PODCAST · arts
RavynReads
by Ravyn
Night-shift calm readings for people who need their nervous system to unclench
Episodes
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"A Lady" by Amy Lowell
A reading of "A Lady" by Amy Lowell — a poem about the beauty that remains after youth has passed: faded silks, old music, fallen roses, and a younger speaker so enchanted by what time has made that she offers up her own bright newness in return. Recorded live. I read the romantic canon out loud…
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"Sonnet 73" by William Shakespeare (Remastered)
A reading of Sonnet 73 by William Shakespeare — a sonnet about growing older, the approach of death, and the strange way knowing something will not last can make us love it more fiercely. Recorded live. I read the romantic canon out loud — the works I felt I should read before I die — and you're...
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"Tears, Idle Tears" by Lord Alfred Tennyson
A reading of "Tears, Idle Tears" by Lord Alfred Tennyson — a poem about memory, loss, and the peculiar ache of realizing that some of the most beautiful parts of life survive only because they are gone. Recorded live. I read the romantic canon out loud — the works I felt I should read before I…
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"Spring Night" by Sara Teasdale (Remastered)
A reading of "Spring Night" by Sara Teasdale — a poem about standing in a world so beautiful it ought to be enough, and discovering, almost painfully, that beauty cannot quiet the longing to be loved. Recorded live. I read the romantic canon out loud — the works I felt I should read before I die…
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"Sonnet 29" by William Shakespeare
A reading of Sonnet 29 by William Shakespeare, the sonnet that begins in envy and self-pity and turns, on a single thought of the beloved, into the richest man alive. Recorded live. I read the romantic canon out loud, the works I felt I should read before I die, and you're welcome to come sit for...
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"Up-Hill" by Christina Rossetti
A reading of "Up-Hill" by Christina Rossetti (1861). Recorded LIVE on Youtube! If you want to catch one of the live recordings, follow me on Youtube and TikTok: @RavynReads The reading room, letters, and the before-I-die list: ravynreads.substack.com RavynReads is poetry read aloud, plus Shelf...
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"Sonnet 18" by William Shakespeare
I take my first steps into William Shakespeare. Sonnet 18. Shall I Compare Thee? I hope you enjoy the reading, @RavynReads for socials as always and @RavynReads for daily livestream recording sessions!
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"First Fig" by Edna St. Vincent Millay
I've just returned from the West Village in New York City, On an unassuming street, lies a small theatre. The Cherry Lane Theatre. The oldest off-Broadway theatre still in operation. The theatre holds memories and poetry. Today I start an exploration of Edna St. Vincent Millay with "First Fig".…
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"Now Sleeps the Crimson Petal" by Lord Alfred Tennyson
Lord Tennyson brings one of the most beautiful descriptions of love I've ever heard. @RavynReads if you'd like to follow on socials
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"Love's Philosophy" by Percy Bysshe Shelley
I'm back and reading more Shelley for the first time. "Love's Philosophy" is absolutely gorgeous and a wonderful insight into what it feels like to be in love. If you'd like to get in touch, my socials are @RavynReads
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"A Birthday" by Christina Rossetti
Today we swing back to Christina Rossetti, but it's a different, happier Christina. A joy to read If you'd like to get in touch, my socials are @RavynReads
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"Crossing the Bar" by Lord Alfred Tennyson
Continuing our poets who think about death a lot, I read "Crossing the Bar" by Lord Alfred Tennyson @RavynReads if you'd like to follow me
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"Nothing Gold Can Stay" by Robert Frost
In this episode, Robert Frost addresses death... @RavynReads if you'd like to catch up on socials...
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"The Lake Isle of Innisfree" by W. B. Yeats
Back to nature and back to Yeats with "The Lake Isle of Innisfree" by William Butler Yeats. @RavynReads on socials
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"Echo" by Christina Rossetti
In this episode, I read "Echo" by Christina Rossetti and once again, have to grapple with words that feel like graveside flowers. @RavynReads on socials
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"Song: When I Am Dead, My Dearest" by Christina Rossetti
Today we return to Christina Rossetti's beautiful views on mortality and grief. In under a paragraph, Rossetti argues successfully for the autonomy of the desire to be remembered.
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"Dust of Snow" by Robert Frost
In this episode, we return to Robert Frost and "Dust of Snow", a small, whimsical little thing, that I sense, holds more than meets the eye. Perfect for a quick listen and to satisfy (or increase) that yearning for winter in the middle of summer.
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"When You Are Old" by W. B. Yeats
A moving reading of W.B. Yeats's "When You Are Old," a timeless poem of love, memory, and longing. Perfect for listeners who enjoy classic poetry, Irish literature, and intimate spoken-word performances.
