Episodes 126-150 — Poetry Spoken Here

SPECIAL REBROADCAST - Pulitzer Prize Winner Jericho Brown Reading at the Unamuno Author Festival

A first ever Poetry Spoken Here rebroadcast! Episode 100 of Poetry Spoken Here featured Jericho Brown reading at the Unamuno Author Festival. In honor of Jericho Brown being awarded the Pulitzer Prize for poetry for his book The Tradition, we wanted to re-share this reading.

The Unamuno Author Festival took place in the spring of 2019 in Madrid, Spain.

Jericho Brown was recently awarded the 2020 Pulitzer Prize in poetry. He has also won a Guggenheim fellowship, invented a poetic form, and had his poems featured in The New Yorker, the Paris Review, and the Bennington Review among others. His latest collection The Tradition, for which he won the Pulitzer, was released in 2019 to wide praise. This reading was part of an evening celebrating of the 25th anniversary of the Civitella Ranieri retreat program.

Episode 126: Nicole Santalucia

Nicole Santalucia shares poems from her new collection, The Book of Dirt, and talks about life in conservative-small-town Pennsylvania where she lives with her wife and teaches.

Episode 127: Rusty Russell

Rusty Russell of Madison, Wisconsin discusses his new collection "Witness", gives his thoughts on poets as witnesses, and shares his poetry including a poem written the day after 9/11.

Episode #128: Open Mic of the Air #5

The Open Mic of the Air is a project from Poetry Spoken Here. Since most in-person poetry events are temporarily suspended due to coronavirus, this is a way for poets from around the world to connect and have a creative outlet.

We are also eager to receive and share poems inspired by the recent country-wide protests against police brutality and in support of the value of black lives.

This is the fifth episode of the Open Mic of the Air featuring poets from across the United States -New York, Wisconsin, Oregon and more - as well as work from England. Give a listen and submit your work for the next episode!

Send a recording - 5 mins or shorter - of yourself reading one of your poems, including your name and location, to openmicoftheair@gmail.com.

For full submission guidelines, check out: www.poetryspokenhere.com/open-mic-of-the-air

This Week's Readers

Stephanie Kendrick, Albany, Ohio in Athens County – “Baptism”
Leanne Grabel, Portland, Oregon – “Peep”
Laurie Derosiers, Westfield, Massachusetts – “About the Body”
Rusty Russell, Madison, Wisconsin - “Idiot Savant”
Carla Perry, Newport, Oregon – “Praying Mantis”
Abdiel LeRoy, London, England – “74-Foiled”
Susan Moorhead, New Rochelle, New York – “Luna”
Dante Di Stephano, Owego, New York – “Note to Myself During National Poetry Month 2020”
Gregorio Gomez, Chicago, Illinois – “Casting Shadows”
Paul David Mena, Centerville Massachusetts – 8 Haiku

Episode #129: Dante Di Stefano

Dante Di Stefano from upstate New York reads from his latest book "Ill Angels," discusses reading Dostoevsky as a teenager, and how being a father and high school teacher has influenced his poetry. In 2019 he won the On Teaching Poem Prize for the best unpublished poem by a K-12 teacher. One of his poems, “Note to Myself During National Poetry Month 2020” was also featured on the most recent Open Mic of the Air.

Episode #130: Thea Matthews and Soul! on TubiTV

San Francisco poet, Thea Matthews, reads poetry of resilience and survival from her new book, "Unearth [The Flowers]" and discusses the place of art and poetry in society.

In the second part of the show, host Charlie Rossiter provides info on resources such as the 1970s TV interview show "Soul!" available through the free streaming service TubiTV. Episodes of "Soul!" feature the poetry of Bob Kaufman read by Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee and James Baldwin interviewed by Nikki Giovanni and much more.

Episode #131: Mark Gibbons

Montana poet Mark Gibbons talks about life in Missoula, how James Welch's visit to his school inspired him to write poetry in his own voice, and discusses his own experiences as a poet in the schools.

