John reads the lyrics to the Cuban folk song “Guantanamera.” He discusses its composition, the distinguished history of political refugees in the U.S., and why the poet José Marti was a bad bunny.

John Tessitore is a writer, poet, and liberal arts advocate. His poems have appeared in a variety of journals, and he has published several chapbooks and a novella. He has been a journalist and biographer, taught history and literature at colleges around Boston, managed national policy studies on education and civil justice, and directs a national language-education association. He serves as Co-Editor Across the Pond for The Wee Sparrow Poetry Press.

In each episode of Be True—available on most major podcast platforms—he reads and discusses “the writing he loves and the writing he does.”

www.johntessitore.com Substack: @johntessitore YouTube: @johntessitore6366Instagram: @jtessitorewriter1 Facebook: JohnTessitore, Writer Threads: @jtessitorewriterBlueSky: @jtessitore.bsky.social

In this short episode, John discusses the always-embattled freedom of the press, as enshrined in the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, and the colonial-era trial of John Peter Zenger.

John Tessitore has been a journalist, editor, and biographer. He has taught history and literature at colleges around Boston, managed national policy studies on education and civil justice, and directs a language-education association. He serves as Co-Editor Across the Pond for The Wee Sparrow Poetry Press. His poems have appeared in a variety of books and journals. In each episode of Be True, he reads and discusses one of his published poems, or a poem he loves.

www.johntessitore.com

Support Be True: https://ko-fi.com/johntessitore

YouTube: @johntessitore6366

Substack: @johntessitore

Instagram: @jtessitorewriter1

Blue Sky: @jtessitore.bsky.social

Facebook: JohnTessitore, Writer

A vision of a post-Trump future posing as an argument for linguistic diversity, educational inclusivity, and the recognition of heritage language communities as a vital national resource.

John Tessitore has been a journalist, editor, and biographer. He has taught history and literature at colleges around Boston, managed national policy studies on education and civil justice, and directs a language-education association. He serves as Co-Editor Across the Pond for The Wee Sparrow Poetry Press. His poems have appeared in a variety of books and journals. In each episode of Be True, he reads and discusses one of his published poems, or a poem he loves.

www.johntessitore.com

Support Be True: https://ko-fi.com/johntessitore

YouTube: @johntessitore6366

Substack: @johntessitore

Instagram: @jtessitorewriter1

Blue Sky: @jtessitore.bsky.social

Facebook: JohnTessitore, Writer

What a recently-discovered Hittite tablet says about the past, present, and future of the humanities and the embattled values of humanism for an America that has lost its way.

John Tessitore has been a journalist, editor, and biographer. He has taught history and literature at colleges around Boston, managed national policy studies on education and civil justice, and directs a language-education association. He serves as Co-Editor Across the Pond for The Wee Sparrow Poetry Press. His poems have appeared in a variety of books and journals. In each episode of Be True, he reads and discusses one of his published poems, or a poem he loves.

www.johntessitore.com

Support Be True: https://ko-fi.com/johntessitore

YouTube: @johntessitore6366

Substack: @johntessitore

Instagram: @jtessitorewriter1

Blue Sky: @jtessitore.bsky.social

Facebook: JohnTessitore, Writer

Threads: @jtessitorewriter1

To celebrate Halloween, John reads his poem “An Evening with M. Poe,” a dramatic monologue and fictionalized episode in the gory, spooky life of Edgar Allan Poe.

John Tessitore has been a journalist, editor, and biographer. He has taught history and literature at colleges around Boston, managed national policy studies on education and civil justice, and directs a language-education association. He serves as Co-Editor Across the Pond for The Wee Sparrow Poetry Press. His poems have appeared in a variety of books and journals. In each episode of Be True, he reads and discusses one of his published poems, or a poem he loves.

www.johntessitore.com

Support Be True: https://ko-fi.com/johntessitore

YouTube: @johntessitore6366

Substack: @johntessitore

Instagram: @jtessitorewriter1

Blue Sky: @jtessitore.bsky.social

Facebook: JohnTessitore, Writer

Threads: @jtessitorewriter1

John reads the second half of The Declaration of Independence. He discusses the almost-unbelievable echoes of the American Revolution today, the genius of Thomas Jefferson, and the rights we defend.

