Shows
Whirled Through a Poem’s EyePeter Gizzi's "Inness": Whirled Through a Poem's EyeBeauty in the eye and a painting by George Inness in this poem by Peter Gizzi.
2025-12-2303 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeBarbara Tomash's "to begin and end in the garden, slapping mosquitos, reading her book": Whirled Through a Poem's EyeGlory and the mundane in this Barbara Tomash poem.
2025-12-1609 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeMark Doty's "Little George": Whirled Through a Poem's EyeVain attempts to control the uncontrollable, barking into the void with this Mark Doty poem.
2025-12-0905 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeBrief excerpt from my new book Always With the Questions: One Poet's Writing ManualQuestions of "I" in poetry in this brief excerpt from my book Always With the Questions: One Poet's Writing Manual, wordworksbooks.org.
2025-12-0203 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeKathryn Petrucelli's "At the Grave": Whirled Through a Poem's EyeAdvice from the dead in this poem by Kathryn Petrucelli.
2025-11-2507 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeLarry Levis's "Signs": Whirled Through a Poem's EyeSigns and significations in this Larry Levis poem.
2025-11-1804 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeElizabeth Zuba's "On Forces and Motion": Whirled Through a Poem's EyeThe physics of essential confusions in this poem by Elizabeth Zuba.
2025-11-1305 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeElizabeth Hazen's "Approximations": Whirled Through a Poem's EyeTesting truths with this poem by Elizabeth Hazen.
2025-11-0504 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeBertha Rogers's "Turkey Vulture": Whirled Through a Poem's EyeLife and death in this poem by Bertha Rogers.
2025-10-2803 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeGustaf Sobin's "According to Seneca": Whirled Through a Poem's EyeTrying to trace meaning in this Gustaf Sobin poem.
2025-10-2102 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeAllison Zhang's "Porcelain Theory": Whirled Through a Poem's EyeThe power of breaking things in this poem by Allison Zhang.
2025-10-1503 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeMigwi Mwangi's "Karatina Market": Whirled Through a Poem's EyeGhosts in Migwi Mwangi's market.
2025-10-0704 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeJay Wright's "Crispus Attucks": Whirled Through a Poem's EyeThe first person to die in the American Revolution, or so we're told: Crispus Attucks and the tinderbox that was Boston, in this poem by Jay Wright.
2025-10-0104 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeSally Van Doren's "1 Kings": Whirled Through a Poem's EyeBuilding the self, in this poem by Sally Van Doren.
2025-09-2304 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeOksana Maksymchuk's "The Stages of Ukrainian Futurism": Whirled Through a Poem's EyeConsidering the costs of war in this poem by Oksana Maksymchuk.
2025-09-1605 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeAntonio Machado's "Proverbios y cantares XXIX": Whirled Through a Poem's EyeFinding a way, with this poem by Machado, and several different translations.
2025-09-0905 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeWilliam Stafford's "You Reading This, Be Ready": Whirled Through a Poem's EyeTaking a breath, with this poem by William Stafford.
2025-09-0203 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeRichard Siken's "Devonian Forest": Whirled Through a Poem's EyeStrange tales in this prose poem by Richard Siken.
2025-08-2605 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeJim Carns's "Tornado": Whirled Through a Poem's EyeQuestioning what we think we know in Jim Carns's poem.
2025-08-1903 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyePablo Neruda's "Keeping Quiet" (tr. A. Reid): Whirled Through a Poem's EyeA little quiet sanity in the loud world with this Pablo Neruda poem.
2025-08-1204 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeMartha Silano's "Is This My Last Ferry Trip?": Whirled Through a Poem's EyeMoving toward mortality in this poem by Martha Silano.
2025-08-0504 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeAnna Akhmatova's "White House": Whirled Through a Poem's EyeThe loss of the White House in this poem by Akhmatova.
2025-07-2903 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeEmily Adams-Aucoin's "Delay": Whirled Through a Poem's EyeWe're all in this together in this poem by Emily Adams-Aucoin.
2025-07-2204 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeNickole Brown's "A Prayer to Talk to Animals": Whirled Through a Poem's EyeA plea for communication in this poem by Nickole Brown.
2025-07-1505 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeRobert Hayden's "Those Winter Sundays": Whirled Through a Poem's EyeThe vast possibility of forgiveness in Hayden's poem "Those Winter Sundays."
2025-07-0804 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeChristopher Citro's "Water Falling Down": Whirled Through a Poem's EyeMemory's strange arrangements in Christopher Citro's poem "Water Falling Down."
2025-07-0104 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeA Hass translation of a Sosecki poem: Whirled Through a Poem's EyeA moment's pause over a moment's hesitation in this Asian figure in translation by Robert Hass.
