Listening in the Kitchen

First off, let me just say I have a really hard time listening to poetry podcasts. If you're not careful, you'll wind up listening to someone spout off dogmatic-sounding ideas like "Edna St. Vincent Millay was all Debbie-Downer" and then you're subjected to a horrible, dramatic reading that makes you cringe all the way down to your toenails. Or at least that's how I feel and, as a result, listen almost exclusively to poets reading from their own work. 

One series I've absolutely fallen in love with is Poetry Lectures and by Poetry Foundation. Contrary to the name, you're not subjected to someone philosophizing from on high. Instead, you're typically listening to a reading by a poet or a conversation between poets with a little guidance from a host. If you're lucky, the poet is reading from their most recent work and it hasn't been published yet so you're getting a preview! You also have the chance to hear poems that are still works in progress which can be fascinating. It's a great reminder that even (or maybe especially?) the giants of poetry have to revise too. I believe they're also all unscripted so you get a peek at the actual person rather than the sleek, polished version. Check out Seamus Heaney's reading for an excellent example of this. These episodes are organized by the poet's name rather than a generic title, so if there's someone you can't stand, it's easy to filter. 

Essential American Poets (also by the Poetry Foundation) is another must-listen. Though no longer posting new episodes, the poets were selected by Donald Hall when he was Poet Laureate and you can hear some great readings by Billy Collins, Lucille Clifton, Wallace Stevens, Sharon Olds and many, many more. Like with Poetry Lectures, the poet is reading their own work. The podcast also includes a short biography before each reading which serves as a great introduction for old and new readers alike.

Poetry Off the Shelf, hosted by Curtis Fox, is good but can occasionally cross the "too much analysis" line. Set up as a conversation on a poet between the host and another poet or person-of-letters, Fox likes to right dive into "What's that line MEAN?" At it's best, you get some fascinating insight into a poet's work. At it's worst, it reminds you of those college class discussions that almost made you swear off poetry for good. Personally, it makes me want to raise my hand and interrupt - side note, it never looks good when your partner walks in on you baking bread and angrily talking over a podcast. But, that only happens occasionally. This podcast is well-worth the listen and helps me think concretely about what works and what doesn't in a poem and why I think the way I do. 

So there you have it - the podcasts that I continually have on around the house while I'm cooking, cleaning, on the subway (but not when I'm at the gym - I would fall down on the treadmill from listening too closely). It's a great way to fit in poetry when you're too busy to sit down with a book or if you just enjoy multitasking. Though you only get a new episode once a week, there are always the back episodes to browse through. I hope you enjoy and if there are any others I've left out (probably quite a lot), let me know!