Rae Armantrout, a celebrated American poet and Pulitzer Prize winner, joins Kevin Young for a captivating dialogue. They explore Dorothea Lasky's poem 'Mother,' unraveling its themes of loss and maternal longing within a surreal landscape. Armantrout shares insights into her own poem 'Finally,' blending humor with the complexities of marriage. The discussion dives deep into the duality of love poetry, revealing how contrasting emotions illuminate profound truths, all while reflecting on poetry's role in personal and political landscapes.

Rae Armantrout discusses Susan Wheeler's poem The Split, focusing on vernacular language, bidding farewell, and connections to Emily Dickinson's style. They explore themes of healing miracles, poetic techniques like free verse, alliteration, and absence, while providing a preview of upcoming podcast episodes.

Pulitzer Prize winning poet Rae Armantrout discusses her collection 'Finalists' and its philosophical themes of consciousness, cybernetics, and psychoanalysis. They also explore the revision process, influences from philosophers and poets, and the damage of post-modernism.