Rattlecast 103 features frequent contributor Jack Ridl and his two most recent books, Saint Peter and the Goldfinch and Practicing to Walk Like a Heron. As always, we'll start with a brief look at current events with Poets Respond Live, and the second hour will feature open lines.

Jack Ridl taught at Hope from 1971 until retiring in 2006. He is the author of several collections of poetry, and has also published more than 300 poems in journals and has work included in numerous anthologies. He has given readings of his work and led workshops at colleges, universities, art colonies and other venues around the country. More than 85 of Ridl’s former students are now published authors, and nine of his students appeared in “25 under 25,” in blind judging, edited by Naomi Shihab Nye. Ridl grew up in both the world of basketball where his father was a well-known head coach at Westminster College and the University of Pittsburgh, and the world of the circus, inherited from his mother’s family. Ridl lives a short walk from Douglas Beach, arguably the most beautiful of Lake Michigan’s disappearing public beaches, with his wife, the writer and artist Julie Ridl, and a few barely domesticated beasts. His daughter is the artist, Meridith Ridl.

Find the book and more on Jack here:

https://ridl.wordpress.com/books/

As always, we'll also include live open lines for responses to our weekly prompt or any other poems you'd like to share. For details on how to participate, either via Skype or by phone, go to: https://www.rattle.com/rattlecast/

This Week's Prompt:

When the sun goes down at the county fair.

Next Week's Prompt:

A nonce form is one you make up yourself. Make up your own nonce form and write a poem using it. Be sure to include a short explanation of the rules.

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