PODCAST · society
Versify
by Nashville Public Radio
Versify is part storytelling and part poetry. It begins by sending our team of poets out into neighborhoods and to community events, where we invite people to share a story from their life. The person they are sharing it to — the person listening — is one of our poets. This is where the magic comes in. The poet listens intently and then turns that life story into a poem, on the spot.
Episodes
-
Freedom Summer: Violence Was In Me Then
For Dr. Freddrick Leonard, joining the Nashville Student Movement in the Fall of 1960 meant learning to suppress his instincts. As a high schooler in Chattanooga, he sat in at lunch counters with other students, and they defended themselves when they were attacked. And his shift to non-violent...
-
Freedom Summer: Pitfalls, Prison Terms, and Conquests
A Klan hit, an ambush, a sanctuary under siege, these are just a handful of the encounters that Civil Rights veteran, Dr. Allen Cason Jr., survived during his time in the Nashville Student Movement. In this episode Allen sits down with poet Lagnajita Mukhopadhyay to detail his firsthand account…
more -
Freedom Summer: We Wanted Nashville To Hear Footsteps, part 2
After the carnage in Birmingham and the bus bombing in Anniston, Rip Patton and the Nashville students set out to continue the Freedom Rides. Hear how their journey finds them in the crosshairs of Bull Connor and the Alabama Klan, and ultimately in a Mississippi maximum security prison. Rip talks...
-
Freedom Summer: We Wanted Nashville To Hear Footsteps, part 1
In the early 1960’s Rip Patton was on the frontlines of the civil rights movement. A foot soldier in a coordinated campaign to combat racial inequality on every front. And ultimately, induce the political opposition to revise the central edicts that governed the country. It was an effort backed…
more -
Freedom Summer: The Freedom Rides, A Letter, Then Silence
During the Nashville Student Movement, silence was used as a tool to illuminate the strength of a movement, but in the decades following the sit-ins, stand-ins, and Freedom Rides, silence was used as a method of obscuring it. Etta Marie Simpson Ray is a Freedom Rider and one of the pioneers of…
more -
Season 4 Trailer
In season 4 of Versify, we bring you the stories of a remarkable band of historical luminaries, connected by their courageous commitment to racial equality in the 1960s: the Nashville Freedom riders. We hear of their experiences, in their own words, and our poets turn their narratives into poetry.
-
Our Babies Have Always Been The War
It's not an exaggeration to say that Rhiannon Giddens is a narrative archeologist. A historical thaumaturge who conjures the often willfully forgotten chronicles of American history and renders them with a rosined bow. For Rhiannon that process of narrative excavation has led to some of her most...
-
Imagine This Chutzpah
For Nashville Choreographer Diane Kimbrough, her route to a career as a professional dancer, was influenced by her family history. A descendant of Ukrainian Jews who fled during the Pogroms of the Russian Empire, for Diane, leaning on resilience in the face of scrutiny, is practically an…
more -
Beyond A Four-Walled Hustle
For artist, influencer and activist, Thaxton Waters, the roots of his artistic practice began with a suspicion of history. An unease about the stories around the community he was born into. And that sense of questioning spurred Thaxton toward a career of unearthing untold histories — through art....
-
Little Boxes All The Same
Demetria Kalodimos is something of a Nashville institution, anchoring the Channel Four news desk since she first arrived in Music city in 1984. But thirty plus years into her career, Demetria was unprepared to have her decades of dedicated news coverage cut short. Demetria speaks with poet...
-
The Blade And The Blooming
For attorney and aspiring writer Adam Hill, his journey towards understanding the life of his younger brother Eric, began by coping with Eric’s death, both in the present, and 1,000 years before either of them was ever born. Adam tells his story to poet Kelley Bell, about the process of…
more -
Do You Want To See More?
Tasha Lemley, has spent much of her professional life championing the stories of people on the margins. She Cofounded The Contributor, a Nashville nonprofit “street newspaper” that helps to empower people experiencing homelessness. But even with a career’s worth of exposure to the types of…
more -
Before Bukowski
There are about as many ways to fall in love with the craft of writing as there are books to be read. But whatever the means of introduction, that first literary gateway drug, it’s typically hard to forget. But for Nashville non-fiction writer Rob Simbeck, his route to an early love of…
more -
A Kiss For Every Frog
Perhaps you’ve had the experience of standing on some nondescript street corner, minding your own business, when a stranger comes along and tries to chat you up. Maybe you found yourself thinking "I hope this person’s not a murderer” — a fear which typically seems dramatic. But when Rachel...
-
All Power To All The People
When Ritagay Sisk-Jaimson first joined the Phillidelphia chapter of the Black Panther Party in 1969, she was under scrutiny not only from some of its members but also the federal government. Ritgay & her daughter Tandekile Francis sit down to speak with poet Courtney Sinclaire Brown, about their...
