Interesting People Reading Poetry

In this episode, Grian Chatten reads “The Windhover” by Gerard Manley Hopkins. Chatten is the frontman of the Irish post-punk band Fontaines D.C., recently described by NME as "the new heroes of the rock resurrection." The members of the group met while attending music college in Dublin and initially bonded over a shared love for Irish literature. Their second album, A Hero's Death, has been nominated for a 2021 Grammy Award for Best Rock Album. Gerard Manley Hopkins was an English poet and Jesuit priest who spent the last years of his life as a professor of Greek and Latin at University College Dublin. His poems were not published until 30 years after his death in 1889.“The Windhover” by Gerard Manley Hopkins appears in Gerard Manley Hopkins: The Major Works, published by Oxford University Press. Keep up with Fontaines D.C. on Twitter, Instagram, and at fontainesdc.com. Click here to watch the music video for "Big," the song heard briefly at the beginning of this episode. We feature one short listener poem at the end of every episode. To submit, call the Haiku Hotline at 612-440-0643 and read your poem after the beep. For the occasional prompt, follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Subscribe on RadioPublic, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher. https://radiopublic.com/interesting-people-reading-poetry-60aNDL/s1!a0944

In this episode, Alec Soth reads "Of Modern Poetry" by Wallace Stevens. Soth is a photographer based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He has published over twenty-five books and has been called a "living legend" and "one of the most important photographers working today" by the Washington Post. Soth's recent photo book, I Know How Furiously Your Heart is Beating, is a stunning collection of portraits and interiors from around the world. Soth has described the collection as an attempt to "strip the [photographic] medium down to it's primary elements." The collection takes its title from an early poem by the American modernist Wallace Stevens, whose meditations on poetry and aesthetics have helped shape Soth's understanding of his own work."Of Modern Poetry" by Wallace Stevens appears in The Collected Poems of Wallace Stevens, published by Vintage. Keep up with Alec Soth on Instagram and at alecsoth.com. His new collaborative book with C. Fausto Cabrera is available here for preorder. We feature one short listener poem at the end of every episode. To submit, call the Haiku Hotline at 612-440-0643 and read your poem after the beep. For the occasional prompt, follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Subscribe on RadioPublic, iTunes, Spotify, or Stitcher. https://radiopublic.com/interesting-people-reading-poetry-60aNDL/s1!49838

In this episode, Sheryl Paul reads from "Song of Myself" by Walt Whitman. Paul is a counselor working in the tradition of Jungian depth psychology. She runs the popular blog and website, Conscious Transitions, and is the author, most recently, of The Wisdom of Anxiety: How Worry & Intrusive Thoughts Are Gifts to Help You Heal. Paul writes of anxiety not as a disorder to be eradicated, but as a wise messenger from the unconscious and an invitation to self-trust. A key companion on Paul’s own journey to self-trust has been the legendary American poet Walt Whitman. His 52-part epic, "Song of Myself", first published in the 1855 edition of Leaves of Grass, is among the most beloved and influential poems in the American tradition. Keep up with Sheryl Paul on Instagram, Facebook, and at conscious-transitions.com. We feature one short listener poem at the end of every episode. To submit, call the Haiku Hotline at 612-440-0643 and read your poem after the beep. For the occasional prompt, follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Subscribe on RadioPublic, iTunes, Spotify, or Stitcher. https://radiopublic.com/interesting-people-reading-poetry-60aNDL/s1!9624b

In this episode, Jennifer Crandall reads "Keeping Things Whole" by Mark Strand. Crandall is a documentary filmmaker and journalist. She is the creator, most recently, of Whitman, Alabama – a must-watch web series in which Alabama residents recite passages from Walt Whitman's poem, "Song of Myself." Crandall has described the project as "an experiment in using documentary and poetry to reveal the threads that tie us together — as people, as states, and as a nation." “Keeping Things Whole” by Mark Strand appears in the volume, Collected Poems, published by Alfred A Knopf. Keep up with Jennifer Crandall on Twitter and at jenncrandall.com. We feature one short listener poem at the end of every episode. To submit, call the Haiku Hotline at 612-440-0643 and read your poem after the beep. For the occasional prompt, follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Subscribe on RadioPublic, iTunes, Spotify, or Stitcher. https://radiopublic.com/interesting-people-reading-poetry-60aNDL/s1!5e3a5

