Re\verb

In our very first live episode, we talk with Nickole Brown about “totem objects,” literary code-switching, permission to return to one’s roots, and her special relationship with her grandmother who “might not be like your grandmother.” If Nickole’s poems drove, they would own a Prius with faux leopard-skin covered seats.  Tune in at the episode’s halftime for this episode's writing challenge.

In this episode we talk with Danez Smith about writing “the unsavory parts” of ourselves, balancing truth with tenderness, having a healthy fear of fucking up, finding one’s poetry family, and form as self-care. If Danez’s poems collected crystals their favorite would be rose quartz.  Tune in at the episode’s halftime for a special writing prompt from Danez.

 We talk with poet, editor, and teacher Rebecca Gayle Howell along with her partner musician Brett Ratliff about writing into received musical and poetic forms, Appalachia and resistance, moving across time and place, Young MC and an incompetent bandit. At the time we recorded this episode, Howell and Ratliff were living in Knott County, Kentucky, and both working at Hindman Settlement School. Now they live in Lexington, KY, where Rebecca still serves on staff at Hindman. Tune in at the episode’s halftime for this month’s writing challenge.

We talk to poet, editor and essayist Camille T. Dungy about memorizing poetry, the human and non-human natural world, being an extroverted poet on the move, artist motherhood and refraining from a writing routine in case she lands in prison. If her poems were a piece of furniture, they’d be a bed on fire (á la “Shockadelica”).  Tune in at the episode’s halftime for this episode's writing challenge.

 We talk with poet Maggie Smith about the end of the world, ghost cells, writing her shadow self, dream collaborations, and what it’s like to have your poem read by Meryl Streep. If her poems wore sneakers, they would be red high-top converse. Tune in at the episode’s halftime for this episode's writing challenge.

We talk with poet, music critic, and essayist Hanif Abdurraqib about kindness, the art of fandom, Courtney Love, the legacy of 90s artists, and knowing when you are "not the person." If Hanif’s poems ate ice cream their favorite flavor would be Supermoon. Tune in at the episode’s halftime for this episode's writing challenge.