On Sept. 27th and 28th, the most notable poets of our time will gather in the nation’s capital to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Furious Flower Poetry Center, the first academic center devoted to African American poetry in the United States. The founder of Furious Flower, Joanne Gabbin (James Madison University), along with Lauren Alleyne (James Madison University) join us in studio to celebrate this anniversary and hear the voices of Furious Flower poets like Toni Morrison, Maya Angelou, Rita Dove and others who have appeared on With Good Reason.

Later in the show: Widely known for his poetry about the Vietnam War, Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Yusef Komunyakaa’s writing has also explored themes of home, black resilience, and jazz and blues music. Komunyakaa was a guest of honor at a week-long seminar at James Madison University’s Furious Flower Poetry Center, called “Facing It,” titled after his most famous poem. And the recent book, Sargent’s Women tells the fascinating stories behind four of John Sargent’s portraits. From English manor houses to New Hampshire artist colonies, Donna M. Lucey (Virginia Humanities) ushers us into the scandalous and heartbreaking lives of Gilded Age high society.