In this episode, Robert Alter reads from his translation of the Song of Songs. Alter is a literary critic and translator based at the University of California, Berkeley. In 2018, he published a landmark, one-man translation of the entire Hebrew Bible – the culmination of over two decades of scholarship. The Song of Songs – sometimes referred to as the Song of Solomon – is a book of the Hebrew Bible, typically dated to the 4th century BCE. The Song of Songs, 4:8 – 5:1, translated by Robert Alter, appears in The Hebrew Bible: A Translation with Commentary published W.W. Norton & Company. We feature one short listener contribution at the end of every episode. To submit, call the Haiku Hotline at 612-440-0643 and read something after the beep. For the occasional prompt, follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Subscribe on RadioPublic, iTunes, Spotify, or Stitcher. https://radiopublic.com/interesting-people-reading-poetry-60aNDL/ep/s1!95930

In this episode, Enrique Martínez Celaya reads “Elegy for Ramón Sijé” by Miguel Hernández. Martínez Celaya is a world-renowned painter, sculptor, and the author of On Art & Mindfulness, among other books. He lives and works in Los Angeles. Miguel Hernández (1910-1942) was an early 20th-century Spanish poet. The elegy featured in this episode was written after the death of his close friend and mentor, Ramón Sijé, in 1935. The score heard throughout this episode was created using samples from a musical setting of the poem by Spanish singer-songwriter Joan Manuel Serrat. “Elegy for Ramón Sijé” by Miguel Hernández, translated by Edwin Honig, appears in the book The Unending Lightning, published by Sheep Meadow Press. Keep up with Enrique Martínez Celaya on Facebook and www.martinezcelaya.com. We feature one short listener contribution at the end of every episode. To submit, call the Haiku Hotline at 612-440-0643 and read something after the beep. For the occasional prompt, follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Subscribe on RadioPublic, iTunes, Spotify, or Stitcher. https://radiopublic.com/interesting-people-reading-poetry-60aNDL/ep/s1!109e2

In this episode, composer Libby Larsen reads “Wolf Song in Los Angeles” by Bill Holm. Larsen is one of the most prolific and most performed living American composers. Bill Holm (1943 - 2009) was a poet and essayist who lived in western Minnesota. Throughout the episode, you’ll hear excerpts from Larsen’s musical setting of “Wolf Song in Los Angeles” - performed by Clara Osowski, with piano accompaniment by Casey Rafn. “Wolf Song in Los Angeles” by Bill Holm appears in the collection The Dead Get by With Everything, published by Milkweed Editions. Keep up with Libby Larsen on Facebook and libbylarsen.com. Keep up with Clara Osowski on Twitter, Facebook, and claraosowski.com. We feature one short listener poem at the end of every episode. To submit, call the Haiku Hotline at 612-440-0643 and read your poem after the beep. For the occasional prompt, follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Subscribe on RadioPublic, iTunes, Spotify, or Stitcher. https://radiopublic.com/interesting-people-reading-poetry-60aNDL/ep/s1!01f7f

