Midday on Poetry: Sonnets and Slam

Today, it’s Midday on Poetry: Tom and his guests explore two very different poetic styles that both resonate with universal themes. Tom is joined first by two local poets who enjoy international acclaim:Michael Collier has written numerous books of poetry over the past forty years, including The Ledge -- a finalist for the 2000 National Book Critics Circle Award. He served as Poet Laureate of Maryland from 2001-2004, and he stepped down last year after more than two decades as director of the prestigious Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference @Middlebury. He leads the creative writing program at the University of Maryland. His latest evocative collection, published by the University of Chicago Press, is called My Bishop and Other Poems.And Elizabeth Spires is the author of seven collections of poetry and six critically acclaimed children’s books. She is a Professor of English at Goucher College, where she holds the Chair for Distinguished Achievement. Spires' new book is a searing collection of probing and poignant work called A Memory of the Future. Then, Midday on Poetry continues with some champion slam poets. Tom is joined in the studio by five members of the Dewmore Baltimore Youth Poetry Team. The team is fresh from their win this past July at The Brave New Voices International Youth Poetry Slam Festival, in Houston, Texas. It was DewMore Baltimore’s second win in three years at that prestigious contest, where every year, over 500 young poets from around the world compete for five days of artistic education and expression. The five team poets are: Kraileani Lea-Conner, aka Summer Knights; Deleciea Greene, aka London Obsidian; Keyma Flight; Adjoa Baidoo; and Maren Wright-Kerr, aka Lovey, who is also the current mayor-appointed Baltimore Youth Poet Laureate. And we're joined as well by the team's coach and mentor, Victor Rodgers, aka Slangston Hughes, a well-known Baltimore slam poet who hails originally from Pittsburgh. Midday on Poetry was live-streamed on WYPR's Facebook page, and you can find the video here.Email us at [email protected], tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.