Poetry Lectures

Christopher Merrill speaks with Harris Khalique about literary traditions in Pakistan, the cultural influences of different cities, and the important role of women in Pakistani literature.

South African poet Gabeba Baderoon speaks with Matthew Shenoda about poetry and apartheid in South Africa.

Burmese poet Zeyar Lynn and English poet and translator James Byrne speak with Ilya Kaminsky about poetry from Burma. Need a transcript of this episode? Request a transcript here.

Matthew Shenoda talks with Chris Abani about poetry in Nigeria, the oral and religious traditions in African poetry, and the one-sided conversation between African and European poets.

Vera Pavlova from Russia and Valzhyna Mort from Belurus speak with the director of the Harriet Monroe Poetry Institute, Ilya Kaminsky.

Egyptian-American writer Matthew Shenoda speaks with poet Kwame Dawes about African poetics, reggae, and poetry of the African diaspora. Need a transcript of this episode? Request a transcript here.

Robin Blaser talks at “The Recovery of the Public World” Conference—devoted to his poetry—at the University of British Columbia in June 1995. The recording of this program is used by permission of the Bennett Library Special Collections and Rare Books, Simon Fraser University; and the Estate of Robin Blaser.

An informal conversation remembering the life and work of Elizabeth Bishop, with Lloyd Schwartz, Frank Bidart, Rosanna Warren, Gail Mazur, and Megan Marshall. Conducted at Harvard University in March 2012, and used by permission of the participants and the Woodberry Poetry Room, Harvard College Library. Watch the event video on Youtube here.

A reunion of the Dark Room Collective at the Poetry Foundation in April 2012. This reading features Nehassaiu deGannes, John Keene, Kevin Young, Sharan Strange, Major Jackson, Thomas Sayers Ellis, and Natasha Trethewey. Need a transcript of this episode? Request a transcript here.

An informal conversation between poets John Ashbery and Ron Padgett, remembering the life of Frank O’Hara. Conducted at Harvard University in April 2011, and used by permission of Ron Padgett, John Ashbery, and the Woodberry Poetry Room, Harvard College Library. To see the event video, click here.

Poets Reginald Gibbons, Rachel Jamison Webster, Christina Pugh, and Ed Roberson are accompanied on piano by Mabel Kwan and Ari Brown. Recorded in April 2011, recording courtesy of WBEZ Chicago Amplified.

Kwame Dawes reads poems from four of his books at the Art Institute of Chicago in January 2008. Need a transcript of this episode? Request a transcript here.