In this episode, On Being Project founder and CEO Krista Tippett reads “God speaks to each of us as he makes us” by Rainer Maria Rilke. She shares how the poem gave her courage and resolve during the creation of her public radio show, Speaking of Faith, in 2003. In the years since, Speaking of Faith has grown and evolved into The On Being Project, a media and public life initiative exploring the intersection of spiritual inquiry, science, social healing, community, poetry, and the arts. Tippett’s latest book is Becoming Wise: An Inquiry into the Mystery and Art of Living. “God speaks to each of us as he makes us” by Rainer Maria Rilke appears in the collection Rilke’s Book of Hours: Love Poems to God, translated by Anita Barrows and Joanna Macy, and published by Riverhead Books. Keep up with Krista Tippett on Twitter and onbeing.org. We feature one short listener poem at the end of every episode. To submit, call the Haiku Hotline at 612-440-0643 and read your poem after the beep. For the occasional prompt, follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Subscribe on RadioPublic, iTunes, Spotify, or Stitcher. https://radiopublic.com/interesting-people-reading-poetry-60aNDL/ep/s1!1e3d8#t=2

In this episode, U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar reads “Conversations about home (at the deportation centre)” by Warsan Shire and reflects on the many meanings of home. On November 6, 2018, Omar became the first Somali American, and one of the first two Muslim women elected to U.S. Congress. She represents Minnesota's 5th congressional district. This interview was recorded in 2017, when Omar was still serving in the Minnesota State House of Representatives. “Conversations about home (at the deportation centre),” by Warsan Shire, appears in the pamphlet, Teaching My Mother How to Give Birth, from Flipped Eye Publishing. Keep up with Ilhan Omar on Twitter, Facebook, and ilhanomar.com. As always, the Haiku Hotline (612-440-0643) is open for your short poems and poetic musings. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Subscribe on RadioPublic, iTunes, Spotify, or Stitcher. https://radiopublic.com/interesting-people-reading-poetry-60aNDL/ep/s1!a9e40

In this episode, entomologist Dr. Marla Spivak reads “When Grapes Turn to Wine” by Rumi and discusses how Rumi can teach us to "think like bee." Dr. Spivak is a MacArthur “genius” Fellow known for her groundbreaking research on bee behavior and biology. “When Grapes Turn to Wine” by Rumi, translated by Robert Bly, appears in the book If Bees Are Few: A Hive of Bee Poems, published by University of Minnesota Press. A portion of all proceeds from the book are donated to support research at the University of Minnesota Bee Lab. We feature one listener haiku at the end of every episode. To submit, call the Haiku Hotline at 612-440-0643 and read your poem after the beep. For the occasional prompt, follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Subscribe on RadioPublic, iTunes, Spotify, or Stitcher.

In this episode, playwright Harrison David Rivers reads “For My Own Protection” by Essex Hemphill and discusses the use of the poem in his recent play, This Bitter Earth. Rivers is the recipient of fellowships from the McKnight and Jerome Foundations and is a core writer at the Playwright's Center. “For My Own Protection” by Essex Hemphill appears in the collection Ceremonies, published by Plume. Keep up with Harrison David Rivers at harrisondavidrivers.com We feature one listener haiku at the end of every episode. To submit, call the Haiku Hotline at 612-440-0643 and read your poem after the beep. For the occasional prompt, follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Subscribe on RadioPublic, iTunes, Spotify, or Stitcher.

In this episode, writer Chris Kraus reads “Miserable Life” by Steve Levine and discusses how New York School poetry influenced the development of her distinctive style. Kraus is the author of I Love Dick (now an Amazon Original Series) and, most recently, After Kathy Acker. “Miserable Life” is used by permission from To and For (Coffee House Press, 1992). Copyright © 1992 by Steve Levine. Keep up with Chris Kraus' latest releases at Semiotext(e). We feature one listener haiku at the end of every episode. To submit, call the Haiku Hotline at 612-440-0643 and read your poem after the beep. For the occasional prompt, follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, or RadioPublic.