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"Music when Soft Voices Die" by Percy Shelley
A lyrical reading of Percy Bysshe Shelley's "Music when Soft Voices Die" exploring love, memory, beauty, and the lasting echo of feeling after sound fades. Perfect for listeners who love classic poetry, Romantic literature, and calm spoken-word performances.
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A Year Without Summer: Polidori's Failed Pitch to Mary Shelley (The Vampyre) | The October Rite
We've all done unhinged things for love, but have you ever invented an entire cultural genre? In 1816, the "Year Without Summer," a volcanic winter traps five creative minds at the Villa Diodati. While Mary Shelley dreams up Frankenstein, her admirer, Dr. John Polidori, is busy being insecure,...
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Vlad the Impaler: Sinner or Saint? (1490) - The October Rite
Today, having examined both sides of Vlad's legacy, we ask the obvious question: So, arbiter of justice or monster? And the answer is...complicated... Today's primary text is a paraphrasing of the Church Slavonic text: The Tale of the Voivode Dracula...
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Blood Between Empires: The Land Vlad the Impaler Fought to Protect (1456) - The October Rite
Today we examine the duality of Vlad. But more specifically, the land he fought for. There have been longer rulers in the region. More popular rulers. But none who claimed the Devil who would fight for God. A quick note: Wallachian geopolitics and history is fascinating. Vlad's life and lineage…
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What's Worse Than a Vampire?: Vlad the Impaler (1431ish-1477)
He's only the third Vlad I know of, and definitely the one I'd least like to be stuck in a forest with. We briefly dive into the history, lore, and non-vampiristic character of Vlad Tepes III, Son of the Dragon. If you're interested in Vlad, I highly recommend these two books: Dracula, Prince of...
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The Monk Who Said "...Maybe?" - Dom Calmet (1746) - The October Rite
We've had a scientific rebuttal from 2025. But we've also got one from an 18th century librarian-monk-scholar! @RavynReads on socials
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A Biologist's Guide to The Undead: Revisiting Early Vampires (2025) - The October Rite
When I'm not reading books into a microphone, I have a degree in biomedical sciences. Unbelievably, our two worlds are about to collide as we revisit the stories of early vampires and examine the likely biomedical causes of the descriptions. I'm delighted to say that your high school chemistry...
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The Perfect Couple - "The Awakening" (Ch. 3 & 4) by Kate Chopin (1899)
Today, we're taking a break from all the blood and gore and returning to a far more seemingly placid disquiet. Grand Isle and the slow piercing of the Ponteliers. I hope you enjoy, friends. @RavynReads for social and updates
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UpToStake: How to Take a Vampire Physical: Arnold Paole (1725-1732) - The October Rite
18th-century medicine has entered the vampire discourse... And...things to do not go well... This one is marked as explicit for the fairly dispassionate description of dissections. @RavynReads for socials and updates Visum et Repertum: The Vampire Project: Visum et Repertum VISUM ET REPERTUM by...
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The "First" Vampire: Petar Blagojević (1725) - The October Rite
The First Vampire never knew he was the first vampire. Which honestly, seems unfair. @RavynReads for socials and updates
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A History of Vampires: Introduction - The October Rite
For the month of October, I'm tracing this history of the Vampire, from the first original reports in Eastern Europe all the way to Bram Stoker's jaunt into a place he'd never actually visited. Bloodlust, missing shoes, a Romanian hero and monster, a handsome brother, a hotel that doesn't exist...
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Summer at Grand Isle - "The Awakening" (Ch. 1 & 2) by Kate Chopin (1899)
No fun voices today. Tonight we turn the podcast over to Edna Pontellier and to Kate Chopin, a woman writing against the grain in 1899. We begin The Awakening. It starts innocently enough: a parrot repeating phrases, a vacation at Grand Isle, croquet, and my very bad French. But beneath the...
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A Dog, A River, & A Friendship - "Wind in the Willows" (Chapter 1) by Kenneth Grahame
We return to the riverbank, where friendship smells like rope and reed and watercress. In memory of Jess, my father's dog, and the spirit of good picnics. Everyone needs a friend like Ratty. @RavynReads on socials. Have a sandwich for me today, will you?
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Shelf Lives #9 - "You Try to Be a Stand-Up Human Being" (Denis)
There's a park in New York that made me believe in places again. Denis took me there — both in this episode, then eventually in person. Gorman Park. It starts as a playground and opens like a wardrobe into music, languages, soccer games, and the kind of quiet joy you don't expect to find tucked...
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Shelf Lives #8 - "I Seem to Recall Something About Never Letting Go" (Tim)
This week on Shelf Lives, we meet Tim—a 45-year-old veteran, psychology grad student, medieval reenactor, and unintentional philosopher—who once read He Died with a Falafel in His Hand because the font was Comic Sans and stayed for the truth. In an hour that spans stroke survival, speculative...
