Poetry Lectures

By Poetry Foundation

What's Poetry Lectures about?

Talks given by notable scholars and critics on poets, poetry, and their intersections with other art forms. Features recordings from historic archives and live events.

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Poetry Lectures episodes:

11.23.2015
Malena Mörling and Jonas Ellström: International Poets in Conversation
Malena Mörling and Jonas Ellerström discuss Swedish poetry and the challenges of translation, and they read some poems in both Swedish and English from their anthology, The Star By My Head.
11.03.2015
Harris Khalique: International Poets in Conversation
Christopher Merrill speaks with Harris Khalique about literary traditions in Pakistan, the cultural influences of different cities, and the important role of women in Pakistani literature.
02.20.2014
Matthew Shenoda: International Poets in Conversation
Kwame Dawes speaks with Matthew Shenoda about Shenoda's poetry and identity as an Egyptian American, and the poetry of the African diaspora. Need a transcript of this episode? Request a transcript here.
12.11.2013
Gabeba Baderoon: International Poets in Conversation
South African poet Gabeba Baderoon speaks with Matthew Shenoda about poetry and apartheid in South Africa.
11.19.2013
Les Murray: International Poets in Conversation
American poet Kevin Young talks to Les Murray about Australian poetry and culture.
10.17.2013
Zeyar Lynn: International Poets in Conversation
Burmese poet Zeyar Lynn and English poet and translator James Byrne speak with Ilya Kaminsky about poetry from Burma. Need a transcript of this episode? Request a transcript here.
09.18.2013
Patrick Cotter & Matthew Sweeney: International Poets in Conversation
Irish poets Patrick Cotter and Matthew Sweeney discuss the history and current state of Irish poetry.
08.13.2013
Chris Abani: International Poets in Conversation
Matthew Shenoda talks with Chris Abani about poetry in Nigeria, the oral and religious traditions in African poetry, and the one-sided conversation between African and European poets.
07.08.2013
Patrizia Cavalli: International Poets in Conversation
Italian poet Patrizia Cavalli and American poet Geoffrey Brock speak with Ilya Kaminsky about Contemporary Italian Poetry and translation. Need a transcript of this episode? Request a transcript here.
06.10.2013
Vera Pavlova & Valzhyna Mort: International Poets in Conversation
Vera Pavlova from Russia and Valzhyna Mort from Belurus speak with the director of the Harriet Monroe Poetry Institute, Ilya Kaminsky.
05.17.2013
Simon Ortiz
Native American poet Simon Ortiz reads at the University of Arizona in 1975. The recording is used with permission of the University of Arizona Poetry Center and Simon Ortiz. The full recording, and many others, are permanently available on voca, the Poetry...
04.18.2013
Kwame Dawes: International Poets in Conversation
Egyptian-American writer Matthew Shenoda speaks with poet Kwame Dawes about African poetics, reggae, and poetry of the African diaspora. Need a transcript of this episode? Request a transcript here.
03.11.2013
Adam Zagajewski: International Poets in Conversation
Polish poet Adam Zagajewski talks to American translator Clare Cavanaugh and Ilya Kaminsky about contemporary Polish poetry. Need a transcript of this episode? Request a transcript here.
02.15.2013
Robin Blaser
Robin Blaser talks at “The Recovery of the Public World” Conference—devoted to his poetry—at the University of British Columbia in June 1995. The recording of this program is used by permission of the Bennett Library Special Collections and Rare Books, Simon...
01.14.2013
Ghassan Zaqtan: International Poets in Conversation
Fady Joudah and Ghassan Zaqtan discuss Palestinian poetry with Ilya Kaminsky. Need a transcript of this episode? Request a transcript here.
12.07.2012
Oral History Initiative: On Elizabeth Bishop
An informal conversation remembering the life and work of Elizabeth Bishop, with Lloyd Schwartz, Frank Bidart, Rosanna Warren, Gail Mazur, and Megan Marshall. Conducted at Harvard University in March 2012, and used by permission of the participants and the Woodberry Poetry...
11.09.2012
Jan Wagner: International Poets in Conversation
German poet Jan Wagner discusses some of the major German poets of the twentieth century with Ilya Kaminsky.
10.19.2012
Dark Room Collective
A reunion of the Dark Room Collective at the Poetry Foundation in April 2012. This reading features Nehassaiu deGannes, John Keene, Kevin Young, Sharan Strange, Major Jackson, Thomas Sayers Ellis, and Natasha Trethewey. Need a transcript of this episode? Request a transcript here.
09.12.2012
Dunya Mikhail: International Poets in Conversation
American poet Katie Ford talks to Iraqi poet Dunya Mikhail about how the experience of natural and human disasters inform their work.
06.20.2012
Oral History Initiative: On Frank O'Hara
An informal conversation between poets John Ashbery and Ron Padgett, remembering the life of Frank O’Hara. Conducted at Harvard University in April 2011, and used by permission of Ron Padgett, John Ashbery, and the Woodberry Poetry Room, Harvard College Library....
05.18.2012
Nikola Madzirov: International Poets in Conversation
