Episode 105 - Michael Kleber-Diggs, Worldly Things

From Black Market Reads by The Givens Foundation for African American Literature

April 15, 2026 · 58 min

About this episode

In this episode, Lissa Jones interviews poet Michael Kleber-Diggs about his collection 'Worldly Things' and the themes of poetry, fatherhood, and community.

In this powerful episode of Black Market Reads , host Lissa Jones sits down with award-winning poet Michael Kleber-Diggs to explore the depth and intention behind his collection Worldly Things . Their conversation moves fluidly between poetry, fatherhood, community, and the responsibility of bearing witness, as Diggs reflects on writing as an act of care—rooted in intimacy, empathy, and presence. From reimagining masculinity in his poem " Coniferous Fathers " to interrogating media narratives and honoring lived experience, Diggs invites listeners to slow down and engage more fully with the world and each other. Grounded in the traditions of Black literature and shaped by his work as a mentor and prison writing instructor, this episode is a thoughtful meditation on how small, intentional acts—on and off the page—can ripple outward with profound impact. GO DEEPER https://blackmarketreads.com/ Black Market Reads is a product of The Givens Foundation for African American Literature produced in partnership with iDream.tv. Our production team for this episode includes co-producers Lissa Jones and Edie French, technical director Paul Auguston, the voice Yo Derek, and our artist of…

People in this episode

Host: Lissa Jones

Guest: Michael Kleber-Diggs

Topics covered

poetry
fatherhood
community
masculinity
Black literature

Keywords

intimacy
empathy
presence
media narratives
lived experience

Mentioned in this episode

Products: Worldly Things

Books & works: Worldly Things, Black Market Reads, Coniferous Fathers