In this episode, we explore self-portrait poems through the lens of visual art—from “plating poems” to Dante Di Stefano’s haunting idea of “ghost-ekphrasis.” Along the way, we dig into standout work by Hayden Saunier, Donald Hall, Seamus Heaney, Chen Chen, A.K. Ramanujan, Denise Duhamel, and Di Stefano himself—plus we paint an intense detour into Caravaggio. If you love ekphrastic poetry, craft talk, and poems that double as portraits, this one’s for you.

At the Table:

Katie Dozier

Timothy Green

Dante Di Stefano

Brian O'Sullivan

Joe Barca

In this episode, Katie reads from her new chapbook All That Glitter which was the 2025 Editor's Choice Winner for the Poetry Box's Chapbook Prize—as selected by Shawn Aveningo Sanders. The chapbook is available for pre-orders now, with an official release date of February 2nd, 2026 on ThePoetryBox.com.

At the Table:

Katie Dozier

Timothy Green

More title nerdery, more poetic mischief! In this episode we keep digging into poem titles with Dante Di Stefano—how a title frames the reader, flips the meaning, or sets the trap door. We continue to unpack Dante’s Poets & Writers essay. Warning: you may immediately rename a draft of your own!

At the table:

Katie Dozier

Timothy Green

Dante Di Stefano

Brian O'Sullivan

Dick Westheimer

A perfect title can catapult a poem into greatness, while a one bad one can sabotage even an otherwise strong poem. In this episode, we return to titles (first tackled way back in Ep. 37) with special guest Dante Di Stefano. What makes a good title--and perhaps just as important--what makes for a weak title?

At the table:

Katie Dozier

Timothy Green

Dante Di Stefano

Brian O'Sullivan

Dick Westheimer

We kick off 2026 with a poetry magazine smackdown: American Poetry Review (APR) vs Beloit Poetry Journal (BPJ). We read three random poems from each journal head-to-head to crown a champion—with craft talk, close reads, and a little friendly literary trash talk along the way.

At the Table:

Katie Dozier

Timothy Green

The viral-poem deep dive continues—no coughing required, thanks to remote recording. Katie, Tim, and The Squad read the rest of the lineup and unpack what makes certain poems travel fast: voice, surprise, clarity, heat, and the exact kind of line you can’t help but send to someone. Featuring poems by Taylor Mali, Matthew Olzmann, Joseph Fasano, and Andrea Cohen.

At the table:

Katie Dozier

Timothy Green

Dick Westheimer

Joe Barca

Brian O'Sullivan

Fresh off a viral illness (the irony!), Katie, Tim, and The Squad dive into what it means for a poem to “go viral”—and why that metaphor matters. With Brian O’Sullivan, Dick Westheimer, and Joe Barca bringing standout picks, we read and talk craft, shareability, and that lightning-strike feeling when a poem suddenly belongs to everyone. We wrap Part 1 with Alison Luterman’s “Holding Vigil," after looking at "Good Bones" by Maggie Smith.At the table:

Katie Dozier

Timothy Green

Dick Westheimer

Joe Barca

Brian O'Sullivan

In episode #121 we bind you into a conversation about chapbooks—what they are, why they matter, and how we can bring them into the world together through self-publishing and small-press routes. We read from our own self-published haibun crown, Did You See the Moon Honey, and share what we learned about shaping a manuscript, editing, design, printing, and finding readers. If you’ve ever dreamed of holding your own chapbook in your hands, this episode is a friendly, practical guide to help you take the next step.

At the Table:

Katie Dozier

Timothy Green

In this episode, we talk with Jackdaw Review founding editor Anna DiMartino about how to start a lit mag from scratch. We dig into naming your literary magazine, defining a clear editorial mission, choosing platforms and submission policies, handling fees and unpaid labor, and building a sustainable readership without burning out. If you’ve ever dreamed of launching your own online poetry journal or print literary magazine, this episode is your practical guide to getting started.

At the Table:

Katie Dozier

Timothy Green

Anna DiMartino

Joe Barca

Jane Hirshfield returns to continue our assay of assays, and to talk about poetry's smallest forms—her pebbles and haiku. Jane's poetry provides proof that a few words can hold whole worlds, and that brevity itself may be one of the deepest forms of generosity.

At the table:

Jane Hirshfield

Katie Dozier

Timothy Green

Dick Westheimer

Brian O'Sullivan