Interesting People Reading Poetry

By Stermer BrothersArts Books

Interesting People Reading Poetry episodes

May 21, 2018 Amy Thielen Reads Jim Harrison
In this episode, Amy Thielen reads “Death Again” by Jim Harrison and explores the relationship between great food and great literature. Amy Thielen is a chef and two-time James Beard Award-winning writer. She’s the author of The New Midwestern Table (a cookbook) and Give a Girl a Knife (a memoir). She's also the host of Heartland Table on Food Network.

“Death Again” by Jim Harrison appears in Songs of Unreason, published by Copper Canyon Press.

Keep up with Amy Thielen on Twitter, Facebook, and at amythielen.com.

As always, the Haiku Hotline (612-440-0643) is open for your short poems and poetic musings.
Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
Subscribe on iTunes or Stitcher.
11 min
April 16, 2018 DJ Rekha Reads Audre Lorde
In this episode, DJ Rekha reads “A Litany for Survival” by Audre Lorde and discusses dancing as an antidote to fear. DJ Rekha is a producer, curator, and educator based in New York City. Her classic debut album, DJ Rekha presents Basement Bhangra, was released in 2007. Her monthly party, Basement Bhangra, ran from 1997 to the summer of 2017 – making it one of the most influential and longest continuously running parties in NYC history.
https://open.spotify.com/episode/1IWAgdMXO7reV6Kqlv7wJ5
“A Litany for Survival” by Audrey Lorde appears in The Black Unicorn, published by W.W. Norton & Company.
Keep up with DJ Rekha on Twitter, Facebook, and at djrekha.com.
We feature one listener haiku at the end of every episode. To submit, call the Haiku Hotline at 612-440-0643 and read your poem after the beep. For the occasional prompt, follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
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10 min
October 30, 2017 Chris Koza & Malena Handeen: Live!
We’re celebrating the last episode of our first season with a special double feature, recorded live at Java River Cafe in Montevideo, Minnesota. Our guests are Chris Koza and Malena Handeen.
https://open.spotify.com/episode/56kICspS4nhXkqOVJ02gQT
Chris Koza is the frontman of the Americana rock band Rogue Valley. In this interview, he reads a poem by U.S. Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith that helped inspire his new side project, Nobody Kid.
Malena Handeen is a painter, songwriter, and organic vegetable farmer based in Western Minnesota. In this episode, she reads a poem by Tyehimba Jess and discusses how the weather affects her creative life.
Later on, members of our audience participate in our first ever live Haiku Hotline.
“The Museum of Obsolescence” by Tracy K. Smith appears in the book Life on Mars, published by Graywolf Press. “What the Wind, Rain and Thunder Said to Tom” by Tyehimba Jess appears in the book Olio, published by Wave Books.
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16 min
October 23, 2017 Marla Spivak Reads Rumi
Honeybees are in trouble, and entomologist Dr. Marla Spivak is leading the fight to save them. Dr. Spivak is a MacArthur Fellow and a professor at the University of Minnesota. She is known for her groundbreaking research on bee behavior and biology. In this episode, Dr. Spivak reads a poem by Rumi and discusses the changes in consciousness that are needed in order to rectify our relationship to bees– and the rest of the natural world.
Later on, we check the Haiku Hotline for your poems about bees. Transcriptions of this week’s featured listener poems are available here.
“When Grapes Turn to Wine” by Rumi, translated by Robert Bly, appears in the book If Bees Are Few: A Hive of Bee Poems, published by University of Minnesota Press. A portion of all proceeds from the book are donated to support research at the University of Minnesota Bee Lab.
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11 min
October 16, 2017 Comedian Mary Mack Reads Roald Dahl
In this episode, comedian Mary Mack reads “Attention Please! Attention Please!” by Roald Dahl. Mack is a nationally touring stand-up comic, beloved for her singular oddball folk humor. She’s been on Conan and WTF with Marc Maron. Her latest album is Ms. Taco Man.
https://open.spotify.com/episode/6oriFW3sFt7escNtRWmnDC
“Attention Please! Attention Please!” by Roald Dahl appears in the book Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator, published by Puffin Books.
Keep up with Mary Mack on Facebook, Twitter, and marymackcomedy.com.
As always, the Haiku Hotline (612-440-0643) is open for your short poems and poetic musings.
Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
Subscribe on RadioPublic, iTunes, or Stitcher.
14 min
October 16, 2017 Mary Mack Reads Roald Dahl
Stand-up comic Mary Mack is known for her unique style of oddball folk humor. When she was little, however, she “wanted to grow up to be a serious person.” In this episode, Mack reads a Roald Dahl poem that she performed on her high school speech team, which she considers her first foray into comedy.

