John reads his poem, “Beneath the Manhattan Bridge, Just Before Sunrise” from his new chapbook On Self-Expression After the Revolution. He also discusses New York punk and graffiti aspirations.

John Tessitore has been a journalist and biographer. He has taught history and literature at colleges around Boston and directed national policy studies on education and civil justice. 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

Twitter: @JohnTessitore2

Instagram: @jtessitorewriter

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John reads his poem “After Climbing,” from his collection The Americans. He also discusses the trouble with middle age, the metaphor of mountain climbing, Sisyphus, and a nasty case of acrophobia.

John Tessitore has been a journalist and biographer. He has taught history and literature at colleges around Boston and directed national policy studies on education and civil justice. 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

Twitter: @JohnTessitore2

Instagram: @jtessitorewriter

TikTok: @Jtessitorewriter

Facebook: JohnTessitore, Writer

Threads: @jtessitorewriter 

John reads “Amygdala,” a love poem for Valentine’s Day, originally published in Boats Against the Current (https://boatsagainstthecurrent.org).

John Tessitore has been a journalist and biographer. He has taught history and literature at colleges around Boston and directed national policy studies on education and civil justice. 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

Twitter: @JohnTessitore2

Instagram: @jtessitorewriter

TikTok: @Jtessitorewriter

Facebook: JohnTessitore, Writer

Threads: @jtessitorewriter 

John reads his poem “Vespucci in a moment of lonesome clarity” from Ourselves in Rivers and Oceans by The Wee Sparrow Poetry Press. Also…Jim Morrison, Herman Melville, and water water everywhere.

John Tessitore has been a journalist and biographer. He has taught history and literature at colleges around Boston and directed national policy studies on education and civil justice. 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

Twitter: @JohnTessitore2

Instagram: @jtessitorewriter

TikTok: @Jtessitorewriter

Facebook: JohnTessitore, Writer

Threads: @jtessitorewriter 

John reads an excerpt from his poem “Mazda Marimba” from his chapbook, Parchment: A Prayer Quintet. He also discusses the hometown blues, tortoise defiance, and the importance of getting naked.

John Tessitore has been a journalist and biographer. He has taught history and literature at colleges around Boston and directed national policy studies on education and civil justice. 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

Twitter: @JohnTessitore2

Instagram: @jtessitorewriter

TikTok: @Jtessitorewriter

Facebook: JohnTessitore, Writer

Threads: @jtessitorewriter 

John reads his poem “Capuchin,” originally published in Wild Roof Journal. He also discusses the burdens of caretakers, the balance of chaos and order, Franciscan friars, and lots and lots of bones.

John Tessitore has been a journalist and biographer. He has taught history and literature at colleges around Boston and directed national policy studies on education and civil justice. 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

Twitter: @JohnTessitore2

Instagram: @jtessitorewriter

TikTok: @Jtessitorewriter

Facebook: JohnTessitore, Writer

Threads: @jtessitorewriter 

John reads his poem “I can never know how I will feel tomorrow” from his chapbook I Sit At This Desk and Dream. He also discusses sex, spirituality, the sacred, and the incomparable Leonard Cohen.

John Tessitore has been a journalist and biographer. He has taught history and literature at colleges around Boston and directed national policy studies on education and civil justice. 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

Twitter: @JohnTessitore2

Instagram: @jtessitorewriter

TikTok: @Jtessitorewriter

Facebook: JohnTessitore, Writer

Threads: @jtessitorewriter 

John reads his poem “Downstairs, Aisle Five” from his collection The Americans. He also discusses the importance of used bookstores, the fleeting nature of name recognition, and artists with day jobs.

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

www.johntessitore.com

Twitter: @JohnTessitore2

Instagram: @jtessitorewriter

TikTok: @Jtessitorewriter

Facebook: JohnTessitore, Writer

Threads: @jtessitorewriter 

John reads his poem “I’m told the rubble of war” from his chapbook, For a minute there…He also discusses The Vietnam War, veterans, and public memory. And he uses the phrase “Good God, ya’ll” twice!

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

www.johntessitore.com

Twitter: @JohnTessitore2

Instagram: @jtessitorewriter

TikTok: @Jtessitorewriter

Facebook: JohnTessitore, Writer

Threads: @jtessitorewriter 

John reads “I have adjusted my expectations,” a poem from his forthcoming pamphlet On Self-Expression After the Revolution. He also discusses threats to humanism, Archie Bunker’s age, and the importance of owning our bodies.

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

www.johntessitore.com

Twitter: @JohnTessitore2

Instagram: @jtessitorewriter

TikTok: @Jtessitorewriter

Facebook: JohnTessitore, Writer

Threads: @jtessitorewriter