Phoebe Greyson reads Truman Capote’s “Miriam,” the 1945 short story that first brought Capote to the attention of the literary world.

This dreamlike tale of a lonely widow in New York City, and the eerily intelligent young girl she meets, won an O. Henry Award. The title may refer either to the widow or the girl, who are both named Miriam – and perhaps only one of them actually exists. You decide.

Music: “Walking Distance,” by Bernard Herrmann.

Directed by Fredric Dannen.

Jennifer Clement is a poet and novelist whose books have been translated into 30 languages, and the first woman president of PEN International. She lives in Mexico City. In this exclusive interview with SMA Podcast, Clement talks about her novel Prayers for the Stolen; her memoir Widow Basquiat (chosen by NPR as the best book of 2014); her human rights activism (she led a successful campaign in Mexico to make it a federal crime to murder a journalist, and has been a forceful advocate for women’s rights and free expression); and the special alchemy that a poet brings to the art of novel writing; among other topics.

This interview took place on July 3, 2020, at the San Miguel Playhouse. It was conducted by Fredric Dannen and recorded by Gerardo Charreton.

Doug Robinson provided the theme music.