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Poetry Lectures

by Poetry Foundation

Talks given by notable scholars and critics on poets, poetry, and their intersections with other art forms. Features recordings from historic archives and live events.

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Episodes

  1. Malena Mörling and Jonas Ellström: International Poets in Conversation

    Malena Mörling and Jonas Ellerström discuss Swedish poetry and the challenges of translation, and they read some poems in both Swedish and English from their anthology, The Star By My Head.

  2. Harris Khalique: International Poets in Conversation

    Christopher Merrill speaks with Harris Khalique about literary traditions in Pakistan, the cultural influences of different cities, and the important role of women in Pakistani literature.

  3. Matthew Shenoda: International Poets in Conversation

    Kwame Dawes speaks with Matthew Shenoda about Shenoda's poetry and identity as an Egyptian American, and the poetry of the African diaspora. Need a transcript of this episode? Request a transcript here.

  4. Gabeba Baderoon: International Poets in Conversation

    South African poet Gabeba Baderoon speaks with Matthew Shenoda about poetry and apartheid in South Africa.

  5. Les Murray: International Poets in Conversation

    American poet Kevin Young talks to Les Murray about Australian poetry and culture.

  6. Zeyar Lynn: International Poets in Conversation

    Burmese poet Zeyar Lynn and English poet and translator James Byrne speak with Ilya Kaminsky about poetry from Burma. Need a transcript of this episode? Request a transcript here.

  7. Patrick Cotter & Matthew Sweeney: International Poets in Conversation

    Irish poets Patrick Cotter and Matthew Sweeney discuss the history and current state of Irish poetry.

  8. Chris Abani: International Poets in Conversation

    Matthew Shenoda talks with Chris Abani about poetry in Nigeria, the oral and religious traditions in African poetry, and the one-sided conversation between African and European poets.

  9. Patrizia Cavalli: International Poets in Conversation

    Italian poet Patrizia Cavalli and American poet Geoffrey Brock speak with Ilya Kaminsky about Contemporary Italian Poetry and translation. Need a transcript of this episode? Request a transcript here.

  10. Vera Pavlova & Valzhyna Mort: International Poets in Conversation

    Vera Pavlova from Russia and Valzhyna Mort from Belurus speak with the director of the Harriet Monroe Poetry Institute, Ilya Kaminsky.

  11. Simon Ortiz

    Native American poet Simon Ortiz reads at the University of Arizona in 1975. The recording is used with permission of the University of Arizona Poetry Center and Simon Ortiz. The full recording, and many others, are permanently available on voca, the Poetry Center's online audio video library.…

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  12. Kwame Dawes: International Poets in Conversation

    Egyptian-American writer Matthew Shenoda speaks with poet Kwame Dawes about African poetics, reggae, and poetry of the African diaspora. Need a transcript of this episode? Request a transcript here.

  13. Adam Zagajewski: International Poets in Conversation

    Polish poet Adam Zagajewski talks to American translator Clare Cavanaugh and Ilya Kaminsky about contemporary Polish poetry. Need a transcript of this episode? Request a transcript here.

  14. Robin Blaser

    Robin Blaser talks at “The Recovery of the Public World” Conference—devoted to his poetry—at the University of British Columbia in June 1995. The recording of this program is used by permission of the Bennett Library Special Collections and Rare Books, Simon Fraser University; and the Estate of...

  15. Ghassan Zaqtan: International Poets in Conversation

    Fady Joudah and Ghassan Zaqtan discuss Palestinian poetry with Ilya Kaminsky. Need a transcript of this episode? Request a transcript here.

  16. Oral History Initiative: On Elizabeth Bishop

    An informal conversation remembering the life and work of Elizabeth Bishop, with Lloyd Schwartz, Frank Bidart, Rosanna Warren, Gail Mazur, and Megan Marshall. Conducted at Harvard University in March 2012, and used by permission of the participants and the Woodberry Poetry Room, Harvard College...

  17. Jan Wagner: International Poets in Conversation

    German poet Jan Wagner discusses some of the major German poets of the twentieth century with Ilya Kaminsky.

  18. Dark Room Collective

    A reunion of the Dark Room Collective at the Poetry Foundation in April 2012. This reading features Nehassaiu deGannes, John Keene, Kevin Young, Sharan Strange, Major Jackson, Thomas Sayers Ellis, and Natasha Trethewey. Need a transcript of this episode? Request a transcript here.

  19. Dunya Mikhail: International Poets in Conversation

    American poet Katie Ford talks to Iraqi poet Dunya Mikhail about how the experience of natural and human disasters inform their work.

  20. Oral History Initiative: On Frank O'Hara

    An informal conversation between poets John Ashbery and Ron Padgett, remembering the life of Frank O’Hara. Conducted at Harvard University in April 2011, and used by permission of Ron Padgett, John Ashbery, and the Woodberry Poetry Room, Harvard College Library. To see the event video, click here.

  21. Nikola Madzirov: International Poets in Conversation

    Macedonian poet Nikola Madzirov and Ilya Kaminsky discuss the poetics of war and its aftermath, and the nature of memory and rediscovering.

  22. Poetry and Piano

    Poets Reginald Gibbons, Rachel Jamison Webster, Christina Pugh, and Ed Roberson are accompanied on piano by Mabel Kwan and Ari Brown. Recorded in April 2011, recording courtesy of WBEZ Chicago Amplified.

  23. Three Native American Poets

    The Harriet Monroe Poetry Institute hosts a conversation between Allison Adelle Hedge Coke, Linda Hogan, and Sherwin Bitsui.

