Poetry

Philosopher, poet, and non-believer Jennifer Michael Hecht shares her passion for verse, text, and ritual.

from Life Examined

April is National Poetry Month. California’s 10th poet laureate talks about why the state is an ideal place for poetry and what made him who he is today.

from KCRW Features

Host Jonathan Bastian talks with David Whyte about the power of the written and spoken word.

Poet David Whyte; on writing the unspeakable

Host Jonathan Bastian talks with David Whyte about the power of the written and spoken word.

from Life Examined

August MacDonald finds peace in writing poems. She writes about brains and bodies and how humans are changing chameleons.

Young Creators Project spotlight: August MacDonald

August MacDonald finds peace in writing poems. She writes about brains and bodies and how humans are changing chameleons.

from Poetry Submissions

Jacqueline Chow loves bugs. Her poetry speaks to the true beauty of nature.

Young Creators Project spotlight: Jacqueline Chow

Jacqueline Chow loves bugs. Her poetry speaks to the true beauty of nature.

from Poetry Submissions

Gillian Chamberlin’s haunting and beautiful poems will make readers long and ache. She says that writing poetry allows her to make her thoughts more digestible.

Young Creators Project poet spotlight: Gillian Chamberlin

Gillian Chamberlin’s haunting and beautiful poems will make readers long and ache. She says that writing poetry allows her to make her thoughts more digestible.

from Poetry Submissions

Salome Agbaroji, a high school student in Artesia, loves the adrenaline of performing spoken word poetry. Her writing speaks to the beauty and disparities in her hometown of LA.

Young Creators Project spotlight: Salome Agbaroji

Salome Agbaroji, a high school student in Artesia, loves the adrenaline of performing spoken word poetry. Her writing speaks to the beauty and disparities in her hometown of LA.

from Poetry Submissions

Poetry teacher and performer Aiyana Sha’niel is the youngest graduate of the Community Literature Initiative program.

Young Creators Poet spotlight: Aiyana Sha’niel

Poetry teacher and performer Aiyana Sha’niel is the youngest graduate of the Community Literature Initiative program.

from Poetry Submissions

Editor/poet Emily Skillings and poet/critic John Yau speak about an iconic poet of the 21st century, John Ashbery, and his posthumous book, “Parallel Movement of the Hands: Five…

Emily Skillings and John Yau: John Ashbery’s “Parallel Movement of the Hands: Five Unfinished Longer Works” (Re-air)

Editor/poet Emily Skillings and poet/critic John Yau speak about an iconic poet of the 21st century, John Ashbery, and his posthumous book, “Parallel Movement of the Hands: Five…

from Bookworm

Rita Dove’s new book of poetry, “Playlist for the Apocalypse,” goes in many different historical and personal directions.

Rita Dove: “Playlist for the Apocalypse” (Re-air)

Rita Dove’s new book of poetry, “Playlist for the Apocalypse,” goes in many different historical and personal directions.

from Bookworm

Celebrate National Poetry Month with favorites from the Bookworm archives spotlighting luminary poets and their treasured books.

Bookworm’s Favorite Poetry Books: From the Beats to Beyonce

Celebrate National Poetry Month with favorites from the Bookworm archives spotlighting luminary poets and their treasured books.

from Bookworm

The debut novel of Robert Jones, Jr., “The Prophets,” is lyrical prose about the dimensionality and interiority of people.

Robert Jones, Jr.: “The Prophets” (Re-air)

The debut novel of Robert Jones, Jr., “The Prophets,” is lyrical prose about the dimensionality and interiority of people.

from Bookworm

To celebrate National Poetry Month and her debut album “Are You Happy Now?”, LA bard-songstress Jensen McRae delivers an intimate performance and candid conversation about writing, coming of age, and courage.

Live from Anne’s Backyard: Jensen McRae

To celebrate National Poetry Month and her debut album “Are You Happy Now?”, LA bard-songstress Jensen McRae delivers an intimate performance and candid conversation about writing, coming of age, and courage.

from Live From

Pioneering LA poet Michelle T. Clinton stopped by “SNAP!” in 1984 to perform a sequence of groundbreaking poems, including “Did She Bleed,” “High Blood/Pressure,” and “I Wanna Be Black.”

Michelle T. Clinton

Pioneering LA poet Michelle T. Clinton stopped by “SNAP!” in 1984 to perform a sequence of groundbreaking poems, including “Did She Bleed,” “High Blood/Pressure,” and “I Wanna Be Black.”

from Bent by Nature

Master poet Honoree Fanonne Jeffers discusses her fiction debut, “The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois.”

