Episode 166: Kelli Russell Agodon on Play in Poetry
From Emerging Form by Christie Aschwanden
June 4, 2026 · 32 min
About this episode
Kelli Russell Agodon discusses the role of play in poetry and the importance of vulnerability and human connection in her work.
“I use play as kind of a backdoor to talk about tougher subjects,” says poet Kelli Russell Agodon, “but also as a front door for the reader to be able to listen.” Her most recent book, Accidental Devotions , blends humor, vulnerability, aging, the chaos of relationships, and the art of humaning. In this episode, of Emerging form we talk with Kelli about * Writing in service to “The Quiet Rebels” * Finding the form for a poem or book at the end of the project * Where to put the most vulnerable content in a book * Learning to trust the reader * The importance of vulnerability * Value of human connection through the arts * The role of obsession in art * Creating touchstones for the reader * The role of play in poetry * How do we know if what we write is successful? Plus, Kelli reads “Alexa, Why Am I Falling Apart” and we converse about the role of human-made art in an increasingly technological world. Kelli Russell Agodon ’s most recent book is Accidental Devotions (Copper Canyon Press, 2026). She is the author of five poetry collections. Her work has received numerous honors, including the Dorothy Rosenberg Poetry Prize, a Poetry Society of America Prize, the Foreword INDIES Book…
People in this episode
Host: Christie Aschwanden
Guest: Kelli Russell Agodon
Topics covered
- play in poetry
- vulnerability in writing
- human connection through art
- obsession in art
- trusting the reader
- form in poetry
Keywords
- poetry
- vulnerability
- play
- human connection
- writing
- Kelli Russell Agodon
- Accidental Devotions
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Two Sylvias Press, Pacific Lutheran University, Poetry Society of America, Copper Canyon Press
Books & works: Accidental Devotions
More episodes of Emerging Form
- Episode 165: Ramona Ausubel Will Get You Unstuck · May 21, 2026 · 31 min
- Episode 164: Christie and Rosemerry Interview One Another · May 7, 2026 · 31 min
- Episode 163 James Crews on the Radical Act of Rest · April 23, 2026 · 31 min
- Episode 162: Dimity McDowell on Creative Identities · April 9, 2026 · 30 min
- Episode 161- Mason Currey on Making Art and Making a Living · March 26, 2026 · 31 min
- Episode 160 GG Renee Hill on Reclaiming Your Narrative · March 12, 2026 · 32 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Emerging Form podcast page.