Macedonian poet Nikola Madzirov and Ilya Kaminsky discuss the poetics of war and its aftermath, and the nature of memory and rediscovering.
04.17.2012
Poetry and Piano
Poets Reginald Gibbons, Rachel Jamison Webster, Christina Pugh, and Ed Roberson are accompanied on piano by Mabel Kwan and Ari Brown. Recorded in April 2011, recording courtesy of WBEZ Chicago Amplified.
03.21.2012
Three Native American Poets
The Harriet Monroe Poetry Institute hosts a conversation between Allison Adelle Hedge Coke, Linda Hogan, and Sherwin Bitsui.
02.15.2012
Kwame Dawes
Kwame Dawes reads poems from four of his books at the Art Institute of Chicago in January 2008. Need a transcript of this episode? Request a transcript here.
01.11.2012
Raúl Zurita: International Poets in Conversation
A conversation between Chilean poet Raúl Zurita and American poet Forrest Gander.
12.16.2011
Rita Dove
Rita Dove speaking at the Key West Literary Seminar. Need a transcript of this episode? Request a transcript here.
11.16.2011
Aleš Šteger: International Poets in Conversation
The Harriet Monroe Poetry Institute hosts Aleš Šteger who reads from his works and talks about poetry in Slovenia.
09.14.2011
Philip Levine
Poet Philip Levine reads from his own work. Need a transcript of this episode? Request a transcript here.
06.20.2011
Blas Falconer and Gina Franco
The second half of a 2008 reading featuring four Latino poets, as part of the American Perspectives series at the Art Institute of Chicago. Need a transcript of this episode? Request a transcript here.
05.18.2011
Francisco Aragón and Brenda Cárdenas
The first half of a 2008 reading featuring four Latino poets, as part of the American Perspectives series at the Art Institute of Chicago.
05.04.2011
Don Paterson on Robert Frost
In November 2010, Don Paterson delivered the 22nd Aldeburgh PoetryFestival's annual poet-on-poet lecture on Robert Frost. The lecture, titled "Frost as a Thinker," was co-supported by Poetry magazine and Oxford Poetry.This is an edited version of the live event, organized...
03.28.2011
William Carlos Williams
William Carlos Williams speaks at Harvard University in 1951. Need a transcript of this episode? Request a transcript here.
02.18.2011
Jahan Ramazani
Jahan Ramazani presents examples of non-European post-colonial poetry that relate to the language of song, prayer, law, and post-colonial theory. Need a transcript of this episode? Request a transcript here.
01.19.2011
Brenda Hillman: Stronach Memorial Lecture
Brenda Hillman delivers a 2006 talk entitled "Cracks in the Oracle Bone: Teaching Certain Contemporary Poems" at the Judith Lee Stronach Memorial Lectures on The Teaching of Poetry at the University of California, Berkeley. Audio courtesy of the Bancroft Library...
12.16.2010
Peter Sacks: Stronach Memorial Lecture
Peter Sacks delivers a 2007 talk entitled "'You Only Guide Me by Surprise': Poetry and the Dolphin's Turn" at the Judith Lee Stronach Memorial Lectures on The Teaching of Poetry at the University of California, Berkeley. Audio courtesy of the...
11.16.2010
Seamus Heaney
Seamus Heaney in conversation with Michael Laskey, fellow poet and co-founder of the Aldeburgh Poetry Festival. This is an edited version of an interview recorded live at the Poetry Prom 2010 organised by The Poetry Trust. Enjoy more podcasts on...
10.19.2010
Gwendolyn Brooks
Gwendolyn Brooks speaking in 1990 at Poetry Day in Chicago.
09.16.2010
Billy Collins
Two-term poet laureate Billy Collins speaks at the Key West Literary Seminar.
05.26.2010
Robert Pinsky
Robert Pinsky speaking on “Modernism and Memory” at the Key West Literary Seminar. Need a transcript of this episode? Request a transcript here.
04.26.2010
Mary Karr and Stuart Dybek
Mary Karr and Stuart Dybek read from their own work and discuss how writing poetry relates to writing prose. Need a transcript of this episode? Request a transcript here.
03.24.2010
Five Muslim American Poets: Part II
Literary discussion featuring readings by poets Raza Ali Hasan, Ibtisam Barakat, Fady Joudah, Kazim Ali, and Khaled Mattawa. Need a transcript of this episode? Request a transcript here.
03.03.2010
Five Muslim American Poets: Part I
Literary discussion featuring readings by poets Raza Ali Hasan, Ibtisam Barakat, Fady Joudah, Kazim Ali, and Khaled Mattawa. Need a transcript of this episode? Request a transcript here.
02.03.2010
Mark Doty
Mark Doty speaking at the Key West Literary Seminar.
12.09.2009
Carl Sandburg
Archival recording of Carl Sandburg from 1956.
11.18.2009
Helen Vendler
Helen Vendler discusses the poet Robert Lowell.
11.03.2009
Futurism and the New Manifesto: Part II
Joshua Mehigan and Thomas Sayers Ellis read at the Museum of Modern Art. Need a transcript of this episode? Request a transcript here.
09.21.2009
Futurism and the New Manifesto: Part I
Charles Bernstein and A.E. Stallings read at the Museum of Modern Art.
06.16.2009
Paul Muldoon
Paul Muldoon reads and discusses his own work. Need a transcript of this episode? Request a transcript here.
05.20.2009
Peter Sacks: American Perspectives
Peter Sacks finds common themes between the paintings of Edward Hopper and the works of poets such as Robert Frost, Elizabeth Bishop, and TS Eliot.
04.21.2009
Eavan Boland
Eavan Boland speaking at the 53rd Annual Poetry Day.