John Tessitore has been a journalist, editor, and biographer. He has taught history and literature at colleges around Boston, managed national policy studies on education and civil justice, and directs a language-education association. He serves as Co-Editor Across the Pond for The Wee Sparrow Poetry Press. His poems have appeared in a variety of books and journals. In each episode of Be True, he reads and discusses one of his published poems.

www.johntessitore.com

Support Be True: https://ko-fi.com/johntessitore

YouTube: @johntessitore6366

Substack: @johntessitore

Instagram: @jtessitorewriter1

Blue Sky: @jtessitore.bsky.social

Facebook: JohnTessitore, Writer

Threads: @jtessitorewriter1

John reads his poem “International Relations.” He discusses the virtues of reason, the scholarly method, the religion of humanism, what happens when the old ways fail to match new realities.

John Tessitore has been a journalist, editor, and biographer. He has taught history and literature at colleges around Boston, managed national policy studies on education and civil justice, and directs a language-education association. He serves as Co-Editor Across the Pond for The Wee Sparrow Poetry Press. His poems have appeared in a variety of books and journals. In each episode of Be True, he reads and discusses one of his published poems.

www.johntessitore.com

Support Be True: https://ko-fi.com/johntessitore

YouTube: @johntessitore6366

Substack: @johntessitore

Instagram: @jtessitorewriter1

Blue Sky: @jtessitore.bsky.social

Facebook: JohnTessitore, Writer

Threads: @jtessitorewriter1

John reads "The City," a poem by C.P. Cavafy. He also discusses the universal immigrant experience, the inescapability of the past, and why we identify with people on the run, if we're honest.

John Tessitore has been a journalist, editor, and biographer. He has taught history and literature at colleges around Boston, managed national policy studies on education and civil justice, and directs a language-education association. He serves as Co-Editor Across the Pond for The Wee Sparrow Poetry Press. His poems have appeared in a variety of books and journals. In each episode of Be True, he reads and discusses one of his published poems.

www.johntessitore.com

Support Be True: https://ko-fi.com/johntessitore

YouTube: @johntessitore6366

Substack: @johntessitore

Instagram: @jtessitorewriter1

Blue Sky: @jtessitore.bsky.social

Facebook: JohnTessitore, Writer

Threads: @jtessitorewriter1

John reads “Chicago,” a poem by Carl Sandburg. He also discusses the changing fashions of American literature, and the dangers of cynicism, and celebrates the complicated diversity of American cities.

John Tessitore has been a journalist, editor, and biographer. He has taught history and literature at colleges around Boston, managed national policy studies on education and civil justice, and directs a language-education association. He serves as Co-Editor Across the Pond for The Wee Sparrow Poetry Press. His poems have appeared in a variety of books and journals. In each episode of Be True, he reads and discusses one of his published poems.

www.johntessitore.com

Support Be True: https://ko-fi.com/johntessitore

YouTube: @johntessitore6366

Substack: @johntessitore

Instagram: @jtessitorewriter1

Blue Sky: @jtessitore.bsky.social

Facebook: JohnTessitore, Writer

Threads: @jtessitorewriter1

John reads "There's a certain slant of light," a poem by Emily Dickinson. He also discusses the joy of experiencing poetry rather than explaining poetry, and (bonus!) does a bad Bob Dylan impression.

John Tessitore has been a journalist, editor, and biographer. He has taught history and literature at colleges around Boston, managed national policy studies on education and civil justice, and directs a language-education association. He serves as Co-Editor Across the Pond for The Wee Sparrow Poetry Press. His poems have appeared in a variety of books and journals. In each episode of Be True, he reads and discusses one of his published poems.

www.johntessitore.com

Support Be True: https://ko-fi.com/johntessitore

YouTube: @johntessitore6366

Substack: @johntessitore

Instagram: @jtessitorewriter1

Blue Sky: @jtessitore.bsky.social

Facebook: JohnTessitore, Writer

Threads: @jtessitorewriter1