-
A Penny Sewn Into Every Scrap
For Nashville muralist Andee Rudloff, the process of making a public artwork is about a lot more than adding a little color to urban landscapes. Andee sits down with poet J Joseph Kane, to talk about how an early exposure to her grandmother’s love of narrative and improvisational art spurred her...
-
I Call Myself Indigo
For Indigo, a young gender fluid person, the decision to live as their authentic self, hasn’t been easy. Today Indigo speaks with poet Susannah Felts, about the journey start their life over in Nashville while dealing with the hurdles of displacement, family disapproval, and challenges with…
more -
Person, Animal, Thing
When we talk about the casualties of war, often the emphasis gets placed on the visible losses, but for the people like Rani Banjarian, a Lebanese international student turned East Nashville Maths teacher, who actually endure those conflicts, the intangible changes, are often just as costly.…
more -
A Woman And A Dragon, Part Two
After surviving the Mumbai terror attacks. Linda Ragsdale made good on her promise to honor her friend Naomi’s last wish — teach her how to draw a dragon — by starting a non-profit to travel the world and teach children around the globe about peace. But five years into fulfilling that promise,...
-
A Woman And A Dragon, Part One
Linda Ragsdale felt lucky to get the last seat on a trip to Mumbai, intending to deepen her practice of meditation. She found herself instead struggling for survival — in the middle of India's most severe terrorist attack in decades. In part one of this two-part season finale, we hear how Linda's...
-
It Took 27 Years & Then It Popped
Have you ever had the nightmare where you’re standing at the front of an audience, about to say something important, but when you open your mouth there’s nothing? Well imagine waking up in that nightmare and realizing that you couldn’t get out. That’s exactly what happened to KC Steedle, the…
more -
Before I Could Give Her The Ring
A craving for novelty and excitement is a hallmark of early adulthood. But for Jakob Lewis, host of WPLN’s podcast Neighbors, a summertime quest for new experiences nearly cost him his life. Today, Jakob tells the story of how a thirst for adventure landed him on the front lines of a California...
-
Saturn Returns By I-40 West
After leaving suburban Tennessee for a career in Hollywood when he was just 18, Brad Wear became, in a lot of ways, the picture of LA success. But twenty years later, Brad was struck with a feeling of absence, of being fully out of touch — with himself and his family, from whom he'd been…
more -
Mercy At The Ryman
For singer-songwriter Mary Gauthier, coming to country music in her 40s was one of many things that made her feel like an industry outsider. Today, Mary speaks with poet Destiny Birdsong about her unconventional entry into the music business, and how an unforgettable performance at the Ryman...
-
Thank God For That Judge
Being in love often requires making sacrifices, but for Helen German, the sacrifice was a big one: Finding romance meant losing the approval of her family. Today, Helen relates the details of her life story, from surviving the air raids of World War II to sustaining a 65 year marriage, while...
-
Never Forget Your Name, Lyzette
For Lyzette Garza, learning to embrace her Mexican American heritage has been a lifelong journey. Lyzette speaks with poet Kelley Bell about her formative childhood moments: hearing stories from her dad under the stars, encountering prejudice on a family trip to Colorado, and how those…
more -
Ending The Game With Sunset
For most people, living with your parents past your early 20s isn’t something to make a point of bringing up in public. But Paresh Sheth says that living with his mom and dad in a three generation household has deepened his understanding of commitment — especially now that his mother is in the...
-
Acknowledgment of Paternity for a Child Born to an Unmarried Woman
Amelia and Mark share the story of their intense uncertainty about having their first child, Silas — but the surprising joy of his first year. As 30-something New Yorkers transplanted to Nashville, they’re more ironic than emotive in telling this tale, but their words resonate with poet Susannah...
-
How They Met
When our poets ask people to share an important story from their lives, they often like to tell us about how they met their partners. And though she admits it’s a bit cliché...Marcia Barker shares the story of an unlikely first encounter with a handsome stranger named Brent, and a resulting…
more -
Insider's Guide To Prayer
When Mark Lemley was 17, he lived through a near-death experience that fundamentally altered his outlook on life: a car accident that has haunted him for 24 years, and he wasn't even the one in the car. In this episode hear the story of Mark's relationship with his childhood best friend Ryan —…
more -
The Thread Stretched Between Us
They say you should never go into business with family — but for Craig Fernandes, starting a patriotic clothing company with his son Brady has actually brought the two of them closer together. Craig speaks to poet Kelley Bell about how experiencing a mid-career layoff helped him get to know his…
more -
A Hurricane, A Wedding, And A Flood
For Betty and Raul Malo, lead singer of country band the Mavericks, their romantic life has been punctuated by a series of severe storms. August of '92: Hurricane Andrew throttled the Florida coastline, destroying Betty's home just months before their wedding. So she and Raul eloped instead and...