What's Poetry Lectures about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Poetry Lectures episodes:

Malena Mörling and Jonas Ellström: International Poets in Conversation

Harris Khalique: International Poets in Conversation

Matthew Shenoda: International Poets in Conversation

Gabeba Baderoon: International Poets in Conversation

Les Murray: International Poets in Conversation

Zeyar Lynn: International Poets in Conversation

Patrick Cotter & Matthew Sweeney: International Poets in Conversation

Chris Abani: International Poets in Conversation

Patrizia Cavalli: International Poets in Conversation

Vera Pavlova & Valzhyna Mort: International Poets in Conversation

Simon Ortiz

Kwame Dawes: International Poets in Conversation

Adam Zagajewski: International Poets in Conversation

Robin Blaser

Ghassan Zaqtan: International Poets in Conversation

Oral History Initiative: On Elizabeth Bishop

Jan Wagner: International Poets in Conversation

Dark Room Collective

Dunya Mikhail: International Poets in Conversation

Oral History Initiative: On Frank O'Hara

Nikola Madzirov: International Poets in Conversation

Poetry and Piano

Three Native American Poets

Kwame Dawes

Raúl Zurita: International Poets in Conversation

Rita Dove

Aleš Šteger: International Poets in Conversation

Philip Levine

Blas Falconer and Gina Franco

Francisco Aragón and Brenda Cárdenas

Don Paterson on Robert Frost

William Carlos Williams

Jahan Ramazani

Brenda Hillman: Stronach Memorial Lecture

Peter Sacks: Stronach Memorial Lecture

Seamus Heaney

Gwendolyn Brooks

Billy Collins

Robert Pinsky

Mary Karr and Stuart Dybek

Five Muslim American Poets: Part II

Five Muslim American Poets: Part I

Mark Doty

Carl Sandburg

Helen Vendler

Futurism and the New Manifesto: Part II

Futurism and the New Manifesto: Part I

Paul Muldoon

Peter Sacks: American Perspectives

Eavan Boland