Quintessential Poetry: A Global Poetry & Spoken Word Poetry Podcast

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In this thoughtful episode of Quintessential Listening Poetry Online Radio and YouTube, Dr. Michael Anthony Ingram engages poet, blogger, novelist, and longtime educator Jamey Boelhower in a quintessential poetry podcast conversation exploring his creative journey, literary expression, and the themes that shape his work. A poet and independent author with numerous published titles, Jamey has also spent more than twenty years as an educator, a role that deeply informs his writing and perspective.

Although poetry remains his central focus, Jamey has earned recognition across genres through his compelling blogs and his popular fictional novel Under the Lights. His recent works include While Death Waits (2023), April 2020: A Poetic Time Capsule of Writing and Living During a Pandemic, These Words Believe in Ghosts, Father and Son: Words Apart, and many others. Throughout his career, Jamey has explored topics such as family, heartache, memory, and the mysteries of life, consistently challenging readers to see the world with greater depth and clarity.

A devoted husband and father of six, Jamey values time with his family and draws inspiration from everyday moments. He continues to work on new projects that will soon expand his creative reach and offer fresh reflections on life’s complexities. This conversation highlights Jamey’s evolution as a writer, his commitment to emotional honesty, and his belief in poetry as a tool for insight, connection, and transformation.

Book While Death Waits: Boelhower, Jamey: 9798865705642: Amazon.com: Books Body of Work https://www.amazon.com/Jamey-Boelhower/e/B06XPP9CY2/ Social Media https://twitter.com/jdog90 https://www.instagram.com/jboelhower/

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In this powerful episode of Quintessential Listening Poetry Online Radio and YouTube, Dr. Michael Anthony Ingram engages multidisciplinary artist, poet, and educator Marie Metaphor Specht in a quintessential poetry podcast conversation exploring her creative journey, literary expression, and community-centered artistic practice. Living with her partner and son on the unceded territories of the Lək̓ʷəŋən‑ and SENĆOTEN‑speaking peoples, Marie’s work is deeply informed by place, collaboration, and the transformative potential of art.

A longtime member of the Canadian spoken word scene, Marie has collaborated with filmmakers, lighting engineers, dancers, and musicians to create immersive, interactive works that expand the boundaries of poetic performance. She is currently serving a two-year term as the 6th Poet Laureate of Victoria, British Columbia, where she continues to champion poetry’s ability to build connection, foster dialogue, and illuminate lived experience. Her work has been featured at festivals, arts events, and poetry slams across Canada, and she has spent two decades coaching youth poets and creating spaces for emerging voices.

Marie’s poetry has appeared in Oratorealis, Untethered Magazine, Chestnut Review, The Hellebore, Room Magazine, and other publications. Her debut poetry collection, Soft Shelters, published with Write Bloody North, showcases her lyrical depth, emotional resonance, and commitment to crafting work that invites reflection, vulnerability, and communal care. This conversation explores Marie’s evolution as an artist, her interdisciplinary collaborations, and her belief in poetry as a transformative force.

Website: https://www.mariemetaphor.com/

Book: https://writebloodynorth.ca/products/soft-shelters-by-marie-specht-pre-sale

Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/mariemetaphor/ https://www.facebook.com/marie.muddy.7 https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLeqYpKmGeHALNHSE0fOj3UyMAg4mDe3vO

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In this compelling episode of Quintessential Listening Poetry Online Radio and YouTube, Dr. Michael Anthony Ingram engages entrepreneur, engineer, freelance writer, poet, and novelist Farastein Mokwenye in a quintessential poetry podcast conversation exploring his creative journey, literary expression, and his powerful contribution to historical fiction. Listeners should increase the audio volume due to sound issues.

Farastein is the author of Tales of Jideofor, a sweeping historical romance fiction novel that follows the life of Jideofor during the transatlantic slave trade era. Beginning in Illah in the Western Igbo lands and extending to Jamaica, the story unfolds through a complex web of dreams, death, destiny, and the afterlife. The full‑length novel expands upon his earlier short story of the same name, which won runner‑up at the Goge Africa 20th Anniversary Writing Competition in 2020.

This conversation explores Farastein’s interdisciplinary background, his commitment to preserving cultural memory, and his ability to blend historical research with imaginative storytelling. His work offers readers a vivid, emotionally resonant journey through one of the most devastating and transformative periods in global history.