In this episode, Amy Thielen reads “Death Again” by Jim Harrison and explores the relationship between great food and great literature. Amy Thielen is a chef and two-time James Beard Award-winning writer. She’s the author of The New Midwestern Table (a cookbook) and Give a Girl a Knife (a memoir). She's also the host of Heartland Table on Food Network. “Death Again” by Jim Harrison appears in Songs of Unreason, published by Copper Canyon Press. Keep up with Amy Thielen on Twitter, Facebook, and at amythielen.com. We feature one listener haiku at the end of every episode. To submit, call the Haiku Hotline at 612-440-0643 and read your poem after the beep. For the occasional prompt, follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Subscribe on RadioPublic, iTunes, Spotify, or Stitcher. https://radiopublic.com/interesting-people-reading-poetry-60aNDL/ep/s1!21249

In this episode, DJ Rekha reads "A Litany for Survival" by Audre Lorde and discusses dancing as an antidote to fear. DJ Rekha is a producer, curator, and educator based in New York City. Her classic debut album, DJ Rekha presents Basement Bhangra, was released in 2007. Her monthly party, Basement Bhangra, ran from 1997 to the summer of 2017 - making it one of the most influential and longest continuously running parties in NYC history. "A Litany for Survival" by Audrey Lorde appears in The Black Unicorn, published by W.W. Norton & Company. Keep up with DJ Rekha on Twitter, Facebook, and at djrekha.com. We feature one listener haiku at the end of every episode. To submit, call the Haiku Hotline at 612-440-0643 and read your poem after the beep. For the occasional prompt, follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Subscribe on RadioPublic, iTunes, Spotify, or Stitcher. https://radiopublic.com/interesting-people-reading-poetry-60aNDL/ep/s1!51059#t=1

We're celebrating the last episode of our first season with a special double feature, recorded live at Java River Cafe in Montevideo, Minnesota. Our guests are Chris Koza and Malena Handeen. Chris Koza is the frontman of the Americana rock band Rogue Valley. In this interview, he reads a poem by U.S. Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith that helped inspire his new side project, Nobody Kid. Malena Handeen is a painter, songwriter, and organic vegetable farmer based in Western Minnesota. In this episode, she reads a poem by Tyehimba Jess and discusses how the weather affects her creative life. Later on, members of our audience participate in our first ever live Haiku Hotline. "The Museum of Obsolescence" by Tracy K. Smith appears in the book Life on Mars, published by Graywolf Press. "What the Wind, Rain and Thunder Said to Tom" by Tyehimba Jess appears in the book Olio, published by Wave Books. Subscribe on RadioPublic, iTunes, or Stitcher.

In this episode, comedian Mary Mack reads "Attention Please! Attention Please!" by Roald Dahl. Mack is a nationally touring stand-up comic, beloved for her singular oddball folk humor. She's been on Conan and WTF with Marc Maron. Her latest album is Ms. Taco Man. “Attention Please! Attention Please!” by Roald Dahl appears in the book Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator, published by Puffin Books. Keep up with Mary Mack on Facebook, Twitter, and marymackcomedy.com. As always, the Haiku Hotline (612-440-0643) is open for your short poems and poetic musings. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Subscribe on RadioPublic, iTunes, or Stitcher.

In this episode, Nekima Levy-Pounds reads "Still I Rise" by Maya Angelou and discusses the strength she draws from the resilience of her ancestors. Pounds is a decorated attorney, ordained Reverend, and former president of the Minneapolis NAACP. “Still I Rise” by Maya Angelou appears in the collection And Still I Rise, published by Random House. Keep up with Dr. Pounds on Twitter and nekimalevypounds.com. As always, the Haiku Hotline (612-440-0643) is open for your short poems and poetic musings. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Subscribe on RadioPublic, iTunes, or Stitcher.

In this episode, Kao Kalia Yang reads "To the Placenta of Return" by Mai Der Vang and discusses the sacrifices mothers made to protect their families during America's Secret War in Laos. Over the course of two award-winning memoirs, Yang has charted the physical, political, emotional, and spiritual terrain of the Hmong journey to the United States in the aftermath of that war. Her books include The Latehomecomer and The Song Poet. “To the Placenta of Return” by Mai Der Vang appears in the collection Afterland, published by Graywolf Press. Keep up with Kao Kalia Yang on Facebook, Twitter, and kaokaliayang.com. As always, the Haiku Hotline (612-440-0643) is open for your short poems and poetic musings. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Subscribe on RadioPublic, iTunes, or Stitcher. https://radiopublic.com/interesting-people-reading-poetry-60aNDL/ep/s1!d001a

