Poem-a-Day · The Academy of American Poets

Guest Editor Interview: April 2026 Guest Editor Dorianne Laux

·18 min·1 clip

Dorianne Lox reveals her approach to selecting poets for Poem-a-Day's National Poetry Month.

This episode features an interview with former Academy Chancellor Dorianne Lox, the Guest Editor for Poem-a-Day during April's National Poetry Month. Host Mary Sutton, the Academy's Editorial Director, conducts the conversation. Lox is a celebrated poet whose recent collection is titled *Life on Earth*. Lox approached her curation by first compiling a list of poets she personally loves and admires. Her initial list intentionally included many of her own former students who have developed into accomplished poets. She also sought to feature poet friends and poets she had never met but whose work she respected. Lox reviewed previous Poem-a-Day archives to understand the series' scope and different editorial approaches. The final selection required a difficult process of honing down her extensive initial list. She acknowledges this process meant leaving out many worthy poets and poems. A key insight is her view of the guest editor role as a unique chance to interact with admired peers she hasn't met. Her curation philosophy blends personal affection, professional admiration, and a sense of literary community. The process was deeply personal, rooted in her own history as a teacher and her connections within the poetry world. Reviewing past editions served as a practical guide to the series' expectations and variety. The tone is warm, conversational, and reflective, focusing on the editorial process. The style is an informal Q&A between two colleagues familiar with each other. Listeners interested in the behind-the-scenes decisions of literary curation would enjoy this episode. Those seeking deep analysis of individual poems or dramatic narratives might find it less engaging.

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