Honoree Fanonne Jeffers: “The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois” (Part 1)

Master poet Honoree Fanonne Jeffers discusses her fiction debut, “The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois.”

from Bookworm

Host Jonathan Bastian talks with David Whyte about the power of the written and spoken word.

Poet David Whyte; on writing the unspeakable

Host Jonathan Bastian talks with David Whyte about the power of the written and spoken word.

from Life Examined

Teresa K. Miller discusses “Borderline Fortune,” which won her the National Poetry Series, when she was about ready to give up on herself.

Teresa K. Miller with Carol Muske-Dukes “Borderline Fortune”

Teresa K. Miller discusses “Borderline Fortune,” which won her the National Poetry Series, when she was about ready to give up on herself.

from Bookworm

A native Angeleno, Lynne Thompson says the city informs the way she writes.

LA poet laureate Lynne Thompson on the ‘kernels of poems’ inside all of us

A native Angeleno, Lynne Thompson says the city informs the way she writes.

from Greater LA

Today marks the 80th birthday of an artist who has shared his wisdom and words for the last 60 years to a global audience.

Celebrate Bob Dylan’s 80th birthday with our sound collage mixtape

Today marks the 80th birthday of an artist who has shared his wisdom and words for the last 60 years to a global audience.

from Music Special Programming

Biographer Brad Gooch reveals that he traveled 2500 miles to trace Rumi's footsteps, learned Persian and spent eight years to write “Rumi's Secret: The Life of the Sufi Poet of Love.”

Brad Gooch: Rumi's Secret

Biographer Brad Gooch reveals that he traveled 2500 miles to trace Rumi's footsteps, learned Persian and spent eight years to write “Rumi's Secret: The Life of the Sufi Poet of Love.”

from Bookworm

Rita Dove’s new book of poetry, “Playlist for the Apocalypse,” goes in many different historical and personal directions.

Rita Dove: “Playlist for the Apocalypse”

Rita Dove’s new book of poetry, “Playlist for the Apocalypse,” goes in many different historical and personal directions.

from Bookworm

A tribute to the co-founder of the highly influential independent bookstore and publisher City Lights, renowned poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti.

A Tribute to Lawrence Ferlinghetti: “Time of Useful Consciousness”

A tribute to the co-founder of the highly influential independent bookstore and publisher City Lights, renowned poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti.

from Bookworm

In a special Scheer Intelligence from a March 2019 conversation, Robert Scheer talks with his lifelong friend and legendary poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti, who passed recently in San…

In conversation with Lawrence Ferlinghetti

In a special Scheer Intelligence from a March 2019 conversation, Robert Scheer talks with his lifelong friend and legendary poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti, who passed recently in San…

from Scheer Intelligence

Arlo Parks is an incredible 20-year-old singer-songwriter, musician, and poet. Arlo Parks joined us for a conversation and an exclusive performance for Morning Becomes Eclectic.

How Arlo Parks followed her musical instincts into ‘Sunbeams’

Arlo Parks is an incredible 20-year-old singer-songwriter, musician, and poet. Arlo Parks joined us for a conversation and an exclusive performance for Morning Becomes Eclectic.

from Morning Becomes Eclectic

Joel Whitney joins Robert Scheer to talk about the lives of poets George and Mary Oppen, two admirable Americans persecuted for their leftist ideals.

The Egregious Price America Exacts for Integrity

Joel Whitney joins Robert Scheer to talk about the lives of poets George and Mary Oppen, two admirable Americans persecuted for their leftist ideals.

from Scheer Intelligence

Those who read to write will want to hear Eileen Myles talk about “For Now,” which is part of the "Why I Write" series from Yale University Press.

Eileen Myles: “For Now (Why I Write)”

Those who read to write will want to hear Eileen Myles talk about “For Now,” which is part of the "Why I Write" series from Yale University Press.

from Bookworm

Jane Hirshfield , award-winning poet and essayist joins KCRW’s Jonathan Bastian from her home in Northern California to discuss her newest collection of poems, “Ledger.”

Jane Hirshfield on why poets treasure pondering life’s abysses

Jane Hirshfield , award-winning poet and essayist joins KCRW’s Jonathan Bastian from her home in Northern California to discuss her newest collection of poems, “Ledger.”

from Life Examined