Episodes
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Episode 8: Poet on the Road at Home
The final launch of Moving to Delilah at Delilah with some poems, audience reaction, and a reboot of an interview with Katherine Autio that I had to re-record due to the heat frying my phone. A beautiful afternoon with music, art, fiction and snacks and drinks and excellent conversation also. Enjoy!
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Episode 7: Poet on the Road in Ontario
The final installment of my Moving to Delilah book tour featuring a Toronto preamble, then 3 days in Kingston, Hamilton and back for 2 days in Toronto. Reading and gatherings and traveling and eating and conversations galore! Interspersed by a Bruce Kauffman reading of his poem “moon,” my piece...
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Episode 6: The Freehand Books Alberta tour May 2024
Of Edmonton, Calgary, Medicine Hat and Lethbridge. I chat all things road trip and performing, starting with a poem I wrote in a hotel. It’s a blast. Enjoy outlaws!
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Episode 5: Poet on the Road in New Westminster
Plus bird songs and a poem from Yeats. Enjoy :) Goodbye BC! I love you.
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Episode 4: Poet on the Road in Vancouver
In which I first walk in the woods, then read a poem by a Palestinian poet on lost homes, I grumble about empty virtue signalling without artistic substance and glory in the performance, friends and reviews. Enjoy!
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Episode 3: Poet on the Road in Victoria
Including a Gathering, a Conor Kerr poem, some poetry etiquette, a reading at Planet Earth and gratitude. Enjoy!
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Episode 2: Poet on the Road in Burnaby
And elsewhere in the Lower Mainland at poetry readings and gatherings. Talking about the bookbox prior to leaving Edmonton. Reading The Hairbrush by Kayla Czaga. Grrrrring and glorying. Enjoy outlaws!
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Season 11. Episode 1: Poet on the Road on the First Launch.
In which I read Shakespeare’s Sonnet 62 and speak about the vanity of the artist, the need to transcend for performance, and what my experience was like launching Moving to Delilah for the first time at the Olive series at the Rooster Kitchen for the Edmonton Poetry Festival. Enjoy!
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Episode 15: Sue Goyette! A wild conversation.
The most amazing way to end Season 10 and its host of long conversations with women poets. Sue and I rave about imaginal goo, forests, Suzuki, the need for connection, the need for a living wage for those who have committed their lives to an art form and practice, the need for transformation…
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Episode 14: Homages for Isabella Valancy Crawford and Marjorie Pickthall
Two 19th c Canadian women poets who aren’t really read anymore but I read two of their poems and chat about their ill-begotten lives. Also some grrrs and glories! And a lyric for Chris on his death day. Enjoy!
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Episode 13: A conversation with Joelle Barron
But first, some chat about my week off and then an homage for Theatre in the Raw director who died suddenly a few days ago. Then an intro and bio for Joelle and we talk her poem The Witch in the Stone Boat, queerness, poetry cliques, childhood literature, sound, form, teaching, and the…
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Episode 12: Trisia Eddy Woods conversation!
Plus so much more: a Joe Rosenblatt poem, chat on the Griffin and books and weird people and a good Netgalley review and being number one and also Trisia reads two poems and we guffaw mightily! Enjoy :)
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Episode 11: Homages to Virna Sheard and Floris Clark McLaren
Very early and in one case, underestimated, Canadian women poets plus a poem on Dorothy Wordsworth, chat about a good Netgalley review, the revelations of the ER, my new book and so much more ;) Enjoy!
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Episode 10: Joanna Streetly conversation
On happy international women’s day! Joanna reads her poem Gyre, we talk grief, the environment, hauntings, language, colonialism, aging as a woman, being a penurious artist and the power of community. I also read some positive responses to my home arts salon episode and a poem by a long dead...
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Episode 9: Elizabeth Brewster (1922-2012) homage
Plus a reading of an Anne Stevenson poem, a 1958 list of what Canadian poetry is by Ralph Gustafson, a rant against Net Galley (not gallery!) reviews, an intro in which I talk book merch and express gratitude for Marrow review response THEN a recitation of an Elizabeth Brewster poem and snippet…
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Episode 8: Why run a Home Art Salon?
This question is answered by historical websites and Canadian creators and myself with my personal experiences and general tips. It’s fun! Also a poem by Alice Oswald and a few poetry-based rants. Enjoy!
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Episode 7: Anne Wilkinson, an homage
My usual aural collage of bits of her reading Penelope from the Six Toronto Poets album in 1955, bio stuff, excerpts from a 1984 CBC tribute featuring letters from Alan Crawley, a snippet of her prose and me reading Still Life. Plus an intro on emotion, rejection, acknowledgments and reading...
