The moment I sit down to write this description, my phone buzzes with some headline about more and more people going no-contact with their parents. Is the personal political? Is it possible to write a de-politicized family poem? Isaac Pickell—who seems to get along just fine with his parents—joins us to talk about writing audience-thinning family poems, diversity and beauty, and of course, LeBron James.

Isaac Pickell is a Black and Jewish poet, PhD candidate, and adjunct instructor working in Detroit, Michigan. A Cave Canem Fellow, he is the author of The Smallest Mistake We Call Human (Black Lawrence Press, 2026), It’s not over once you figure it out (Black Ocean, 2023), and chapbooks from Black Lawrence Press and Dead Mall Press.

Isaac's second collection, The Smallest Mistake We Call Human, comes out August 16, 2026, from Black Lawrence Press. Pre-order at https://blacklawrencepress.com/books/the-smallest-mistake-we-call-human/

Isaac's first collection, It's Not Over Once You Figure It Out, is available from Black Ocean Press https://www.blackocean.org/catalog1/its-not-over

Find more Isaac at https://www.isaacpickell.com/

"Do I have to read this book with the lights on?" is usually a question asked of, say Stephen Graham Jones novels. But that's exactly what one of Kay E. Bancroft's friends asked about their debut collection, BLOODROOM, out now from Sundress Publications. Kay joins Bob and Chris to discuss the book, portrait photographers, chosen family, and horror movies. Kay reads "oath blud litany" by Rachel McKibbens as well as their own poem, "white blooded." Then, we wonder which horror movie Final Girl would write the best poetry.

find more Kay at https://kayebancroftpoet.com/

find BLOODROOM at https://www.sundresspublications.com/printtitles/bloodroom

It is the month of Bob's nuptials! The dudes actually pre-recorded a whole episode, but Chris's hard drive broke. He's working on getting it fixed, and that episode will air later. For now, please enjoy a few love poems to get your summer started.

It's still National Poetry Month, for a few more days. What better way to celebrate than to be joined by poet with a debut collection dropping soon? Our guest today is Mckendy Fils-Aimé, author of the forthcoming Sipèstisyon from YesYesBooks. We talk influence and coming up in the slam world, and then Mckendy reads "Parkside & Ocean" by b ferguson as well as his own poem, "sipèstisyon." Oh, and there's some talk about the icons of 90s NBA.

Order Sipèstisyon: https://www.yesyesbooks.com/product-page/sip%C3%A8stisyon-by-mckendy-fils-aim%C3%A9

MCKENDY FILS-AIMÉ is a New England based Haitian American poet, organizer, and teaching artist. He has received fellowships from Callaloo, Cave Canem, The Watering Hole, CantoMundo, and Periplus. Over the span of nearly two decades, Mckendy has represented New England in several regional and national poetry slams, making numerous semi-final and final stage appearances. Mckendy’s work has been featured or is forthcoming in Best New Poets, Adroit, Muzzle, Obsidian, the Academy of American Poets’ Poem-a-Day series, and elsewhere. sipèstisyon (YesYes Books, 2026) is his debut poetry collection.

For the third year in a row, Bob and Chris went to AWP. Beyond having a blast in one of the country's coolest cities, we also bought some books! Today, Bob reads "Destiny: Or, From The Tour Abolie" by Bruno Darío (translated by Kit Schluter), Chris reads "Nulliparous (PFP)" by Chiara Di Lello, and then the dudes make NBA Finals picks.

Do you believe in poetry magic? Once again, our poems are magically in conversation, without any pre-planning. Bob reads “The Regency Fete” by Rita Dove, Chris reads "star / date" by upfromsumdirt, and then the dudes discuss Chris Paul's retirement.

Poetry helps us see the world. Whether it's giving permission to look closer or making us see old things anew, a few surprising language choices and enjambments can really alter yr brain. This week, Bob reads "cellular memory" by Mónica Teresa Ortiz, Chris reads "Pastoral, 1992" by Joe Wilkins, and the guys talk about whether the new NBA broadcasters are working out or not.

It's the end of the year, and the dudes are looking to the great beyond. Or, at least, to literature in other countries. Bob reads "December's Ruler" by Afrizar Malza (translated from the Indonesian by Daniel Owen), Chris reads "Logging Time" by Aase Berg (translated from the Swedish by Johannes Göransson), and the dudes talk about ways to make syntax more interesting. Then, some NBA Cup talk.

Everyone's having a great autumn, and that means it's the perfect time to read poetry. This month, Bob and Chris are thrilled to welcome Kiik Araki-Kawaguchi, author of Disintegration Plain and Easy. Kiik reads "Whale In A Well" by Ben Niespodziany as well as his own "skeleton of glass and marmalade." Then, the guys talk about NBA players who are probably good at emotions.

Find Disintegration Made Plain And Easy here: https://www.neonpajamas.com/pizama-press/disintegration-made-plain-and-easy

Find more Kiik here: https://kiikak.com/

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Poetry is beautiful, but beautiful art isn't always going to leave you feeling cozy. This month, Bob and Chris are thrilled to welcome dear friend Teo Shannon to discuss his debut collection, a chronology of blood. Teo also reads "Everybody Loves A Winner" by Tory Dent, and explains why we're all underrating Brutalist architecture.