NER Out Loud

Helene Achanzar reads her poem "Chicago," followed by a conversation with Tejas Srinivasan about poetic structure, the realities of labor, modern paintings, her beloved home city, and more.

Helene Achanzar is the winner of NER's 2022 Emerging Writers' Award. A Filipina-Canadian poet and educator, she is an associate editor for Poetry Northwest and director of programs at the Chicago Poetry Center. 

Her poems “Chicago” and “Etymology” were published in NER 42.4 (fall 2021).

Lu Mila and Michelle Marquez read two works of short fiction by Cuban authors Anna Lidia Vega Serova and Jorge Enrique Lage, both translated by Jennifer Shyue.

Podcast host Madison Middleton interviews Shyue, who talks about how she fell in love with translation and details some of the pleasures and perils of this exacting and creative work.

Both works of fiction were originally published in NER 42.1, in spring 2021, as part of the "Cuban Literature Today" feature.

Jesse Lee Kercheval reads her essay "Crash," followed by a conversation with Rebecca Amen. The short essay interrogates the author's memory of a shocking car accident that took place more than 50 years ago. In the interview, Kercheval further explores the nature of memory, essay writing in general, and her work as a translator of Uruguayan poetry.

"Crash" was originally published in NER 42.2 (summer 2021). This episode was produced by Rebecca Amen, Middlebury College class of 2022.

Michael McGriff reads an excerpt from his poem "Questions for the Interrogation," followed by an interview with Yardena Carmi. Their conversation explores the poem's tribute to rural Oregon and Pablo Neruda, the limitations of memory and language, and McGriff's work as a translator.

This excerpt from "Questions for the Interrogation" was originally published in NER 42.1 (spring 2021). The episode was produced by Yardena Carmi, Middlebury College class of 2023.

Celeste Levy reads the poem "Offered as Suddenly a Forest" by Zach Linge.

The reading is followed by a conversation between Celeste and Zach, who talk about the poem from both the reader's and the writer's points of view. They explore the origins of the poem's images, writing during the pandemic, and the shades of truth that poetry can reveal.

Madison Middleton reads from the short story "Suffering in Motion" by McKenna Marsden, followed by a conversation between reader and writer.

The story was originally published in NER in spring 2020. Episode hosted by Carolyn Kuebler, Editor of NER.

Hosted by Courtney Wright, this episode features an essay by Jessie van Eerden, "A Story of Mary and Martha Taking in a Foster Girl," and an interview with the author, followed by a poem by John Freeman, "Columbine and Rue."

"A Story of Mary and Martha..." was originally published in NER 40.3 and is read by Francis Price.

"Columbine and Rue" was published in NER 41.1 and is read by Nimaya Lemal.

Hosted by Simone Edgar Holmes, this episode presents four poems from NER's special feature on contemporary poets from the UK, edited by Marilyn Hacker.

Shazea Quraishi reads "Elegy"; Seni Seneviratne reads "A Girl in the Woods"; Naomi Foyle reads "Made from Fibres Not Readily Penetrated"; and Sasha Dugdale brings it home with "Chair No. 14."

All of these poems can be found at www.nereview, issue 41.2.

Simone Edgar Holmes presents NER writers George Szirtes, Joannie Stangeland, and Angelique Stevens reading their new work.

Listen in as George Szirtes reads his poem “English Rain,” Joannie Stangeland reads her poem “Parcel,” and Angelique Stevens reads from her memoir “The Only Light We've Got”—all published in recent issues of the New England Review.

Hosted by Ruhamah Weil, Episode 10 presents Jan Beatty, Greg Johnson, and Jakob Maier, reading their own work from New England Review 40.4. Jan Beatty reads her poem “The Body Wars,” Greg Johnson reads excerpts from his memoir “Daddy’s Aitch,” and Jakob Maier reads his poem “Food Court Ghost Town.” Ruhamah also spoke briefly to Tricia Allen, of the Ilsley Public Library in downtown Middlebury, about the power of poetry.