WordTemple host Katherine Hastings leaves poetry behind for one program to air a riveting portion of a panel discussion on sit-ins attended by James Baldwin, Malxolm X and LaVerne Cummings on April 25, 1961. After Malcolm X states his objections to sit-ins, saying there is nothing honorable about the word “sit,” Baldwin insists on redefining “manhood” and moving away from the concept of men as “warriors.” “Football players,” he says, “are not men.” Although some ideas and terms are outdated, much of this discussion remains relevant today.

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WordTemple host Katherine Hastings pays a special visit with Marin County Poet Laureate Emeritus Joseph Zaccardi. Zaccardi, a Vietnam War veteran with many interesting stories to tell through his powerful poetry, is the author of three books — Vents; Render; and The Nine Gradations of Light. Also, Hastings and Zaccardi discuss his poet laureate project and the anthology that resulted from it, Changing Harm to Harmony Bullies & Bystanders Project. This important book collects poems, letters and other writings on the subject of bullying from students and writers all over the country. “Here there is an opportunity for those involved to confront the experience in a way that is ultimately healing.” — Richard Cruwys Brown. Finally, as a tribute to the 60th anniversary of Allen Ginsberg reading his famous poem, “Howl,” at the Six Gallery in San Francisco, Lawrence Ferlinghetti performs his moving poem “Allen Ginsberg is Dying.” More information at wordtemple.com

On tonight’s program, host Katherine Hastings includes a short tribute to Mark Strand, U.S. Poet Laureate emeritus and Pulitzer Prize winner who passed away in November; Dylan Thomas reading his classic short story A Child’s Christmas in Wales; an interview with giovanni singleton and, finally, a poem read by Kenneth Rexroth. All of this and more on WordTemple!

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In October 2014, America lost two major poets: Galway Kinnell, who died from leukemia, and Carolyn Kizer who resided in Sonoma, CA and passed from age-related dementia. On tonight’s program, Katherine Hastings will feature the contributions of these two Pulitzer Prize in Poetry winners and share a number of their poems including “The Deconstruction of Emily Dickinson” and an excerpt from “Vapor Trail Reflected in a Frog Pond” by Kinnell, and “Pro Femina” by Kizer, among others.

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WordTemple host Katherine Hastings speaks with Mary Mackey who is celebrating her seventh collection of poems, Travelers With No Ticket Home (Marsh Hawk Press 2014) and Lisa Gluskin Stonestreet, author of The Greenhouse (Bull City Press, 2014), winner of the Robert Frost Place Chapbook Competition.

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WordTemple host Katherine Hastings talks with Beverly Burch about her most recent book, How a Mirage Works. Burch's first book of poetry, Sweet to Burn, won the Gival Poetry Prize and a Lambda Literary Award.

Next, Hastings interviews New York poet Lee Slonimsky who is celebrating his fifth collection of poetry, Wandering Electron. A frequent visitor to Sonoma County, Slonimsky's previous books include Talk Between Leaf and Skin; Logician of the Wind and others.

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Recorded live at the WordTemple Poetry Series in May 2014, host Katherine Hastings presents Miriam Bird Greenberg reading from the winner of the Sixteen Rivers Press Poets-Under-Forty contest, All night in the new country. Following Greeenberg, Ellen Bass reads from her third collection of poetry, Like a Beggar, published by Copper Canyon Press.

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During the month when America celebrates its independence, Katherine Hastings celebrates one of America's most famous poets, Walt Whitman. You'll hear a wide selection of poems from Leaves of Grass as well as some music inspired by Whitman's poetry. Born on Long Island, New York in 1819, Whitman was a major innovative voice in world literature, creating a new kind of poetry that confused the majority of the literary world at the time but remains unsurpassed in its passion and scope. Ralph Waldo Emerson called the first edition of Leaves of Grass "... the most extraordinary piece of wit and wisdom America has yet contributed." And it still remains "as contemporary as tomorrow."

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WordTemple host Katherine Hastings has a full line up today beginning with Patti Trimble performing two cuts from her CD In the Middle of the Night of the Road of My Life I Found Myself In a Tangled Wood. Hastings also talks with Todd Melicker, author of rendezvous, plays three poems read by Bruce Snider, author of Paradise Indiana, and pays tribute to the late Dr. Maya Angelou.

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Robert Sward, author of 30 books, reads from his latest collection New and Selected Poems 1957 — 2011. Recorded live at the WordTemple Poetry Series. Following Sward, Roy Mash reads from his first collection Buyer's Remorse — a "celebration of the small, the overlooked, the underrated," also recorded live at the WordTemple Poetry Series. Following Sward and Mash, WordTemple host Katherine Hastings plays three women poets. Do you know who they are?