-
The Blood Tie
Emily Tan comes from generations of immigrants and refugees; and she’s traveled the globe in pursuit of a family history fragmented by war. In this episode, Emily speaks with poet Destiny Birdsong about her journey to reconnect with relatives both past and present. You’ll hear about Emily’s...
-
Coming Soon: Versify, Season 2
In our second season of Versify, we bring you moments of impact: those times when our storytellers’ lives were changed forever. Decisive moments, pivotal shifts, and even brushes with death. You’ll hear moving personal stories, and also how our writers turn what they hear into poetry. Season 2...
-
Learning To Fight
In creating Versify, we’ve realized the power of listening to people's stories and sharing them as poetry. To close out our first season, we’re gonna take you through some of the first poems and conversations that inspired us to make this show. And you’ll journey with us as we explore what it…
more -
The Crash, The Rock, It Sings
For Nashville Councilwoman Nancy VanReece, her passion for public service began with an act of intimidation. It was 1968 — and she was 4 — when someone threw a rock through the window of her family home. It was the day after the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr., and her father, a dentist,...
-
Sometimes It's The Simple Things
For Eloise Briscoe, raising two daughters hasn’t been about splashy gestures, but more “the simple things” — an approach gleaned from the long line of women in her family. As the unofficial family historian, Eloise is a diligent keeper of memories, and today she challenges poet J. Joseph Kane to...
-
It Wasn't The Fun Way
More than most people, Ben Groner feels pretty lucky to be alive — and that’s because his life is the result of some pretty remarkable choices. In this episode, Ben tells poet Megan Smith about his parents’ unlikely love story, how he and his twin brother came to be, and about a secret that could...
-
People Will Surprise You
Ask anyone about their neighbors and they’ll likely have a strong opinion to share. This week, Versify’s team of poets sit down with strangers to hear stories about neighbors and neighborhoods. They discover unusual recollections and moments of camaraderie — and then turn those memories into...
-
Don’t Try This at Home
Ambushed by a menacing dog, Nashville physics teacher (and standup comedian) Bob Clark taps into some unconventional wisdom in his attempt to flee. Bob slyly reveals his story to poet Destiny Birdsong. She’s caught off guard, but weaves the compelling tale into an original poem about physics,...
-
It Is Not What Is Written On Your Tombstone
For much of her life, Ali Russell has been uncertain about religion. Even as a little girl, she’d ask her parents, “How do we know we’re worshiping the right God?” She even had a Jesus dream that still lingers with her today. In this episode, Ali shares her story to her longtime friend and...
-
Bone Deep
Serg Rodriguez hasn’t seen his family in years. He was excommunicated by their church and grew apart from his parents and siblings. But now as a writer in Nashville, his little sister is never far from his mind. Without warning, she troubles his thoughts and finds here way into everything he puts...
-
Why We Will Never Forget April 1994
Ebralie Mwizerwa is a mother of five, an accountant, a devoted church-goer — and a survivor of the 1994 Rwandan genocide. She fled with her family while pregnant and now runs a nonprofit that assists incoming refugee families in Nashville, Tennessee. Ebralie shares the story of her harrowing…
more -
There's No Cure
Fred Bailey grew up blind on a farm in Gallatin, Tennessee — except he didn’t actually know he was blind at first. Through a run in with a teacher, a visit to a doctor, and a confrontation with his father, he learned how to find strength in his limitations. And now he strives to pass on a similar...
-
Sneak Peek: Versify Season One
In the newest podcast from Nashville Public Radio, The Porch writers’ collective, and PRX, people tell life stories and hear writers turn their words into poetry. We launch on Aug. 24 with three episodes. Here’s a sneak peak.
-
Coming Soon: Versify
Here's a sneak peak of Versify, a new podcast from Nashville Public Radio launching in the summer of 2017
We're indexing this podcast's transcripts for the first time — this can take a minute or two. We'll show results as soon as they're ready.
No matches for "" in this podcast's transcripts.
No topics indexed yet for this podcast.
Loading reviews...
ABOUT THIS SHOW
Versify is part storytelling and part poetry. It begins by sending our team of poets out into neighborhoods and to community events, where we invite people to share a story from their life. The person they are sharing it to — the person listening — is one of our poets. This is where the magic comes in. The poet listens intently and then turns that life story into a poem, on the spot.
HOSTED BY
Nashville Public Radio
Loading similar podcasts...
Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Versify have?
Versify currently has 46 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Versify about?
Versify is part storytelling and part poetry. It begins by sending our team of poets out into neighborhoods and to community events, where we invite people to share a story from their life. The person they are sharing it to — the person listening — is one of our poets. This is where the magic comes...
How often does Versify release new episodes?
Versify has 46 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Versify?
You can listen to Versify 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 Versify?
Versify is created and hosted by Nashville Public Radio.
URL copied to clipboard!