The Line Break

Is there such thing as a perfect poem? If there is, will it unsettle us on purpose? This week, Bob reads an untitled letter to Lorca by Jack Spicer, Chris reads "Mansion" by Julie Doxsee, and everyone has a brief chuckle about the word "alas."

It's the All-Star Break here at The Line Break! Two banger poems this month: Bob reads "Remembrance" by A. Van Jordan, "Chris reads an excerpt from Claudia Rankine's 'Citizen,' and then the guys talk about NBA memories they wish they had.

On this week's episode, Bob and Chris are talking about what poetry does, the joys of discovering poetry around the world, and just what in the heck we get out it this stuff, anyway. Bob reads "The Way To Keep Going In Antarctica" by Bernadette Mayer, Chris reads "Jiikimaadizi / A Joyful Life" by Margaret Noodin, and then the dudes talk about just what in the heck we get out of basketball, anyway.

The end of the year leads the dudes to do some reflecting on life, death, authorial legacy, and what the future should look like. Bob reads from Diane Seuss's 'frank: sonnets,' Chris reads "Leah Gilliam, 'Sapphire and the Slave Girl,' 1995, 18:20" by Anaïs Duplan, and the lads wonder what 6'9" NBA players are supposed to do.

Note: for further reading on the "what are we all doing here" question of writing, please check out Kathy Fish's blog post on her The Art of Flash Fiction Substack, "On Literary 'Success.'" The question Kathy asked on Twitter and begins the blog with was on Chris's mind when this episode was recorded. By the time we got this edited and posted, Kathy had posted her column. Worth reading in conjunction with this episode. Check it out here: https://artofflashfiction.substack.com/p/on-literary-success?utm_source=%2Finbox&utm_medium=reader2

After too long away, Bob and Chris are BACK reading poetry. Bob reads "Broken Light Bulb Flickering Away" by Noor Hindi, Chris reads an excerpt from Joshua Marie Wilkinson's book length poem "Meadow Slasher," and then the guys ask who's having a better NBA season: Ezra Pound or Billy Collins?

On today's episode, what begins as a gentle "what have you been reading lately" morphs into Bob and Chris gushing about how rad poetry is even when the world is difficult. Bob reads "Snow Theory" by Ocean Vuong, Chris reads "Ethos, Pathos" by Sebastian Castillo, and then Bob says nice things about the Boston Celtics.

Guest time! Today, Bob and Chris welcome Hannah Cohen to the show! The three talk about everything from manuscript length to wrestling with abstractions to Tommy Wiseau. Hannah reads "Under One Small Star" by Wislawa Szymborska, as well as her poem "Some Covenant." Then the three plot to become Poet Laureate of Waffle House.

Hannah Cohen bio and publications: https://hannahcohen.carrd.co/

If poems are made of music, metaphor, and image, well, we're certainly talking about one of those today. What makes an image in a poem *just* the right one? Bob reads "Quabban Reservoir" James Tate, Chris reads "revaluation" by MJ Santiago, and then the guys talk about how basketball looks cool.

If brevity is the soul of wit, what's an hourlong podcast? Today, Bob and Chris are exploring short poems. Bob reads "Invisible Fish" by Joy Harjo, Chris reads "Ghosting" by Andrea Cohen, and then the guys celebrate NBA players under six feet tall.

The poets are back! This week, Bob and Chris discuss poets they just haven't gotten around to yet. Bob reads "Rodedendrons" by Larry Levins, then Chris reads "MOTHERFUCKER I'M ILL" by Beyza Ozer.