2025-06-1704 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeMasefield's "Sea Fever": Whirled Through a Poem's EyeMemory and longing in this old poem by John Masefield.
2025-06-1005 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeJeff Friedman's "Covenant": Whirled Through a Poem's EyeGentle confusions and great unknowns in this meditation and Jeff Friedman's prose poem.
2025-06-0304 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeAdrienne Rich's "What Kind of Times Are These": Whirled Through a Poem's EyeWhat a world, what a world, Adrienne Rich muses in her poem.
2025-05-1304 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeKeetje Kuipers's "Getting over the future": Whirled Through a Poem's EyeBurning it all down with Keetje Kuipers in the poem "Getting over the future."
2025-05-0604 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeAda Limon's "Dead Stars": Whirled Through a Poem's EyeCounting our lucky stars and throwing high some wishes with Ada Limon in this poem.
2025-04-2904 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeGrace Q. Song's "Daylight Savings": Whirled Through a Poem's EyeCan time save us, an hour here or there? Listen to Grace Q. Song's "Daylight Savings."
2025-04-2203 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeDavid Graham's "This Is Called Grace": Whirled Through a Poem's EyeVivid dream of loss in this poem by David Graham.
2025-04-0305 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeVictoria Chang's "Provision": Whirled Through a Poem's EyeMemory and the body explored in this poem by Victoria Chang.
2025-04-0103 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeJeannine Hall Gailey's "Self-portrait as a Mythological Creature": Whirled Through a Poem's EyeSending up some myths of women in this poem by Jeannine Hall Gailey.
2025-03-2505 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeTony Hoagland's "Field Guide": Whirled Through a Poem's EyePoetry as communication in this Tony Hoadland poem.
2025-03-1804 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeMatthew Lippman's "Outside World of Beers": Whirled Through a Poem's EyeFriendship and memory in Matthew Lippman's poem.
2025-03-1106 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeGrant Clauser's "Drift Theory": Whirled Through a Poem's EyeChance, luck, and beauty in this poem by Grant Clauser.
2025-03-0403 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeJames Crews's "No Mud No Lotus": Whirled Through a Poem's EyeA moment of zen thanks to James Crews.
2025-02-2502 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeMarilyn McCabe's poem "Hanging Out": Whirled Through a Poem's EyeMy poem for a dead friend, and thinking about the nature of friendship.
2025-02-1802 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeKerry Hardie's "We Change the Map": Whirled Through a Poem's EyeSharpening the focus, holding close the attention in this poem by Kerry Hardie.
2025-02-1103 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeShara McCallum's "What the Oracle Said": Whirled Through a Poem's EyeCold comfort in this poem by Shara McCallum.
2025-02-0403 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeWilliam Stafford's "Spirit of Place: Great Blue Heron": Whirled Through a Poem's EyePlace and grace in William Stafford's poem "Spirit of Place."
2025-01-2803 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeCatherine Barnett's "Thought Experiment": Whirled Through a Poem's EyeWays of seeing and being in Catherine Barnett's "Thought Experiment."
2025-01-2106 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyePhilip Metres's "The Beggars of Beirut": Whirled Through a Poem's EyeThe self and the Other as one explored in this poem by Phil Metres.
2025-01-1405 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeLindsay Stuart Hill's "The Baha'i School": Whirled Through a Poem's EyeGrappling with the past through poetry in this prose poem by Lindsay Stuart Hill.
2025-01-0806 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeDiamont Popelka, selections from Flashlight: Whirled Through a Poem's EyeNine "figures" by Diamont Popelka, from a longer work, "Flashlight," as translated by Marcela Sulak, considering the new/old year.
2024-12-3104 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeMuso Soseki"s "Toki-no-Ge" (trans. Merwin and Shigematsu): Whirled Through a Poem's EyeM. S. Merwin and Soiku Shigematsu's translation of Muso Soseki's "Toki-no-Ge" or "Satori Poem" lightly and delightfully enlightens.
2024-12-2403 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeGustaf Sobin"s "Psalmodic": Whirled Through a Poem's EyeSaid and unsaid in this short psalm by Gustaf Sobin.
2024-12-1704 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeNatalli Amato's "Even pizza can open a heart": Whirled Through a Poem's EyeCreating community and the grace of belonging considered in Natalli Amato's poem.
2024-12-1003 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeLucie Brock-Broido"s "Of the Finished World": Whirled Through a Poem's EyeNovember and shifts and endings under consideration in this poem by Lucie Brock-Broido.
2024-12-0504 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeJaswinder Bolina's "At War with the Cynics": Whirled Through a Poem's EyeWeary well wishing in Bolina's "At War with the Cynics."
