

Poem Talk
Poetry Foundation
Kelly Writers House impresario Al Filreis leads a lively roundtable discussion of a single poem with a series of rotating guests including Tracie Morris, Rachel Blau DuPlessis, erica kaufman, Charles Bernstein, Sawako Nakayasu, Simone White, and others.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Sep 23, 2024 • 47min
Passion Shields Its Servants: A discussion of “Souvenir of the Manassah Ball” by Lorenzo Thomas
Hosted by Al Filreis and featuring Tonya Foster, Erica Hunt, and Bob Perelman.

Jun 28, 2023 • 52min
Don’t Refuse to Breathe: A discussion of Frank O’Hara: “Song (Is it dirty)” & “Poem (Lana Turner Has Collapsed)”
Join Marjorie Perloff, a distinguished poetry scholar, Charles Altieri, a literary critic specializing in modern poetry, and Robert von Hallberg, a literature professor with a focus on American culture, as they delve into Frank O'Hara's works. They explore the intriguing dynamics of time in 'Lana Turner Has Collapsed', linking celebrity to moral themes. The panel debates the meanings of 'dirty' in 'Song', discussing urban naturalism and the resonance of desire in the face of flaws. Insights into O'Hara's cleverness and poetic craft shine throughout this engaging conversation.

May 22, 2023 • 52min
The Whole World Smiles: A discussion of John Giorno’s “Everyone Is a Complete Disappointment”
Hosted by Al Filreis and featuring Brooke O’Harra, Michelle Taransky, and Chris Funkhouser.

Apr 17, 2023 • 55min
Present Plans Succeed: A discussion of Dodie Bellamy’s “Vomit Journal”
Hosted by Al Filreis and featuring Chantine Akiyama Poh, Henry Steinberg, and Murat Nemet-Nejat.

Mar 17, 2023 • 52min
Woot of the Century: A discussion of “Welter” and “Static” by Douglas Kearney
Hosted by Al Filreis and featuring Divya Victor, Whitney Trettien, and Dagmawi Woubshet.

Feb 24, 2023 • 46min
Rhetorical Happenings: A discussion of Hoa Nguyen, “Long Light.”
Hosted by Al Filreis and featuring Bethany Swann, Jonathan Dick, and Kate Colby.

Jan 11, 2023 • 55min
Nothing Made of Ink: A discussion of seven poems by Lisa Fishman
Hosted by Al Filreis and featuring Lisa Fishman, Gabriel Ojeda-Sagué, and Laynie Browne.

Dec 22, 2022 • 1h 1min
Untranslatable: A discussion of Armand Schwerner’s “Tablet 25” & “‘daddy, can you staple these two stars together to make an airplane?’”
Hosted by Al Filreis and featuring Jerome Rothenberg, Pierre Joris, and Charles Bernstein.

Nov 25, 2022 • 54min
Downgraded to Scribble: A discussion of four poems from Dead Winter by Matvei Yankelevich
Hosted by Al Filreis and featuring Ahmad Almallah, Huda Fakhreddine, and Kevin Platt.

Oct 31, 2022 • 56min
Paw Mouthings: A discussion of Maggie O’Sullivan’s “Hill Figures” and “To Our Own Day”
Hosted by Al Filreis and featuring Julia Bloch, Charles Bernstein, and Eric Falci.
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