Dorothea Lasky joins Kevin Young to read “Three Songs,” by Louise Bogan, and her own poem “The Green Lake.” Lasky is the author of several books of poetry and prose, including her forthcoming collection “The Shining.” She’s the co-creator, with Alex Dimitrov, of Astro Poets, and she teaches poetry at Columbia University.
Jan 2017
#54 Laura Dockrill (Poet & Author) - You Don’t Have To Be One Thing
Laura Dockrill is a performance poet, author, illustrator and short story writer. She is the author of the Darcy Burdock series and a YA novel, Lorali with a follow up book coming out this year. She has also written a number of adult poetry collections. "My Mum is a Grown Down" i ... Show More
29m 52s
Oct 2021
Kathleen Flenniken — Married Love
In a poem of extraordinary poise, Kathleen Flenniken recounts her parents’ lively parties, their rich social life, their summer trips, and their friendships: friendships that were not always straightforward. The poem closes with an observation of a moment of sexual tension betwee ... Show More
16m 40s
Jun 2024
“The End of Poetry” by Ada Limón
An impassioned plea, a yearning for connection — the poem U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón wrote when she says all language failed her. Take in Ada's reading of her piece, “The End of Poetry” — and hear her read more of her work in the On Being episode, “To Be Made Whole.”Ada Limón i ... Show More
1m 43s
Jan 2024
Eugenia Leigh — How the Dung Beetle Finds Its Way Home
In a poem about how a small moment can help you make a wise decision, Eugenia Leigh finds the strength to go back home after storming out. No self-pity in the poem, just humor and brilliance. She had every reason to leave, and finds every reason to return. Eugenia Leigh is a Kore ... Show More
15m 51s
Nov 2021
In a powerful memoir, poet Joy Harjo talks about finding her voice and using it
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
8m 41s
Feb 2022
Alejandro Zambra Reads Bruno Schulz
<p><span>Alejandro Zambra joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss “</span><a href="https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1977/11/14/loneliness-2">Loneliness</a><span>,” by Bruno Schulz, translated from the Polish by Celina Wieniewska, which was published in<span> </span></span><e ... Show More
36m 55s
May 2024
Jericho Brown — Poems as Teachers | Ep 5
In “Hebrews 13” by Jericho Brown, a narrator says: “my lover and my brother both knocked at my door.” The heat is turned on, scalding coffee is offered and hastily swallowed, and silence is the soundtrack. What an exquisitely awkward triangle it is, and what a human, beautiful, a ... Show More
13m 10s
Nov 2022
Two poetry collections find beauty in unexpected places
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
20m 21s