2024-11-2604 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeBrigit Pegeen Kelly's "The Leaving": Whirled Through a Poem's EyeYouth and striving in Kelly's "The Leaving."
2024-11-2605 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeKelli Russell Agodon"s "The Naming of Things": Whirled Through a Poem's EyeNaming the world with Kelli Russell Agodon's poem "The Naming of Things."
2024-11-1204 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeDaniel Summerhill's "no one told me the world was on fire": Whirled Through a Poem's EyeWarming God's hands with our fire in Daniel B. Summerhill's poem.
2024-11-0602 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeEric Kocher's "Red Eye Home": Whirled Through a Poem's EyeEric Kocher's re-entry into the world after a red-eye flight wonderfully disorients in his poem "Red Eye Home."
2024-10-2904 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeBetsy Sholl's "Poem in which Emily Dickinson Scolds Me": Whirled Through a Poem's EyeEmily gives us what-for in this poem by Betsy Sholl. Are you listening?
2024-10-2205 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeJordan Smith's "The Black Canvas Jacket": Whirled Through a Poem's EyeLove and loss and what is left behind beautifully detailed in this poem by Jordan Smith.
2024-10-1506 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeClare Goulet's "Normandina pulchella/ elf ear": Whirled Through a Poem's EyeClare Goulet gets down low to hear what wisdom this lichen can impart.
2024-10-0903 minWhirled Through a Poem’s Eye"Dinner on the Patio, December" by Heather Sellers: Whirled Through a Poem's EyeReality check on climate change in this short poem by Heather Sellers.
2024-09-1704 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeMarilyn McCabe's "Pro Patria": Whirled Through a Poem's EyeLove of country under scrutiny in my poem "Pro Patria."
2024-09-1005 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeLauren Camp's "Evidence of Tenderness": Whirled Through a Poem's EyeDetails and attention weave together this disparate poem's lines: "Evidence of Tenderness" by Lauren Camp.
2024-09-0307 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeJohn Balaban's "The Guard at the Bin Thuy Bridge": Whirled Through a Poem's EyeThe hazards and dull horror of war and John Balaban's vivid "The Guard at the Bin Thuy Bridge."
2024-08-2706 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeChristina Olivares's "Preserving an Ecosystem": Whirled Through a Poem's EyeSmall subversions and what poetry can do, seen at work in "Perserving an Ecosystem" by Christina Olivares.
2024-08-2004 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeJane Hirshfield's "Counting, This New Year's Morning, What Powers Yet Remain To Me": Whirled Through a Poem's EyeCounting blessings, however mixed, under consideration and this Jane Hirshfield poem: "Counting, This New Year's Morning, What Powers Yet Remain To Me."
2024-08-1404 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeLi-Young Lee's "One Heart": Whirled Through a Poem's EyeAll things connected in this Li-Young Lee poem, "One Heart."
2024-08-0604 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeThomas Bailey Aldrich's "Memory": Whirled Through a Poem's EyeRemembering and misremembering and an old poem: Thomas Bailey Aldrich, "Memory."
2024-07-3004 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeWordsworth"s "To the Planet Venus": Whirled Through a Poem's EyeStar-gazing with Wordsworth, and thinking about the notorious denizens of the planet Earth.
2024-07-2304 minWhirled Through a Poem’s Eye"Baptized" by Danielle Jones and "Mary Speaks" by Leila Chatti: Whirled Through a Poem's EyeTwo poems on faith and doubt and the small voice inside.
2024-07-1705 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeKweku Abimbola's "Burning Box Braid on East & 94th, Tulsa, Oklahoma": Whirled Through a Poem's Eye"Burning Box Braid on East & 94th, Tulsa, Oklahoma" by Kweku Abimbola explores the maintenance of old traditions in new lands, holding the "us" amid the "other," but understanding too that we are all "other" and "us" as well.
2024-07-0905 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeDeborah Digges's Vesper Sparrows: Whirled Through a Poem's EyeReading "Vesper Sparrows" by Deborah Digges and thinking about humanity.
2024-07-0206 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeAnne Carson's "Getaway": Whirled Through a Poem's EyeGoing along to get along, and Anne Carson's short-short "Getaway" considered in this podcast.
2024-06-2507 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeThat Nature Is a Heracletean Fire and Of the Comfort of the Resurrection by Gerard Manley Hopkins: Whirled Through a Poem's EyeGerard Manley Hopkins and reveling in the death of some things and the birth of others in his poem "That Nature Is a Heraclitean Fire and of the Comfort of the Resurrection."
2024-06-1805 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeJackie Craven's "Someone moved the bagel shop": Whirled Through a Poem's EyeLost on a byway in this quirky poem by Jackie Craven.