Book: https://www.amazon.com/Tales-Jideofor-Farastein-Mokwenye/dp/1915161819/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1700847340&sr=8-1 Audio Excerpt - Tales of Jideofor https://teambooktu.com/tales-of-jideofor

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In this evocative episode of Quintessential Listening Poetry Online Radio, Dr. Michael Anthony Ingram engages neurodivergent poet Derek Annis (they/he) in a rich conversation about creative process, literary expression, and the atmospheric landscapes that shape their work.

Based in the Inland Northwest, Derek is the author of Neighborhood of Gray Houses (Lost Horse Press) and River City Fires (Driftwood Press), two acclaimed poetry collections known for haunting imagery, emotional depth, and nuanced explorations of identity, memory, and place.

In addition to their writing, Derek serves as an editor for Lynx House Press and has an impressive publication record, with poems appearing in The Account, Colorado Review, Epiphany, The Gettysburg Review, The Missouri Review Online, Poet Lore, Spillway, Third Coast, and many other journals.

Their work is celebrated for its clarity, tension, and its ability to navigate the complexities of neurodivergence, environment, and human experience—offering listeners a powerful window into contemporary poetry and the voices shaping it today.

https://derekannis.wordpress.com/ https://instagram.com/derekannis?igshid=NzZlODBkYWE4Ng== https://www.facebook.com/derek.annis?mibextid=ZbWKwL

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In this witty and reflective episode of Quintessential Listening Poetry Online Radio and YouTube, Dr. Michael Anthony Ingram engages poet and historian Alexander Poster in a quintessential poetry podcast conversation exploring his creative journey, literary expression, and the unexpected path that led him to poetry later in life. Living less than a mile from the U.S. Capitol, Alexander works as a historian for a labyrinthine federal agency—a role he describes with characteristic humor as that of a “good, grey bureaucrat.” Despite surviving a nasty case of COVID‑19, none of these experiences, he insists, inspired his writing one bit.

A fan of Cormac McCarthy, melancholy 80s and 90s music, and—surprisingly—marine mammals, Alexander brings a dry, self‑effacing wit to both his life and his work. His wife affectionately refers to him as a “cynical bastard,” a label he wears with bemused pride. His debut chapbook, A Refuge For Those Who Like Sad Endings, showcases his distinctive voice, blending emotional candor with sardonic humor.

Alexander has performed his poems at “Spit That” at the Woolly Mammoth Theatre in Washington, DC, contributing to the city’s vibrant spoken word community. This conversation explores his evolution as a poet, his influences, and the creative spark that emerged unexpectedly in adulthood.

https://a.co/d/6MDsbIn Social Media https://facebook.com/aposter https://www.instagram.com/alex.poster/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexander-poster-7b7421a

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In this engaging episode of Quintessential Listening Poetry Online Radio, Dr. Michael Anthony Ingram welcomes songwriter and poet Mike Turner for a rich conversation exploring his creative journey, literary expression, and the musical influences that shape his work.

Living on the Alabama Gulf Coast, Mike blends poetic craft, songwriting tradition, and lived experience as a retired federal law enforcement executive—a combination that gives his work both emotional depth and narrative authenticity.

Named the 2017 Male Gospel Entertainer of the Year by the North America Country Music Associations International, Mike has performed widely, including as a featured artist at the 2021 Monroeville Literary Festival. His recordings have received radio and streaming play across the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe, and the Far East, reflecting his broad international reach.

As a poet, Mike has published more than 280 poems in over 50 literary journals and anthologies, demonstrating both prolific output and a strong connection to the contemporary poetry community. His collection Visions and Memories (Sweetycat Press, 2021) showcases his reflective, heartfelt style and his ability to capture the emotional landscapes of everyday life.

When not writing, Mike and his wife Pamela Caudill explore the bays and backwaters of the Gulf Coast aboard their classic trawler yacht—a source of serenity and inspiration woven throughout his work.

Website http://www.MikeTurnerSongwriter.com Book https://www.amazon.com/stores/Mike-Turner/author/B098BK9SHZ?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true Social Media https://twitter.com/schoonerskipper https://instagram.com/MikeTurnerSongwriter https://youtube.com/MikeTurnerSongwriter https://linkedin.com/in/mike-turner-54b75240

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In this expansive episode of Quintessential Listening Poetry Online Radio and YouTube, Dr. Michael Anthony Ingram engages poet, novelist, dancer, world traveler, and meaning seeker Alyssa in a quintessential poetry podcast conversation exploring her creative journey, literary expression, and her devotion to helping humans rediscover their wild potential. After releasing her #1 bestselling poetry compilation CHOSEN in 2016, Alyssa embarked on a global meaning‑seeking mission at age twenty‑one, catalyzed by a profound encounter with death’s breath.