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Episode 6: Sonja Greckol, a conversation
In which I chat about podcast and text recommendations amid my minor grimness then, after an author bio and book intro, interview the spunky and brilliant Sonja from Toronto. She reads two segments from her long Mobius poem (in Monitoring Station), and we rap about gardening, science,...
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Episode 5: Performing your Poetry
My mini-lecture featuring an excerpt from my anthology The Other 23 and a Half Hours (you can hear a shorter excerpt from this relating to performing on Season 2, Ep 16), some quotes from poets on peformance and my yays and nays of what I like and don’t like about poetry performances. Featuring...
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Episode 4: Brian Brett, a wild homage.
With bio, memories, bits n pieces, personal encounters, prose and two poems, one recited by him and one by me. And first, I rant and rave about anthology editors, the need for higher paying review jobs, and why we need to always be renewing our risk relationship to our art. Enjoy! And rest in...
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Episode 3: Donna Kane, a conversation
In which I first talk criticism, the plagiarism machine, trying to make a living in the arts, the inanity of excessively identity-politicked bios, and nod to Brian Brett, who died this week and who I will pay homage to the next episode. Then I intro Donna, how we met, her books and we have a…
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Episode 2: Spotlight Homage on Jay Macpherson
1931-2012. Intro on blurbs and Plath. Then Macpherson’s bio, a bit from Tanis MacDonald on finding her plaque and house, obit, scholarly stuff, the Frye School, Atwood remembers and before and after I read two of her poems then at the end (following a random ad!) you can hear Jay herself reading...
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Season Ten: Episode 1. Happy 2024. I talk Best Canadian poetry anthologies.
Mostly 2010 (edited by Lorna Crozier) vs 2024 (selected by Bardia Sinaee). I include review excerpts, comparisons and contrasts relating to intros, formats, bios, notes, style etc and end by reading my poem White Sale from 2010 and Carolyn Smart’s piece Ashes from 2024. My raspy cold-gritty voice...
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Episode 18: The final Poet in Iceland with song, story snippet, interview with Barbara Kerr, a poem
The last collage with two verses of a tune by Krummi, a teensy bit of a story about a troll Alda told in the car, my prattle about the residency”s benefits, a long interview with psychologist of the creative brain, Barb Kerr from Kansas, and a poem, yes, I wrote this morning at the creek. Enjoy!...
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Episode 17: An Icelandic fly, the tale of a trailer park and a poem by me
Called Turning Back. The profiteering government/aka the dangers of high winds forced the evacuation of a trailer park in 2021-22 in Laugarvatn. What’s left? I find a nest. Recite a creek lyric. I heard a fly buzz when I did not yet die. Enjoy!
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Episode 16: The Women’s Strike in Iceland and two fisherwomen from the 1700s
One a poet called Latra-Bjorg with a quatrain (1716) and a bit of a song plus the start of a talk about her and the former a famous worker of the sea known as Thurithur (1750) with a minute of a lecture on her. Plus an overview of the strike yesterday and the need for equality and respect and...
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Episode 15: Interview with Alda from Gullkistan Artist Residency
In which, post our art presentation, in two parts she speaks of the residency, her own history as an artist, feminism, the way artists are treated in Iceland and how she learned poetry. First she recites a bit of Thaw Wind by Stephan G Stephansson and then at the end a short piece from a slim…
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Episode 14: A poet in Iceland and Moskvit and Volcanism
A poem by Jonas Thorbjarnarson but first a clip from the song Human Error by Moskvit whom I danced to last night and a chat about things I’ve noticed in Iceland about language, driving and attitude. Enjoy!
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Episode 13: A poet in Iceland’s daily routine and a poem by Rachel Jamison Webster
Called Wintering. She’s an American poet who was in residency at Gullkistan and whose book I found here! Plus what I do every day. And the rain. Enjoy!
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Episode 12: A poet in Iceland with a tragic lyric and a rawlings on jokklar
I talk about my day trip to Vik and Skogafoss and first play a recording of a 1750-1800 song about Hella and her drowned child, then read from a piece about Icelandic poetry as it relates to nationhood, and then end with a rawlings teaching us Icelandic by using the word for glacier. Enjoy!
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Episode 11: A poet in Iceland and Louise Gluck
There is a cat in here and birds and some emotion and Gluck reading her poppy poem and me reading her mock orange one and critiquing her poetry a bit and thanking her for her life in art.