Episode #132: Black Lives Matter

In this episode we revisit poems from the Poetry Spoken Here archives that address race, policing, and more. Readers include recent Pulitzer Prize winner Jericho Brown, the youngest ever Baltimore Youth Poet Laureate, Maren (Lovey) Wright Kerr, Chicago-area slam legend Maria "Mama" McCray, Sillerman First Book Prize winner Ladan Osman, and SlamFind creator and Bowery Arts and Science Executive Director Mason Granger.

You can listen to full readings, and interviews with the poets featured in today's episode, here:
Jericho Brown, Episode #100: Poetry-spoken-here – Episode-100-jericho-brown-reading-at-the-unamuno-author-festival
Maren (Lovey) Wright Kerr, Episode #085: Poetry-spoken-here – Episode-085-maren-lovey-wright-kerr-and-lynne-sharon-schwartz-reviewed
Maria "Mama" McCray, Episode #058: Poetry-spoken-here – Episode-058-tribute-to-maria-mama-mccray
Ladan Osman, Episode #023: Poetry-spoken-here – Episode-023-ladan-osman-and-the-book-thing
Mason Granger, Episode #034: Poetry-spoken-here – Episode-034-mason-granger-and-billy-collins

Episode #133: Open Mic of the Air #6

We are also eager to receive and share poems inspired by the recent country-wide protests against police brutality and in support of the value of black lives.

This is the sixth episode of the Open Mic of the Air featuring poets from across the United States - Alaska, Montana, Virginia and more. Give a listen and submit your work for the next episode!

Send a recording - 5 mins or shorter - of yourself reading one of your poems, including your name and location, to openmicoftheair@gmail.com.

For full submission guidelines, check out: www.poetryspokenhere.com/open-mic-of-the-air

This Week's Readers

Natalie Etinoffe, Los Angeles, CA – “It is My Voice”
Wayne David Hubbard, Winchester, Virginia – “Wall Street”
Ann Cefola, Hudson Valley, New York – “Inventory”
Caitlin M.S. Buxbaum, Wasilla, Alaska – “Pastoralis”
Mark Gibbons, Missoula Montana – “Suicide Note”
Ralph Carusillo, Hudson Vally, NY state – “For Some”
Brian Cordell, Trumbull, Connecticut – “Spanish Moon Fall and Rise”
Ralph Culver, S. Burlington, Vermont – “Threnody by the President for Victims of COVID-19”
Phyllis Klein, Palo Alto, California – “When Your Sun Rises”

Episode #134: Phyllis Klein and Lorette Luzajic's New Book Reviewed

Phyllis Klein talks as a poet and therapist about poetry's healing power and reads from her book, The Full Moon Herald from Grayson Books. In the second part of the show, host, Charlie Rossiter reviews Lorette C. Luzajic's book of ekphrastic prose poetry, Pretty Time Machine.

Listen back to Lorette Luzajic's Poetry Spoken Here interview from Episode 41, here: https://soundcloud.com/poetry-spoken-here/show-041-lorette-luzajic-on-ekphrasic-poetry-and-paterson-reviewed

Episode #135: Jared Smith

Jared Smith shares poems from his latest book "That's How It Is," which won the Colorado Authors' League Award for poetry. He also talks about writing in the high country and how the pandemic has inspired his most recent work.

Learn more about Jared, here: www.jaredsmith.info/

Get your copy of "That's How it Is" here: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/thats-how-it-is-jared-smith/1132211492

Episode #136 Sheryl Noethe and A Statement on the Power of Poetry from Mayor Ras Baraka

Sheryl Noethe, Montana Poet Laureate from 2011-2013, and founder of Montana Poetry in the Schools, talks about founding the Missoula Writing Collaborative and shares her work. In the second part of the show Newark, NJ Mayor Ras Baraka gives his views on the power of poetry.

Episode #137 Peace Akintade Youth Poet Laureate of Saskatchewan and Reading from A Sudden Radiance

The newly named Youth Poet Laureate of Saskatchewan, Peace Akintade, discusses her poetry, her theatrical work, and the big plans she has for her laureateship. She also talks about being an Afro-Canadian poet and colorism. In the second part of the show, host Charlie Rossiter remembers traveling to Saskatchewan and reads from a collection of Saskatchewan poetry, “A Sudden Radiance.”