Through her sociocultural anthropology training at UCSD and years of traveling through cultures worldwide, Alyssa unearthed deeper truths about the human experience—learning to alchemize tragedy into adventure, disconnection into reconnection, and longing into purpose. A lover of novelty and a delighter in the extraordinary, she uses the power of words and stories to romance humans back into love with their precious existence. Her work reminds us of our hungry spirits, our untapped gifts, and the world waiting for our unique contributions.

As Founder of Lionheart Creations and Co‑Founder/Lead Designer at Saved By Story Publishing, Alyssa serves messengers and mission‑driven enterprises committed to positive global change. She also co-hosts the storytelling-rich podcast Sips of Story ’n Sanity, showcasing the journeys of Seekers and Creators from around the world. This conversation explores Alyssa’s evolution as an artist, her anthropological lens, her devotion to meaning‑making, and her belief in story as a vehicle for transformation.

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In this dynamic episode of Quintessential Listening Poetry Online Radio, Dr. Michael Anthony Ingram engages Black queer multidisciplinary artist and psychic medium Chris Courtney Martin in a rich conversation exploring their creative journey, literary expression, and expansive artistic practice.

Originally from Philadelphia, Chris’s work spans screenwriting, literature, music, and spiritual mediumship, reflecting a bold commitment to storytelling across forms.

Their produced screenwriting credits include independent short films featuring talents such as Sheryl Lee Ralph and Niecy Nash, along with contributions to the animated YouTube series SOMETHING SCARY. sec4 After a multi-awarded screenwriting trajectory, Chris pivoted to literature, releasing their debut poetry/prose chapbook THE BOOK OF I.P. (Idle Poems) through Alien Buddha Press.

Their second full‑length collection, SLAM POEMS FOR MY BATHROOM MIRROR… And Other Selected Works… launches in October 2023, showcasing their sharp wit, emotional depth, and genre‑fluid voice.

Under the musical moniker KWEAN OONTZ, Chris released the A KWEAN OONTZ NOVEL MicroAlbum in June 2023 to positive international critical reception, further expanding their creative universe.

This conversation explores Chris’s evolution as an artist, their psychic mediumship, their cinematic influences, and the fearless experimentation that defines their work across poetry, music, and screenwriting.

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In this heartfelt episode of Quintessential Listening Poetry Online Radio and YouTube, Dr. Michael Anthony Ingram engages writer, editor, and writing coach Megan Wildhood in a quintessential poetry podcast conversation exploring her creative journey, literary expression, and her mission to help readers feel deeply seen. Through her monthly newsletter, her poetry chapbook Long Division (Finishing Line Press, 2017), and her forthcoming collection Bowed As If Laden With Snow (Cornerstone Press, May 2023), Megan offers work grounded in emotional honesty, mental health awareness, and the complexities of being human.

Her writing has appeared in Mad in America, The Sun, and numerous other publications, reflecting her commitment to exploring mental health, connection, and the lived experiences often overlooked in mainstream narratives. As a writing coach, Megan supports others in developing their voices, crafting meaningful work, and navigating the vulnerable terrain of creative expression.

Listeners can learn more about her writing, coaching, and her mental‑health and research newsletter at meganwildhood.com. This conversation highlights Megan’s evolution as an artist, her devotion to visibility and empathy, and her belief in writing as a tool for healing and human connection.

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In this electrifying episode of Quintessential Listening Poetry Online Radio and YouTube, Dr. Michael Anthony Ingram engages author and poet Samuel Rain Benjamin — also known as Complicated Passions — in a quintessential poetry podcast conversation exploring his creative journey, literary expression, and the expansive world he has built through passion, storytelling, and emotional intensity. Creator of the Passions Private Collection and the acclaimed Dark Man Blues series, Samuel has written more than forty books, including Love and the Conversation, The Clone in Me, and The Foreplay Series.

A seasoned performer, Samuel has shared his work across the country from Los Angeles to New York, captivating audiences with his signature blend of sensuality, vulnerability, and raw emotional truth. His latest release from the Dark Man Blues collection, An Interview with Love, received a nomination for a 2024 NAACP Image Award — a powerful recognition of his impact and cultural contribution.

Next up is Love Is, a collaborative project co‑authored with Jah Smalls and set for release in 2024. Samuel continues to expand his creative universe through DarkManBlues.com, offering readers and listeners a deep dive into his world of desire, introspection, and complicated passions. This conversation explores Samuel’s evolution as an artist, his prolific body of work, and the emotional landscapes that fuel his writing.