The Daily Poem

Delve into Ben Jonson's 'Song to Celia,' its musical adaptations, and his circle of admirers. Explore the intertwining of song and poetry, themes of love and wine, with a contemporary rendition by Johnny Cash.

Exploring the intricate metaphors and profound expressions of romantic love in Pablo Neruda's Sonnet 17. Delving into the mystical and ethereal essence of love depicted in the poem, highlighting the deep yearning and longing for complete unity between two souls transcending physical boundaries.

Explore John Donne's early poetic seduction in 'The Flea' where he weaves intimate metaphors around a simple insect bite, showcasing his eloquent pursuit of love. Dive into the historical context of Donne's works and his evolution as a poet.

Exploring absence and nature in Shakespeare's sonnets 98 & 99, the podcast delves into the emotions stirred by the absence of the beloved in Shakespeare's sonnet cycle. It discusses disappointment in nature's beauty without the beloved's presence and the poet's attempt to find comfort in nature while longing for their beloved. Analysis of sonnet 99 focuses on nature portrayed as a thief of beauty, with the speaker lamenting the absence of true beauty and contrasting the beloved and natural beauties.

Explore William Cullen Bryant's poem 'To a Waterfowl' and its themes of nature, guidance, and American poetry. Reflect on Bryant's views on Providence and the parallels with the waterfowl's journey. Discover the profound impact of encountering a waterfowl, leading to lessons in self-discovery and nostalgia for fleeting moments.

Exploring the theme of identity and connection in Elizabeth Bishop's 'In the Waiting Room'. Reflecting on introspective realizations triggered by reading a magazine in a waiting room.

The podcast delves into the complexity of Tracy K. Smith's poem 'Solstice' from her award-winning collection 'Life on Mars', exploring themes of news, obedience, prayer, and societal disillusionment.

In this episode, they delve into Matthew Arnold's 'Dover Beach' and its deep themes of post-Christian culture and human misery. The analysis highlights the poem's symbolism of the ocean and its impact in poetry and education. Arnold's struggle with societal shifts and his somber expressions of uncertainty are explored, along with the plea for honesty in facing life's challenges.

Today’s poem is one of the most recognizable and influential American poems of the twentieth century.Langston Hughes was a central figure in the Harlem Renaissance, the flowering of black intellectual, literary, and artistic life that took place in the 1920s in a number of American cities, particularly Harlem. A major poet, Hughes also wrote novels, short stories, essays, and plays. He sought to honestly portray the joys and hardships of working-class black lives, avoiding both sentimental idealization and negative stereotypes.Hughes’s position in the American literary scene seems to be secure. David Littlejohn wrote that Hughes is "the one sure Negro classic, more certain of permanence than even Baldwin or Ellison or Wright. … His voice is as sure, his manner as original, his position as secure as, say Edwin Arlington Robinson’s or Robinson Jeffers’. … By molding his verse always on the sounds of Negro talk, the rhythms of Negro music, by retaining his own keen honesty and directness, his poetic sense and ironic intelligence, he maintained through four decades a readable newness distinctly his own."Hughes’s poems have been translated into German, French, Spanish, Russian, Yiddish, and Czech; many of them have been set to music.-bio via Poetry Foundation This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit dailypoempod.substack.com/subscribe

Today’s poem from Robert Herrick is not only an ode to the holiday of Candlemas, but a meditation on the everlasting revolution of the seasons.For more on the history of Groundhog Day and Candlemas, check out this conversation between Richard Rohlin and Jonathan Pageau. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit dailypoempod.substack.com/subscribe