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The Printer, The Panic, and Poe: The Tell-Tale Heart
Okay, so here's the thing— When this podcast started, I tried to whisper like grief wore a turtleneck. But that's not me. I'm a hospital worker who sings Moana to sick kids and ugly-cries to WrestleMania replays. This podcast? It's not curated. It's not scholarly. It's me trying not to…
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Shelf Lives #7 - "The Pale Blue Dot" (Karen)
In this iconic episode of Shelf Lives, we talk with Karen, a Canadian Library Technician! In what is arguably the perfect intersection, we cover everything from Austen, Burnett, and Carl (Sagan!) @RavynReads on socials! Works Mentioned: "The Priory of the Orange Tree" by Samantha Shannon "Anne of...
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Shelf Lives #6 - "We Tore the World Asunder" (Reno V of the Comic Dissection Podcast)
In this episode of Shelf Lives, I interview Reno V of the Comic Dissection Podcast & Judgmental Horror Junkies. We cover comics as literature, horror movies, one wild week for the Shelleys, our types of humor, the Great Muta, the US as a soft power institution (which...hasn't aged great), and...
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The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame: Chapter 1, Part 1
Because...we could all do with small woodland creatures discovering Archimedes Principle right now....Acorn-medes... @RavynReads on socials
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Death by Swoon - "Bright Star" by John Keats
In this episode, we return to John Keats with "Bright Star" And I try to keep it mysterious, except it's in the title of the episode. Sherlock Holmes, I am not. Thanks for listening, I'm @RavynReads on socials if you'd like to get in touch.
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Who Let the Swans Out? - "The Wild Swans at Coole" by W. B. Yeats
I'm terribly sorry about that pun. Today we return to Yeats and the Wild Swans at Coole! @RavynReads on the socials.
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Just...Pick One... - Robert Frost's "The Road Not Taken"
Seriously, the clam chowder's getting cold... @RavynReads on socials
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To Changing Leaves, To Pumpkin Spice Lattes, "To Autumn" by John Keats
Happy New Year! Today, I read "To Autumn" by John Keats. Today is also a reminder that Autumn is the best season...don't @ me. But if you'd like to @ me, I'm @RavynReads on socials
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Poe has complex feelings, "Annabel Lee"
Poe sure knows how to make me feel emotionally conflicted. This week I read the ...complex...Annabel Lee. @RavynReads on socials, if you'd like to connect!
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Shelf Lives #5 - "The Grace We Give to Strangers (Except Galen)" (Marky)
In this fifth episode of Shelf Lives, I interview Marky. We discuss motherhood, South America, Pablo Neruda, and how much we both hate Galen! Feel free to get in touch @RavynReads on socials. "The Mountains Sing" by Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai "The Two Princesses of Bamarre" by Gail Carson Levine "Ella...
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When you can no more hold me by the hand, "Remember" by Christina Rossetti
This week, I read "Remember" by Christina Rossetti - a beautifully haunting poem about loss, love, memory, and the act of remembrance. If you enjoy the episode, please feel free to subscribe so you don't miss future episodes. I know you've got limited podcast listening time, I'd be honored to…
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Shelf Lives #4 – "A Beautiful Little Fool" (Ingrid)
In this episode of Shelf Lives, Ingrid from Wisconsin and I discuss hard things, and freezing to death to watch football. @RavynReads on socials Media Mentioned: "La Rose" by Louise Erdrich "Future Home of the Living God" by Louise Erdrich "The Watchman" by Louise Erdrich "Galapagos" by Kurt...
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The Hand That Mocks, "Ozymandius" by Percy Shelley
Both timely and timeless, "Ozymandius" by Percy Shelley... @RavynReads on socials
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Edgar Allan Poe but it's giving Inception, "A Dream Within A Dream"
In this episode, I read Edgar Allan Poe's short two stanza poem, "A Dream Within A Dream". Socials: @ravynreads
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Miles to Go Before I Sleep, "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" by Robert Frost
Socials: @ravynreads Today's episode celebrates the beauty of a forest in winter. Ravyn reads Robert Frost's "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening". It's a beautiful, short ode to nature, winter, duty, and even, in the right light, mortality. I hope you enjoy it!
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Night-shift calm readings for people who need their nervous system to unclench
HOSTED BY
Ravyn
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does RavynReads have?
RavynReads currently has 59 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is RavynReads about?
Night-shift calm readings for people who need their nervous system to unclench
How often does RavynReads release new episodes?
RavynReads has 59 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to RavynReads?
You can listen to RavynReads 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 RavynReads?
RavynReads is created and hosted by Ravyn.
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