In this episode, evolutionary biologist Rob Wallace reads "The Sea is History" by Derek Walcott and discusses the importance of questioning historical narratives that justify the status quo. Wallace was alt-CDC before it was a Twitter handle. He blogs at Farming Pathogens and is the author of “Big Farms Make Big Flu: Dispatches on Infectious Disease, Agribusiness, and the Nature of Science,” in which he presents research drawing lines between the economic model of corporate farming and the emergence of new, deadlier strains of influenza. He's based at the University of Minnesota Institute for Global Studies. "The Sea is History," by Derek Walcott appears in the collection Selected Poems published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux. Keep up with Rob Wallace at Farming Pathogens. As always, the Haiku Hotline (612-440-0643) is open for your short poems and poetic musings. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Subscribe on RadioPublic, iTunes, or Stitcher. https://radiopublic.com/interesting-people-reading-poetry-60aNDL/ep/s1!97a6d#t=294

In this episode Gaelynn Lea reads "53" by E.E. Cummings and discusses the importance of acknowledging the duality of light and darkness in life. Lea is a folk singer, disability advocate, and the winner of the 2016 NPR Tiny Desk Contest. The music in this interview is from Lea's album, The Songs We Sing Along the Way. Her latest album is Learning How to Stay. "53" by E. E. Cummings appears in the collection 100 Selected Poems from Grove Press. Keep up with Gaelynn Lea on Facebook, Twitter, and violinscratches.com. As always, the Haiku Hotline (612-440-0643) is open for your short poems and poetic musings. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Subscribe on RadioPublic, iTunes, or Stitcher. https://radiopublic.com/interesting-people-reading-poetry-60aNDL/ep/s1!64ba3#t=2

In this episode, Waziyatawin reads "Cry Your Tears" by John Trudell (pictured above) and explores the complexities of solidarity. Waziyatawin is a leading Dakota intellectual, activist, and the executive director of Makoce Ikikcupi, a non-profit dedicated to Dakota land recovery. Her influential book, What Does Justice Look Like? is available from Living Justice Press. "Cry Your Tears," by John Trudell, appears in his collection, Lines From a Mined Mind, © 2008, Fulcrum Publishing, Golden, CO. The music in this interview is excerpted from Trudell's song "Cry Your Tears," from the album Madness and the Moremes. As always, the Haiku Hotline (612-440-0643) is open for your short poems and poetic musings. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Subscribe on RadioPublic, iTunes, or Stitcher.

In this episode, Benjamin Percy reads "At the Lowe's Home Improvement Center" by Brian Turner. Percy writes the Green Arrow and Teen Titans series’ for DC Comics, and recently published a terrifying fourth novel, “The Dark Net.” “At the Lowe’s Home Improvement Center,” by Brian Turner, appears in his collection, Phantom Noise, published by Alice James Books. Keep up with Benjamin Percy on Twitter, Facebook, and benjaminpercy.com. As always, the Haiku Hotline (612-440-0643) is open for your short poems and poetic musings. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Subscribe on RadioPublic, iTunes, or Stitcher.

In this episode, composer Maria Schneider reads "Walking by Flashlight" by Ted Kooser and discusses the process of setting poems to music. Schneider’s 2016 album, The Thompson Fields, won the Grammy for Best Large Ensemble Jazz Album and includes a musical setting of "Walking by Flashlight." "Walking by Flashlight," by Ted Kooser, appears in the book, Winter Morning Walks: 100 Postcards to Jim Harrison, published by Carnegie Mellon. Keep up with Maria Schneider at mariaschneider.com. As always, the Haiku Hotline (612-440-0643) is open for your short poems and poetic musings. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Subscribe on RadioPublic, iTunes, Spotify, or Stitcher.