Show 138: Andrea “Vocab” Sanderson, Poet Laureate of San Antonio

Andrea "Vocab" Sanderson, San Antonio poet laureate, reads from her new book "She Lives in Music" from Flowersong Press, and talks about her music ventures and leaving messages of love and hope on city streets.

Show 139: Christopher Benson

Chris Benson now of South Carolina talks about found poetry and reads poems about his time living on a failed sort-of hippie commune farm in New England. Benson was a senior lecturer at Clemson University and was the Writing Coordinator and Editor for the Bread Loaf Teacher Network Magazine from Middlebury College.

Show 140: Chris Green and the New Collection "American Gun" from Big Shoulder Books

Chris Green, Senior Professional Lecturer at DePaul University and poet, reads his poems and talks about the new book "American Gun" from Big Shoulders Books. American Gun is a book-length pantoum about gun violence in Chicago written collaboratively by 100 poets from across the city. Big Shoulders Books publishes and distributes books on social issues for free.

Show 141: Michael Warr, Editor of “Of Poetry and Protest: From Emmett Till to Trayvon Martin

San Francisco poet Michael Warr, editor of "Of Poetry and Protest: From Emmett Till to Trayvon Martin" discusses that collection - begun in 2013, published in 2016, and more relevant than ever - and reads his own poetry.

Show 142: Open Mic of the Air 7

The Open Mic of the Air is a project from Poetry Spoken Here. Since most in-person poetry events are suspended due to coronavirus, this is a way for poets from around the world to connect and have a creative outlet.

We are also eager to receive and share poems inspired by the recent country-wide protests against police brutality and in support of the value of black lives.

This is the seventh episode of the Open Mic of the Air featuring poets from across the United States - California, Utah, New York and more - as well as the Island of Dominica. Give a listen and submit your work for the next episode!

Send a recording - 5 mins or less - of yourself reading one of your poems, including your name and location, to openmicoftheair@gmail.com.

For full submission guidelines, check out: www.poetryspokenhere.com/open-mic-of-the-air

This Week's Readers

Walter Worden, Middletown, New York – “Anthem”
Trish Hopkinson, Provo, Utah – “Other Ways”
Jared Smith, Lafayette, Colorado – “There is a Song in all Poetry”
Blake More, Mendocino, California – “Dirty Word”
Peter F. Crowley, Boston area – “Time’s Recurrence and Vanishing”
Celia A. Sorhaindo, Dominica – “Ajai Alai”
Jennifer Dotson, Highland Park, Illinois – “Late Night Talk Show Fantasy”
Michael Warr with translation by Chun Yu, San Francisco, California – “To Your Assailant—Who Attacks us All” (a rant in progress written in response to violent attacks against Asians during the COVID-19 crisis)

Show 143: Open Mic of the Air 8

The Open Mic of the Air is a project from Poetry Spoken Here begun in March of 2020. Since most in-person poetry events are suspended due to coronavirus, this is a way for poets from around the world to connect and have a creative outlet.

We are also eager to receive and share poems inspired by the nation-wide protests against police brutality and in support of black lives.

This is the eighth episode of the Open Mic of the Air featuring poets from around the world - Albania, Indonesia, the UK and more - as well as from across the United States. Give a listen and submit your work for the next episode!

Send a recording - 5 mins or less - of yourself reading one of your poems, including your name and location, to openmicoftheair@gmail.com.

For full submission guidelines, check out: www.poetryspokenhere.com/open-mic-of-the-air

This Week's Readers

Oriada Dajko, Tirana, Albania – “Matryoshka”
Michael Panasuk, Bradenton, Florida — “The Spiritual Revolution is Coming”
Peter Dietrich, Northampton, UK— “You Were Always More Than Just You”
Sarah Lipton-Sidibeh, London, England —“The 1970s”
Jim Hirtle, Texas, “If I Could”
James Penha, Bali, Indonesia – The Good Life”
Lennert Lundh, Orland Hills, Illinois – “Spring Night in the Forest of the Spirit”
Sue Fagalde Lick, South Beach, Oregon – “Dollar Store Requiem”
The Lockdown Collective (Olivia Mevorach, Josh Frydman, Shikha Subramanium, Dan Frydman, Kate Frydman, Beverly Frydman & Michael Frydman) – New York, Los Angeles, London – “What’s New”
Aldo Quagliotte, Italy/London – “Effrontery”

Show 144: Luis J. Rodriguez Reading at the Unamuno Author Festival

The Unamuno Author Festival took place in the spring of 2019 in Madrid, Spain. This reading was recorded at Desperate Literature.