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Episode 10: A poet in Iceland with a folk song and a lyric
One based on an old Norse poem translated into Icelandic and English and the other my lyric of the day called Species. About the wind. Which is making me tired. But hey, life goes on. Enjoy!
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Episode 9: A poet in Iceland and a poem by Gerdur Kristny
Called North in first her Icelandic and later my English. With chat in between about my migraine, reviewing and the hostel yesterday! Enjoy!!
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Episode 8: A poet in Iceland plus a Stephan G Stephansson poem
Called First Snow and a storm and the weather and an interruption and talk of forms and notions of simplicity and happy anniversary to my parents! Enjoy :)
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Episode 7: A poet in Iceland and a poem by Arni Kristjansson
Also the conclusion (for now?) of the Fiddlehead-gate review scandal. I talk of spas and firepits and crepes and read a stokkur quatrain in Icelandic and English called To the Mountains.
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Episode 6: A poet in Iceland and a poem by myself
Called Icelandic Autumn. Been writing about a poem a day here. Also more on the Fiddlehead review. David Orr on another poetic debate. The moon at three am. Pronouncing words correctly. An article on Icelandic poetry. Enjoy!
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Episode 5: A poet in Iceland and The Patriotic Poem by Gerdur Kristny
Plus I chat a bit more about the Riddle and Fiddlehead controversy (let us see the review so we can have our own respectful discussion as required in a democracy!) There is also a waterfall. Enjoy!
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Episode 4: A poet in Iceland and a poem by Frieda Isberg
Called Fragile Things. After I speak of the traffic and a mysterious swing in the woods and random human crap interrupting the chance for delusional purity.
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Episode 3: A poet in Iceland and a poem by Vala Thorodds
In which I speak of hot pots, walks, routine, a cemetary, myself as Iceland, the Fiddlehead controversy, sensitive poets and talk about Icelandic poetry then read a poem by Vala Thorodds. Enjoy!
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Episode 2: A poet in Iceland plus a Lisa Robertson piece
Where I speak of windstorms and walks and the moss and discombobulation and a random encounter and read a Robertson piece from The Weather. Enjoy!
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Season 9. Episode 1: A poet in Iceland; a poem by Stephan G Stephansson
I was jet lagged. I talk about literary encounters en route to Iceland. I attempt to recite a poem Morningshine in Icelandic, then its English translation (by Kristjana Gunnars). Enjoy!
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Episode 56: Louise Gluck’s Faithful and Virtuous Night
A ten minute recitation of this long poem of childhood. And so I end Season 8 here. Until anon, stay fierce!
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Episode 55: A Roger Whittaker tribute and an Homage to Elizabeth Brewster
Also I talk the shift of seasons, physical pain and the need for fewer interruptions as a poet. And honour Roger with a poem (1936-2023) then remember Elizabeth (1922-2012). Enjoy!
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Episode 54: Elaborations between Sydney Lancaster and Deborah Carruthers
Chat on poetry from an artist! Also I speak of my hip, the bookbox, coffee, a magpie. And read as requested a tiny Vincent Ewen poem called Daedalus’ Dream. Enjoy!
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Episode 53: WB Yeats’ Among Schoolchildren (1928)
From my father’s 1950 Modern Poetry collection. Enjoy!
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Episode 52: Poetic this n that on the term poet, poetic resistances, and honouring experience.
Plus I introduce the last week of Season 8, read an excerpt from Ben Lerner’s essay-book The Hatred of Poetry and end with the poem A Minor Crush of Cells by Chase Twichell. Enjoy!
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Episode 51: Snake by DH Lawrence
From 1923. Always loved this piece. Not too long but still around five minutes to recite. Enjoy!
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Episode 50: Don Domanski homage
1950-2020. I chat about my perspectives on environmental vs eco poetry and give his bio, thoughts on his work and end with a short lyric of his on Biodiversity. Thanks Don. You make me think. Enjoy!
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Episode 49: Three things I don’t understand about funding, press kits and workshop approaches.
Yeah why cut funding to worthy awards? Why use words like selling points for books of poems? Why need prompts to write? My reactions. And a short poem by Estonian poet Jaan Kaplinkski on Autumn. Enjoy!
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Episode 48: Jorie Graham’s Self Portrait at Three Degrees
From her 2017 book Fast. With a rain-sound humidifier in the background and it is recited haltingly at the dashes, chanted for the arrows and flowed through once the text assembles. Enjoy!