poems – LIVING WRITERS

poems

poet with his cat

Kaveh Akbar

Kaveh Akbar reads poems from Calling A Wolf A Wolf (Alice James Books 2017) and Pilgrim Bell (Graywolf 2021). We talk about technology of language–its limitations and failures–and ways of working to subvert it. We also talk about addiction, country roads and cats. Playlist: Angel Olsen, Creator, Destroyer T Rex, Cosmic Dancer Frank Ocean, Nights

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Joy Harjo

From the archive 2017 Joy Harjo talks about Conflict Resolution for Holy Beings and Crazy Brave (W.W. Norton).  We talk about perceived power, flying, stories and the saxophone, and debut her latest song! Joy Harjo gave the Second Annual Robert F. Berkhofer, Jr. Lecture in Native American Studies. http://beanball.wcbn.org/rss/Living_Writers/wcbn-living_writers-2017-03-15-170001-EDT.mp3 Download Audio Original airdate: March 15, 2017

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author photo with LW staff

Jean Valentine

From the archive: 2015 Poet Jean Valentine reads from Break the Glass and Shirt In Heaven (Copper Canyon Press). We talk about memory, elegy, music and dreaming. Take heart. http://beanball.wcbn.org/rss/Living_Writers/wcbn-living_writers-2015-04-22-170001-EDT.mp3 Download Audio For more about the author, click here! Original airdate: April 22, 2015

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A. Van Jordan

From the archive: 2013 A. Van Jordan reads poems from The Cineaste (W. W. Norton & Company 2014).  We talk about the love of film, family, and organists.  We talk about disappearing and emerging in stories.  We also have a drum roll! http://beanball.wcbn.org/rss/Living_Writers/wcbn-living_writers-2013-05-15-160001-EDT.mp3 Download Audio Original airdate: May 15, 2013

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Farnoosh Fathi

From the archive: 2013 Farnoosh Fathi reads from Great Gus (Canarium Books 2013). We talk about Brazil, translation, Emily Dickinson, art and interviewing. http://beanball.wcbn.org/rss/Living_Writers/wcbn-living_writers-2013-03-13-163001-EDT.mp3 Download Audio Original airdate: March 13, 2013 Photo credit: Alan Bernheimer

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author photo WBEZ credit

Heather McHugh

Heather McHugh reads from Upgraded to Serious (Copper Canyon Press 2009). We talk about syntactic flexibility and music and skeletons. http://beanball.wcbn.org/rss/Living_Writers/wcbn-living_writers-2013-01-23-163001-EST.mp3 Download Audio For more about the author, click here! Photo credit: WBEZ  

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author photo

Toi Derricotte

From the archive: 2012 Toi Derricotte reads from The Undertaker’s Daughter (University of Pittsburgh Press 2011). We talk about nuns, about chaos, about balance and a sense of what’s true. We also hear Toi lead off the show singing one of her favorite songs by Billie Holiday. http://beanball.wcbn.org/rss/Living_Writers/wcbn-living_writers-2012-11-21-163001-EST.mp3 Download Audio Original airdate: November 21, 2012

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Philip Levine

From the archive: 2012 Philip Levine talks about writing every day.  We also talk about Aunt Belle, Spain, anarchism, Larry Levis, pianist Bill Evans, Detroit, and Adrienne Rich.  Books on the table with us: NEWS OF THE WORLD (2009), BREATH (2004), THE SIMPLE TRUTH (1994), WHAT WORK IS (1991) and NEW SELECTED POEMS (1991) http://beanball.wcbn.org/rss/Living_Writers/wcbn-living_writers-2012-10-10-163001-EDT.mp3

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