  24. Kwame Dawes

    Kwame Dawes reads poems from four of his books at the Art Institute of Chicago in January 2008. Need a transcript of this episode? Request a transcript here.

  25. Raúl Zurita: International Poets in Conversation

    A conversation between Chilean poet Raúl Zurita and American poet Forrest Gander.

  26. Rita Dove

    Rita Dove speaking at the Key West Literary Seminar. Need a transcript of this episode? Request a transcript here.

  27. Aleš Šteger: International Poets in Conversation

    The Harriet Monroe Poetry Institute hosts Aleš Šteger who reads from his works and talks about poetry in Slovenia.

  28. Philip Levine

    Poet Philip Levine reads from his own work. Need a transcript of this episode? Request a transcript here.

  29. Blas Falconer and Gina Franco

    The second half of a 2008 reading featuring four Latino poets, as part of the American Perspectives series at the Art Institute of Chicago. Need a transcript of this episode? Request a transcript here.

  30. Francisco Aragón and Brenda Cárdenas

    The first half of a 2008 reading featuring four Latino poets, as part of the American Perspectives series at the Art Institute of Chicago.

  31. Don Paterson on Robert Frost

    In November 2010, Don Paterson delivered the 22nd Aldeburgh PoetryFestival's annual poet-on-poet lecture on Robert Frost. The lecture, titled "Frost as a Thinker," was co-supported by Poetry magazine and Oxford Poetry.This is an edited version of the live event, organized by The Poetry Trust.…

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  32. William Carlos Williams

    William Carlos Williams speaks at Harvard University in 1951. Need a transcript of this episode? Request a transcript here.

  33. Jahan Ramazani

    Jahan Ramazani presents examples of non-European post-colonial poetry that relate to the language of song, prayer, law, and post-colonial theory. Need a transcript of this episode? Request a transcript here.

  34. Brenda Hillman: Stronach Memorial Lecture

    Brenda Hillman delivers a 2006 talk entitled "Cracks in the Oracle Bone: Teaching Certain Contemporary Poems" at the Judith Lee Stronach Memorial Lectures on The Teaching of Poetry at the University of California, Berkeley. Audio courtesy of the Bancroft Library at Berkeley.

  35. Peter Sacks: Stronach Memorial Lecture

    Peter Sacks delivers a 2007 talk entitled "'You Only Guide Me by Surprise': Poetry and the Dolphin's Turn" at the Judith Lee Stronach Memorial Lectures on The Teaching of Poetry at the University of California, Berkeley. Audio courtesy of the Bancroft Library at Berkeley.

  36. Seamus Heaney

    Seamus Heaney in conversation with Michael Laskey, fellow poet and co-founder of the Aldeburgh Poetry Festival. This is an edited version of an interview recorded live at the Poetry Prom 2010 organised by The Poetry Trust. Enjoy more podcasts on The Poetry Channel at thepoetrytrust.org.

  37. Gwendolyn Brooks

    Gwendolyn Brooks speaking in 1990 at Poetry Day in Chicago.

  38. Billy Collins

    Two-term poet laureate Billy Collins speaks at the Key West Literary Seminar.

  39. Robert Pinsky

    Robert Pinsky speaking on “Modernism and Memory” at the Key West Literary Seminar. Need a transcript of this episode? Request a transcript here.

  40. Mary Karr and Stuart Dybek

    Mary Karr and Stuart Dybek read from their own work and discuss how writing poetry relates to writing prose. Need a transcript of this episode? Request a transcript here.

  41. Five Muslim American Poets: Part II

    Literary discussion featuring readings by poets Raza Ali Hasan, Ibtisam Barakat, Fady Joudah, Kazim Ali, and Khaled Mattawa. Need a transcript of this episode? Request a transcript here.

  42. Five Muslim American Poets: Part I

    Literary discussion featuring readings by poets Raza Ali Hasan, Ibtisam Barakat, Fady Joudah, Kazim Ali, and Khaled Mattawa. Need a transcript of this episode? Request a transcript here.

  43. Mark Doty

    Mark Doty speaking at the Key West Literary Seminar.

  44. Carl Sandburg

    Archival recording of Carl Sandburg from 1956.

  45. Helen Vendler

    Helen Vendler discusses the poet Robert Lowell.

  46. Futurism and the New Manifesto: Part II

    Joshua Mehigan and Thomas Sayers Ellis read at the Museum of Modern Art. Need a transcript of this episode? Request a transcript here.

  47. Futurism and the New Manifesto: Part I

    Charles Bernstein and A.E. Stallings read at the Museum of Modern Art.

  48. Paul Muldoon

    Paul Muldoon reads and discusses his own work. Need a transcript of this episode? Request a transcript here.

  49. Peter Sacks: American Perspectives

    Peter Sacks finds common themes between the paintings of Edward Hopper and the works of poets such as Robert Frost, Elizabeth Bishop, and TS Eliot.

  50. Eavan Boland

    Eavan Boland speaking at the 53rd Annual Poetry Day.

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ABOUT THIS SHOW

Talks given by notable scholars and critics on poets, poetry, and their intersections with other art forms. Features recordings from historic archives and live events.

HOSTED BY

Poetry Foundation

Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does Poetry Lectures have?

Poetry Lectures currently has 62 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.

What is Poetry Lectures about?

Talks given by notable scholars and critics on poets, poetry, and their intersections with other art forms. Features recordings from historic archives and live events.

How often does Poetry Lectures release new episodes?

Poetry Lectures has 62 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.

Where can I listen to Poetry Lectures?

You can listen to Poetry Lectures on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.

Who hosts Poetry Lectures?

Poetry Lectures is created and hosted by Poetry Foundation.
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