logo
episode-header-image
Oct 2024
5m 50s

1228: Shelf Life by Nathan Xavier Osorio

American Public Media
About this episode

Today’s poem is Shelf Life by Nathan Xavier Osorio. The Slowdown is your daily poetry ritual.


In this episode, Major writes… “There’s something sad, sometimes, about taking in all of the country from the fringes. I used to view the highway as a symbol of escape and possibility. Now, I view the road as a complex portal to our great melancholy. Today’s poem exposes a thin veil of desolation on the surface of life. It’s as if we are all waiting for something magical to happen, to lift us out of our collective spiritual anguish.”


Celebrate the power of poems with a gift to The Slowdown today. Every donation makes a difference: https://tinyurl.com/rjm4synp

Up next
Yesterday
1405: Entry by Chet'la Sebree
<p>Today’s poem is Entry by Chet'la Sebree.</p><br/><p>The Slowdown is your daily poetry ritual. In this episode, Maggie writes… “It's human nature to want to know for oneself, not only to trust in the knowledge of others. It’s human nature to want to make decisions for oneself, ... Show More
6m 22s
Nov 26
1404: Before Lunar New Year, Our Mothers Go Missing by Uyen Phuong Dang
<p>Today’s poem is Before Lunar New Year, Our Mothers Go Missing by Uyen Phuong Dang.</p><br/><p>The Slowdown is your daily poetry ritual. In this episode, Maggie writes… “Today’s poem references the Lunar New Year, which happens in February, but it’s a timeless, seasonless poem. ... Show More
5m 54s
Nov 25
1403: Echo by Pura López-Colomé, translated by Forrest Gander
<p>Today’s poem is Echo by Pura López-Colomé, translated by Forrest Gander. </p><br/><p>The Slowdown is your daily poetry ritual. In this episode, Maggie writes… “I also think that all literature is translation, in a sense. We are taking what is in our minds and translating that ... Show More
6m 54s
Recommended Episodes
Jul 2024
John Milton's "When I consider how my light is spent"
<p>In today’s poem, also known as “Sonnet 19,” Milton offers a pious alternative to “raging” against the dying of the light. Happy reading.</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href= ... Show More
12m 22s
Nov 2023
Two Poems About Butter
<p>Today we pay tribute, with poems by Andrea Cohen and Elizabeth Alexander, to the indispensable golden wonder.</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://dailypoempod.subst ... Show More
4m 48s
Jun 2020
Maya Angelou's "I Still Rise"
tail spinning
7m 45s
Feb 2025
Carmen Giménez — Ars Poetica
Carmen Giménez’s poem “Ars Poetica” is a stunning waterfall of words, a torrent of dozens of short statements that begin with “I” or “I’m.” As you listen to them, let an answering cascade of questions fill up your mind. What does this series of confessions reveal to you about poe ... Show More
15m 16s