2024-06-1205 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeTranstromer's "Brief Pause in the Organ Recital": Whirled Through a Poem's EyeTomas Transtromer's "Kort Paus I Orgelkonserten," translated by Patty Crane, and memory and experience considered in this podcast.
2024-06-0506 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyePatrick Rosal's "Yes It Will Rain": Whirled Through a Poem's EyePatrick Rosal's prayer and meditation on home and hope, grief and ongoing.
2024-05-2805 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeAnna de Noailles's "Imprint": Whirled Through a Poem's EyeLoving the world and turn of the century French poet Anna de Noailles's poem "L'impreinte" in my translation.
2024-05-2106 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeAudre Lorde's "Litany for Survival": Whirled Through a Poem's EyeHope arising from suffering considered in Audre Lorde's "Litany for Survival."
2024-05-1404 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeSaara Raappana's "Manifesto of What Breaks": Whirled Through a Poem's EyeMemorializing Saara Raappana with this poem of hers, "Manifesto of What Breaks."
2024-05-0704 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeYusef Kumunyakaa"s "Facing It": Whirled Through a Poem's EyeHuman's inhumanity and the love required as counterbalance in consideration, and Kumunyakaa's stunning poem of the Vietnam War Memorial, "Facing It."
2024-04-3004 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeRita Dove's "Heart to Heart": Whirled Through a Poem's EyeHearts and wants, the shape of desire, and "Heart to Heart" by Rita Dove considered in this podcast.
2024-04-2304 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeBruce Weigl's "The Harp": Whirled Through a Poem's EyeFathers and memory and empathy explored in this consideration of Bruce Weigl's poem "The Harp."
2024-04-1605 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeChristian Wiman's "All My Friends Are Finding New Beliefs": Whirled Through a Poem's EyeChristian Wiman and his poem about shifting beliefs and speeding time and friends, "All My Friends Are Finding New Beliefs."
2024-04-0906 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeKay Ryan's "The Light of Interiors": Whirled Through a Poem's EyeThoughts on Kay Ryan's poem "The Light of Interiors" and the importance of friendship.
2024-04-0204 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeWilliam Snyder's "The Hush": Whirled Through a Poem's EyeWilliam Snyder's poem "The Hush" is featured, and thinking about noise and silence.
2024-03-2607 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeLinda Pastan's "Espaliered Pear Trees": Whirled Through a Poem's EyeLinda Pastan's poem "Espaliered Pear Trees" inspires this episode considering humankind's incessant attempts to control nature.
2024-03-1905 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeStu Bartow, his life and work in haiku: Whirled Through a Poem's EyeIn memory of Stu Bartow and his fine poetry and his haikuist's eye.
2024-03-1203 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeBob Hicok's "All life is life in art": Whirled Through a Poem's EyeThinking about Bob Hicok's poem "All life is life in art" and "doing" versus "being" and the meaning of life.
2024-03-0505 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeGail DiMaggio's Metta for Judy: Whirled Through a Poem's EyeA short essay thinking about Gail DiMaggio's poem "Metta for Judy," from her forthcoming collection What She Made of It.
2024-02-2607 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeGerald Stern's Day of Grief: Whirled Through a Poem's EyeThinking about Gerald Stern's poem "Day of Grief" and the sense of time and its passage, and life's unfolding.
2024-02-2005 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeKathleen Graber's "Book Four": Whirled Through a Poem's EyeConsidering "Book Four" by Kathleen Graber, and time, collecting things, and letting things go.
2024-02-1306 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeRemembrance of Poet Naton LeslieRemembering poet and friend Naton Leslie, and his poem "In the Year of my Birth Elvis Records Heartbreak Hotel."
2024-02-1303 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeJane Hirshfield's Rebus: Whirled Through a Poem's EyeA consideration of creativity and making art, and Jane Hirshfield's poem "Rebus."
2024-02-1007 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeBruce Beasley's Aphasic Echolalia: Whirled Through a Poem's EyeA consideration of faith and Bruce Beasley's poem "Aphasic Echolalia."
2024-02-0706 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeCarol Frost's To Kill a Deer: Whirled Through a Poem's EyeConsidering in this podcast Carol Frost's visceral and startling poem "To Kill a Deer." Not for the faint at heart. Frank images from a deer hunt.
2024-02-0511 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeWorkers of the Lord, Neil Carpathios on Whirled Through a Poem's EyeNeil Carpathios's poem serves as this podcast's poem lens. Find the text of the poem and the podcast script on MarilynOnaRoll.wordpress.com.
2024-02-0209 minWhirled Through a Poem’s EyeWild Geese: Whirled Through a Poem's EyeMary Oliver's poem Wild Geese is the lens through which this podcast considers the world.
2024-02-0108 min