The New Yorker: Poetry

Erica Jong and the host explore John Updike's 'The City Outside,' discussing his transition in poetry style, shared fears of falling and flying, and the influence of beauty and sorrow in poetry. They also analyze poems by Jong and Updike, offering recommendations for further reading.

Lia Purpura and Carl Phillips explore the allure and complexities of Phillips' poem 'White Dog,' discussing themes of love, loss, and letting go. They also highlight the power of metaphors in poetry and delve into the ethereal essence of poetic expressions, emphasizing the importance of reader interpretation.

Tom Sleigh joins Paul Muldoon to read and discuss Seamus Heaney’s poem “In the Attic” and his own poem “The Fox.” Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Andrew Motion joins Paul Muldoon to read and discuss Alice Oswald’s poem “Evening Poem” and his own poem “Waders.” Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Renowned poets Mary Karr and Terrance Hayes discuss themes of family dynamics, symbolism, communion, suicide, parental love, and self-identity through thought-provoking poetry readings and discussions.

Kevin Young and Paul Muldoon discuss John Berryman's unique style and rising influence in poetry, exploring his evolution through The Dream Songs and delving into his enigmatic persona. They analyze the symbolism in Berryman's work and explore the themes of memory, history, and resilience in his poem 'Oblivion', focusing on the metaphor of cows in Louisiana.

Poet Brenda Shaughnessy discusses C.D. Wright's poem, exploring the power of words and layers of meaning. They delve into the US-Mexico border, time, memory, and identity in poetry, reflecting on regret, missed opportunities, and intergenerational trauma.

Parker Henry joins Paul Muldoon to discuss fact checking poetry for The New Yorker. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Jonathan Galassi, poet and publisher, discusses Frederick Seidel's confrontational poetry style and themes of change and loss. They explore the use of vivid imagery, New York lunch traditions, and poetry's impact on social and political discourse.

Poet Amit Majmudar reads and discusses Christopher Reid's 'The Confusions' and his own poem 'Invocation'. Topics include Reid's poetic evolution, Shakespearean influences, use of alliteration, suspension of disbelief, and complexity of Shakespearean plots. Majmudar explores inspiration behind 'Invocation' from child psychiatry rotation, symbolism of arms, connections to Virgil's Aeneid, and powerful imagery. Discussion includes writing without worrying about allusions, themes of loss, pain, survival, rhyme scheme, and creative process of writing poetry late at night.