Later on, we check the Haiku Hotline for your poems about jokes, curated by Steve Wasserman, host of the Poetry Pharmacy podcast. Transcriptions of this week’s featured listener poems are available here.

“Attention Please! Attention Please!” by Roald Dahl appears in the book Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator, published by Puffin Books. Visit marymackcomedy.com for links to her albums and tour dates.

Subscribe on iTunes or Stitcher.
16 min
October 09, 2017 Lawyer Nekima Levy-Pounds Reads Maya Angelou
In this episode, Nekima Levy-Pounds reads “Still I Rise” by Maya Angelou and discusses the strength she draws from the resilience of her ancestors. Pounds is a decorated attorney, ordained Reverend, and former president of the Minneapolis NAACP.
https://open.spotify.com/episode/10ebQ6GtMKVEsCEeU0BKj3
“Still I Rise” by Maya Angelou appears in the collection And Still I Rise, published by Random House.
Keep up with Dr. Pounds on Twitter and nekimalevypounds.com.
As always, the Haiku Hotline (612-440-0643) is open for your short poems and poetic musings.
Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
Subscribe on RadioPublic, iTunes, or Stitcher.
13 min
October 09, 2017 Nekima Levy-Pounds Reads Maya Angelou
Nekima Levy-Pounds was nine years old when she decided to become a civil rights attorney. Today, Pounds is a decorated attorney, ordained reverend, and candidate for the Mayor of Minneapolis– but her journey has not always been easy. In this episode, Pounds reads "Still I Rise," by Maya Angelou, and discusses the strength she draws from the resilience of her ancestors.

Later on, we check the Haiku Hotline for your poems about perseverance. Transcriptions of this week’s featured listener poems are available here.

“Still I Rise” by Maya Angelou appears in the collection And Still I Rise, published by Random House.

Subscribe on iTunes or Stitcher.
15 min
October 02, 2017 Writer Kao Kalia Yang Reads Mai Der Vang
In this episode, Kao Kalia Yang reads “To the Placenta of Return” by Mai Der Vang and discusses the sacrifices mothers made to protect their families during America’s Secret War in Laos. Over the course of two award-winning memoirs, Yang has charted the physical, political, emotional, and spiritual terrain of the Hmong journey to the United States in the aftermath of that war. Her books include The Latehomecomer and The Song Poet.
https://open.spotify.com/episode/5erz1o9olZA3ekw8baxZO2
“To the Placenta of Return” by Mai Der Vang appears in the collection Afterland, published by Graywolf Press.
Keep up with Kao Kalia Yang on Facebook, Twitter, and kaokaliayang.com.
As always, the Haiku Hotline (612-440-0643) is open for your short poems and poetic musings.
Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
Subscribe on RadioPublic, iTunes, or Stitcher.
8 min
October 02, 2017 Kao Kalia Yang Reads Mai Der Vang
Over the course of two award-winning memoirs, Kao Kalia Yang has charted the physical, political, emotional, and spiritual terrain of the Hmong journey to the United States in the aftermath of America’s Secret War in Laos. In this episode, Yang reads, “To the Placenta of Return,” by Mai Der Vang and discusses the sacrifices mothers made to protect their families during the war.

Later on, we check the Haiku Hotline for your poems about return. Transcriptions of this week’s featured listener poems are available here.

“To the Placenta of Return” by Mai Der Vang appears in the collection Afterland, published by Graywolf Press. Kao Kalia Yang’s books include The Latehomecomer and The Song Poet.

Subscribe on iTunes or Stitcher.
10 min

About Interesting People Reading Poetry

From the publisher's feed

Interesting People Reading Poetry is a short, sound-rich podcast where artists and luminaries read a favorite poem and share what it means to them. Created by Andy & Brendan Stermer.