Deviate

Major Jackson on the poetics of time (and how best, in life, to spend it)


Listen Later

“The act of creating is a way of stopping time.” – Major Jackson

Major Jackson (@Poet_Major) is an American poet, professor, and author of four collections of poetry: Roll Deep, Holding Company, Hoops, and Leaving Saturn. He currently serves as the Poetry Editor of the Harvard Review.

In this episode of Deviate, Rolf and Major discuss the changing perception of time and how creation leads to a deeper experience of time (2:00); poetry and the lessons it teaches us about life (23:00); and time as prison, the way we claim our freedom, and art as a means toward transcendence (39:00).

For more information on Major, check out his website at http://www.majorjackson.com/

Poems and books mentioned:

  • The Gutenberg Elegies, by Sven Birkerts (book)
  • The World Is Too Much With Us” (poem by William Wordsworth)
  • To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time” (poem by Robert Herrick)
  • Ode: Intimations of Immortality” (Wordsworth poem)
  • On Disappearing” (poem by Major Jackson)
  • Stations” (poem by Stanley Moss)
  • Into the Mecca by Gwendolyn Brooks (book)
  • Jerusalem (poem by James Fenton)
  • Jerusalem, by Peter Cole (essay)
  • The Snow Leopard, by Peter Matthiessen (book)
  • Lying in a Hammock at William Duffy’s Farm in Pine Island, Minnesota” (poem by James Wright)
  • Notable Links:

    • Paris Writing Workshop (summer creative writing course)
    • Dead Poets Society (film)
    • Carpe Diem (Latin aphorism)
    • Walt Whitman (poet)
    • Eastern State Penitentiary (former prison in Philadelphia)
    • Michel Foucault (philosopher)
    • True Detective (HBO TV series)
    • John Muir (naturalist)
    • Jack Kerouac (author)
    • Croesus (wealthy king from ancient times)
    • Seneca (philosopher)
    • Dazed and Confused (film)
    • Richard Linklater (writer and director)
    • Ingmar Bergman (director)
    • Cinéma vérité (documentary filmmaking style)
    • Film composer Rolfe Kent on Deviate (podcast episode)
    • The Deviate theme music comes from the title track of Cedar Van Tassel’s 2017 album Lumber.

      Note: We don’t host a “comments” section, but we’re happy to hear your questions and insights via email, at [email protected].

      ...more
      View all episodesView all episodes
      Download on the App Store

      DeviateBy Rolf Potts

      • 4.8
      • 4.8
      • 4.8
      • 4.8
      • 4.8

      4.8

      161 ratings


      More shows like Deviate

      View all
      Travel with Rick Steves by Rick Steves

      Travel with Rick Steves

      2,406 Listeners

      Fresh Air by NPR

      Fresh Air

      38,115 Listeners

      Tangentially Speaking with Christopher Ryan by Chris Ryan

      Tangentially Speaking with Christopher Ryan

      2,071 Listeners

      Making Sense with Sam Harris by Sam Harris

      Making Sense with Sam Harris

      26,374 Listeners

      Zero To Travel Podcast by Jason Moore

      Zero To Travel Podcast

      828 Listeners

      The James Altucher Show by James Altucher

      The James Altucher Show

      2,492 Listeners

      Slate Money by Slate Podcasts

      Slate Money

      1,007 Listeners

      The Frommer's Travel Show by Pauline Frommer

      The Frommer's Travel Show

      125 Listeners

      The Gray Area with Sean Illing by Vox

      The Gray Area with Sean Illing

      10,634 Listeners

      Team Human by Douglas Rushkoff

      Team Human

      355 Listeners

      How to Be Fine by Kristen and Jolenta

      How to Be Fine

      5,409 Listeners

      Women Who Travel | Condé Nast Traveler by Condé Nast Traveler

      Women Who Travel | Condé Nast Traveler

      617 Listeners

      Emergence Magazine Podcast by Emergence Magazine

      Emergence Magazine Podcast

      468 Listeners

      The Daily Stoic by Daily Stoic | Wondery

      The Daily Stoic

      4,715 Listeners

      How to Age Up by The Atlantic

      How to Age Up

      1,418 Listeners