Luis J. Rodriguez is a chicano poet and activist whose memoir Always Running: La Vida Loca, Gang Days was a national bestseller. From 2014-2016 he was Los Angeles poet laureate and he is also one of the founders of Tia Chucha's Centro Cultural & Bookstore.

Show 145: David Koehn

California poet David Koehn talks about how he gets around the "smart part of the brain" to write his poetry and reads from his new book "Scatterplot."

Get your copy of "Scatterplot" here: www.omnidawn.com/product/scatterplot-david-koehn/

Show 146: jessica Care moore

Poet, performance artist, activist jessica Care moore, from Detroit talks about her influences including Haki Madhubuti, Ossie Davis & Ruby Dee and more. She also reads from her new book "We Want Our Bodies Back" and talks about some of her musical projects like Black WOMEN Rock!

Get a copy of We Want Our Bodies Back here: https://www.harpercollins.com/products/we-want-our-bodies-back-jessica-care-moore

Show 147: Pierre Joris on Translating Paul Celan

Find out how a visit from a poetry reader to a high school German class turned into a 50+ year literary journey. Pierre Joris talks about translating the works of Paul Celan, his latest book of Celan translations "Microliths They Are, Little Stones: Posthumous Prose" from Contra Mundum Press, and reads some of his own work.

Show 148: Open Mic of the Air 9

This is the ninth episode of the Open Mic of the Air featuring poets from around the world - Czech Republic and India - as well as from across the United States. Give a listen and submit your work for the next episode!

For full submission guidelines, check out: www.poetryspokenhere.com/open-mic-of-the-air

Send a recording - 5 mins or less - of yourself reading one of your poems, including your name and location, to openmicoftheair@gmail.com.

Zack Rogow, San Francisco, California — “For Chaim Soutine”
Sophia Behal, Czech Republic — “The Survivor”
Tanvi Gaurav Srivastava, India — “Mask”
Gabriella Brand, New Haven, Connecticut — “Socks”
Sarenity Naber, Modesto, California — "Life of Scars”
Christine O. Adler, Westchester County, New York — “Unearthed”
Ilizibith Summerhalder, Provo, Utah – “Forgiveness”
M.L. Woldman, Austin, Texas – “Everything is a Library”
Mariam Sagan, Santa Fe, New Mexico – “Pluto: Ambivalence”
Tricia Park, Chicago, Illinois – “Korean Love: The Untranslatable Concept of 'Jung'”

Show 149: Clint Bruce: Afro-Creole Poetry in French from Radical Civil War–Era Newspapers

Clint Bruce talks about his new book Afro-Creole Poetry from Louisiana's Radical Civil War Era Newspapers. The book is full pf poetry and history with lessons that reach through to the present. Bruce dug into two papers founded during the Civil War by free people of color in New Orleans. Bruce reads poems from the book and illuminates often overlooked events from the Reconstruction Era including the New Orleans massacre. His discovery of newspaper records on the massacre's aftermath, previously thought to have vanished, show a different history - and one closer to the truth - than that presented in most media coverage from the time.

Show 150: 2020: The Poetry Spoken Here Retrospective

In 2020, Poetry Spoken Here produced more episodes than ever, had more downloads than ever, launched a special project - the Open Mic of the Air - and continued to feature poets from around the world in episodes that came out every other week, and sometimes more often. Here's a look back on some of the poets interviewed in 2020. Of course, we encourage you to go back and check out not only the rest of the episodes that came out in 2020 but the rest of our 149 episode archive!