logo
episode-header-image
Nov 2024
6m 1s

1230: Second Paradise by Chard deNiord

American Public Media
About this episode

Today’s poem is Second Paradise by Chard deNiord. The Slowdown is your daily poetry ritual.


In this episode, Major writes… “Today’s shrewd poem ardently shows how time shreds memories into a dreamlike sequence of events, yet we are preserved in our stories.”


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

Up next
Today
1337: New York Address by Linda Gregg
Today’s poem is New York Address by Linda Gregg. The Slowdown is your daily poetry ritual. In this episode, Maggie writes… “Today’s poem captures that feeling when you’ve just had it—you’ve absolutely hit your limit. But at the same time, you realize that you’re the only person w ... Show More
5m 47s
Aug 22
1336: I Find Myself Defending Pigeons by Keith S. Wilson
Today’s poem is I Find Myself Defending Pigeons by Keith S. Wilson. The Slowdown is your daily poetry ritual. In this episode, Maggie writes… “One thing I love about poems is how they give us the opportunity to take our time, to dial in, to look and listen closely. Not everything ... Show More
6m 35s
Aug 21
1335: Bonfire Opera by Danusha Laméris
Today’s poem is Bonfire Opera by Danusha Laméris. The Slowdown is your daily poetry ritual. In this episode, Maggie writes… “Yes, I have new lines around my eyes and new glints of silver in my hair, but my body continues to surprise me in wonderful ways, too. It brings me a lot o ... Show More
5m 46s
Recommended Episodes
Feb 2025
Fady Joudah — [...]
Even though Palestinian-American Fady Joudah’s poem is sparingly titled “[...],” an ellipsis surrounded by brackets, this work itself is psychologically dense. Through crisp lines and language, it wrestles with the nature of human ambivalence — about things like fear, desire, dis ... Show More
12m 55s
Dec 2024
Diego Báez — Inheritance
Many people say their experience of time changes after they have children, a phenomenon that Diego Báez captures in “Inheritance.” In this poem, a past, present, and future starring the same child shift ceaselessly in a parent’s mind, like photos flipped through in an album, dots ... Show More
20m 4s
Jul 9
"Marigolds," a poem about wonder | Safiya Sinclair
Poet Safiya Sinclair performs "Marigolds: A Letter to Wonder," an original poem she created for TED that explores memory, beauty and the fragility of life. After the poem, she talks with TED's Helen Walters about her writing process — and what it feels like when the creative muse ... Show More
9m 2s
Oct 2023
Episode 64: Rupert Recites from Rainer Maria Rilke’s Sonnets to Orpheus
In celebration of National Poetry Day in the UK, we invite you to enjoy Rupert’s recital of Austrian poet and novelist Rainer Maria Rilke. The spontaneous and joyful delivery comes in response to a request to comment on the topic of food. The poem is from Rilke’s collection ‘Sonn ... Show More
1m 31s
Apr 2025
Re-release: How to enrich your everyday life with poetry (w/ Sarah Kay)
Roses are red, violets are blue, has poetry ever been intimidating for you? For many people, this art form can feel unapproachable, but poet and educator Sarah Kay, suggests that people who don’t like poetry just maybe haven’t found a poem that really speaks to them. Sarah propos ... Show More
31m 28s
Mar 2025
How poetry builds teenagers' confidence (w/ Youth Poet Laureate Naisha Randhar)
In honor of National Poetry Month, Chris is speaking with Naisha Randhar. Naisha is the Youth Poet Laureate of Dallas, the author of Roses of Arma, and the youngest guest Chris has ever interviewed — she’s a high school sophomore. Chris and Naisha talk about the inspiring work of ... Show More
39m 54s
Dec 2024
Richard Langston — Hill walk
In Richard Langston’s poem “Hill walk,” he proffers a handful of things that move us over the course of a day — words said or read, notes played, the sight of halting steps taken by a sibling. We marvel at the sound of an unfamiliar bird call, but there’s a startling mystery to t ... Show More
12m 18s
May 14
Episode 112: Pre-Islamic Arabic Poetry
Prior to the dawn of Islam, the Arabian Peninsula had a great poetic tradition, with many genres, and many poets who are still celebrated and studied today. Episode 112 Quiz https://literatureandhistory.com/quiz-112/ Episode 112 Transcription: https://literatureandhistory.com/epi ... Show More
2h 19m
Jun 20
A.O. Scott on the Joy of Close Reading Poetry
On this week's episode, A.O. Scott joins host Gilbert Cruz to talk about the value of close reading poetry. And New York Times Book Review poetry editor Greg Cowles recommends four recently published collections worth reading.Books mentioned in this episode* "New and Collected He ... Show More
33m 55s
Apr 2025
Why Creativity Demands Discipline | “Good Bones” Poet Maggie Smith (PT. 2)
Does telling your story mean revealing everything? Bestselling author and viral poet Maggie Smith returns for part two of her conversation with Ryan, discussing how writers decide what to share and what to keep sacred. They debunk the myth that memoirs must be exposés, talk about ... Show More
42m 56s
Listen to millions of songs and podcasts on Anghami