logo
episode-header-image
Jul 8
1h 8m

m. mick powell vs. Celebrity Culture

POETRY FOUNDATION
About this episode

On today’s episode of VS, Ajanae and Brittany interview m. mick powell about their forthcoming collection, Dead Girl Cameo (Penguin Random House). Join them as they discuss celebrity culture and conspiracy theories, obsession with the 90’s and 2000’s, Black queer feminist thought, and gathering artifacts across time periods. 

Until Next Time: 

Here is some media to accompany your experience of the episode and a writing prompt to tide you over until we meet again!

Writing Prompt:

Write an ode to a cultural icon or piece of memorabilia from your childhood. Make the title a line from a song that was important to you during this era.

Up next
Jun 24
Tiana Clark vs. Burnout
On today’s episode of VS, Brittany and Ajanae have the opportunity to talk with Tiana Clark. Listen in as they discuss navigating burnout and perfectionism, advocacy within the medical system, neurodivergence, and permission as a part of the creative process. Until Next Time: Her ... Show More
1h 5m
Jun 10
Deesha Philyaw and Kiese Laymon vs. Genre
On today’s episode, Brittany and Ajanae talk with Deesha Philyaw and Kiese Laymon—phenomenal writers and co-hosts of the podcast, Reckon True Stories. During this conversation, they discuss the impact of great editors, the overlap between poetry and prose, rejection in the writer ... Show More
1h 16m
May 27
VS Live! at AWP E. Hughes and Luther Hughes vs. Nostalgia
Today’s episode was recorded live at the Sims Library in Los Angeles, California during this year's AWP conference. Join Brittany and Ajanae as they sit down with E. Hughes and Luther Hughes (no relation) to discuss the role that intimacy plays in their writing, memory being true ... Show More
1h 3m
Recommended Episodes
May 2024
Huda Fakhreddine on Hiba Abu Nada ("Pull Yourself Together")
What can a poem do in the face of calamity? This was an extraordinary conversation. Huda Fakhreddine joins the podcast to discuss "Pull Yourself Together," a poem that Huda has translated into English and that was written by the Palestinian poet, novelist, and educator Hiba Abu N ... Show More
1h 30m
Mar 2024
Mohammed Naseehu Ali Reads “Allah Have Mercy”
Mohammed Naseehu Ali reads his story “Allah Have Mercy” from the April 1, 2024, issue of the magazine. Ali is the author of “The Prophet of Zongo Street,” a story collection, which came out in 2005. He teaches undergraduate fiction in N.Y.U.’s Creative Writing department. 
54m 54s
Nov 2024
Crazy Shia Umrah Experience
Book your tickets now! https://www.aftermaghrib.com/book Having recently returned from Umrah, Sayed Ali Radhawi begins the episode by reflecting on his spiritual experience before transitioning into a conversation with Ahmed about significant moments in the life of Lady Fatima Za ... Show More
57m 19s
Aug 2024
Episode 600 - Joe Coleman
For my 600th episode, the great artist Joe Coleman joins the show to celebrate his phenomenal new career-spanning retrospective book, A DOORWAY TO JOE: The Art of Joe Coleman (Fantagraphics). We talk about art, mortality, mythography, history, the corruption of the flesh, the nat ... Show More
1h 36m
Nov 2024
Salah Overslept? Here’s How the Prophet Handled It | Ep. 27 | #AlMuwatta With Ustadh AbdulRahman
In this episode of Imam Malik's Al-Muwatta, explore the differing views among scholars on the obligations surrounding missed prayers. Dive into discussions about forgetfulness, intentional delays, and their respective rulings. Understand the nuances that shape Islamic perspective ... Show More
1h 16m
Jun 2019
Episode 8: Death Leaves Signs
This episode, the final one of this season, features the work of Palestinian poet Yousif M. Qasmiyeh, author-in-residence at Refugee Hosts. Qasmiyeh is currently a DPhil candidate at the University of Oxford, where he is writing about conceptualisations of time and containment in ... Show More
24m 24s
Jul 2024
The Zainab of Karbala (Ft Sayed Abdullah Al-Nakeeb)
The mother of grief. The protector of Hussain (as). The student with no teacher. The one who fulfilled the task set by Ali (as) and Fatima (as). In this heart-wrenching episode, Sayed Abdullah al-Nakeeb returns to uncover the reality and secrets of Lady Zainab (as) and the magnit ... Show More
55m 17s
Jun 2021
The 2021 International Booker winner episode
Joe Haddow speaks to writer David Diop and translator Anna Moschovakis about how it felt to win the International Booker Prize and we hear the moment when Lucy Hughes-Hallett announced the winner again from Coventry Cathedral. Listen to the episode for a discussion of language, t ... Show More
25m 33s
Aug 2024
Event of Mubahila
Among the delegations that came to Prophet Muhammad was on e from the Christians of Najran after their chief chief bishop and his people were invited to Islam. They came to negotiate a truce with the Prophet. They offered terms that were unacceptable to the Prophet, and he invite ... Show More
55m 39s
Jan 2025
Forever is Now Special | Calligraphy in Flame: The Transformative Art
In this exciting episode, we meet Lebanese sculptors Marie Khouri and Jean Boghossian. They share the journey behind their artistic vision and the profound experience of showcasing their installations at the Pyramids. Jean discusses his unique use of fire and smoke on various mat ... Show More
16m 11s