Philip Metres introduces poems that speak to the enduring work of poetry to carry us toward life. He shares W.S. Merwin reflecting on how we not only survive but live (“The River of Bees”), William Stafford invoking the inner journeys we each must take (“Peace Walk”), and Natalie Diaz demonstrating the way poetry can hold us amidst pain (“My Brother at 3 A.M.”). Metres closes with his poem “To Go On One’s Way,” after the Aramaic word “yazil.”

Find the full recordings of Merwin, Stafford, and Diaz reading for the Poetry Center on Voca:
W.S. Merwin (January 17, 1990)
William Stafford (February 21, 1968)
Natalie Diaz (September 5, 2013)

Full transcripts of every episode are available on Buzzsprout. Look for the transcript tab under each episode.

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