent cinquante ans après la parution des Misérables, Victor Hugo est toujours d’actualité. Écrivain illustre quoique controversé, Victor Hugo, par l’ampleur de son œuvre et de ses engagements politiques, a gardé une place d’honneur au panthéon des lettres françaises. Port ... Show More

Welcome to the Dior Talks podcast series dedicated to the eighth edition of Dior Lady Art, hosted by Paris-based journalist Katya Foreman. For this highly-anticipated edition, 12 artists from around the world were invited to transform the iconic Lady Dior handbag into a unique wo ... Show More

In this soothing episode of "Word Power," join Danny as we embark on a peaceful journey into the heart of tranquility. Beyond its quiet exterior, tranquility is a profound state of calmness and peace that resonates deeply within the soul, offering a sanctuary from the chaos of th ... Show More