Poem-a-Day

Rigoberto González shares a poem about his grandmother's gentle reprimand for storytelling, exploring memory, indigenous heritage, and the art of crafting fiction.

Irene Lara Silva reads her poem 'I Didn't Eat the Sun,' exploring themes of nature, healing, and self-rediscovery through vivid imagery.

Kira Tucker reads the poem 'Precious' by Danusha Lamaris, exploring themes of body, metal, violence, and survival through vivid imagery.

This episode presents a reading of Henry Howard's translation of Martial's Latin epigram about the essential elements for attaining a happy life, followed by brief literary context.

This episode features Sherwood Anderson's poem 'A Poet' with scholarly commentary on its themes of American identity and the poet's desire to connect with people.

This episode features a reading of Louise Glück's poem 'Vita Nova,' exploring themes of memory, beauty, and personal awakening through vivid imagery of spring and youth.

This episode features poet Gregory Orr reading Danusha Lamaris's poem 'And Isn't Everything Risk?' from her upcoming collection, introduced by Lamaris herself.

Kwame Dawes reads his poem 'Window Art,' exploring themes of self-perception, aging, and the body as art through intimate reflection.

Sanam Sheriff reads her poem 'The Emperor Pats His Lips with a Napkin', exploring themes of power, touch, shame, and memory through poetic language.

Todd Turnidge reads his poem 'Moonlight Romantica,' which uses the metaphor of rose rosette disease to explore themes of fear, hope, and new beginnings in life.

Danusha Laméris reads her poem 'Peonies,' exploring the flower's beauty, scent, and metaphorical connections to happiness and loneliness.

Siwar Masannat reads her poem 'With Al-Hudoud,' which explores themes of stolen land, memory, and identity through vivid imagery and personal reflection.

Nikita Deshpande reads her poem 'Postpartum,' which uses vivid color imagery and metaphors to explore the complex emotions of motherhood after childbirth.

A poet reads a deeply personal poem about a son's experience caring for his mother through chronic pain and the emotional weight of their relationship.

This episode presents the poem 'A Dozen Cocktails, Please' by avant-garde poet Elsa von Freytag-Loringhoven, exploring themes of modernity, gender, and consumer culture through fragmented, provocative language.

Angela Narciso Torres reads her sonnet 'Late Bird,' which explores themes of being a late riser and finding beauty in what remains, inspired by Shakespeare.

This episode presents Bliss Carman's poem 'Low Tide on Grand Pré,' a reflective piece about nature, memory, and longing in Acadie, read as part of the Poem a Day series.

Leila Chatti reads a contemporary adaptation of Wordsworth's poem, reflecting on how technology, news, and social media overwhelm our connection to nature and peace.

George Bilgere reads his poem 'After Escher' and reflects on how his perspective on aging and time has deepened over 25 years since writing it.

Sharon Strange reads her poem 'Two-Faced Memory,' which explores childhood memories of a grandmother through vivid imagery of family, grief, and dreams.

Maggie Smith reads the poem 'This Human Life', which explores the contrast between feeling insignificant from a cosmic perspective and feeling vast and alive from within.

This episode features a reading and brief discussion of Leonora Speyer's poem 'She says, Being Forbidden' from her collection 'Fiddler's Farewell', including a review excerpt from Harriet Monroe.

A poetic reflection on grief and memory triggered by encountering lupine flowers in San Antonio while searching for authentic experiences.

Derrick Austin reads the poem 'Audience', exploring themes of connection, absence, and personal reflection through vivid imagery and emotional depth.

Dorianne Laux reads her poem 'Where Is My Friend' and discusses its creation in a Zoom workshop, exploring themes of shadow, belonging, and self-acceptance.

This episode features Esther Lin reading the poem 'Origin Story', which explores themes of motherhood, migration, and heroism through the story of a mother and her son.

Padraig O'Tooma reads his poem 'Our Lady of the Garden' in memory of Paula Merwin, exploring themes of grief, healing, and finding solace in nature.

A poetic reflection on personal history, physicality, and spiritual redemption after incarceration.

This episode features a reading of the poem 'To the Here and Now' by Salem al-Okaly, translated from Arabic by Khaled Mattawa, introduced by author Chris Abani.

A poem by Michelle Bitting, read by Dorianne Lox, explores themes of family, religion, and relationships through a narrative set in 1936 Los Angeles.

Mary-Alice Daniel reads her poem 'Ancestor Syndrome,' exploring themes of heritage, lactose tolerance, and cultural identity through vivid imagery.

January Gill O'Neil reads her poem 'Honeycrisp,' which uses an apple as a metaphor for appetite, devotion, and consuming everything in a relationship.

This episode features Genevieve Taggard's poem 'Going Somewhere,' which explores themes of travel, stillness, and the cyclical nature of existence through vivid imagery.

Rabha Ashry reads her poem 'The Art of Losing,' exploring themes of loss, memory, and personal reflection through vivid imagery and emotional depth.

Vincent Rendoni reads his poem '1985', reflecting on childhood memories, family dynamics, and generational perspectives.

Tiana Clark reads a personal poem about experiencing COVID while alone in Berlin, exploring themes of illness, vulnerability, and language barriers.

Jane Hirshfield reads the poem 'I Speak with the Future,' exploring themes of beauty, paradise, and global conflict through vivid imagery.

This episode features a reading and analysis of Padraic Colum's poem 'The Pigeons,' exploring its themes of usurped freedom and the connection between abused creatures and humans.

A poetry reading by Ladan Osman, inspired by Frank O'Hara and Katie Porter, exploring themes of love, identity, and mortality.

This episode presents and analyzes William Wordsworth's sonnet 'Persuasion,' which explores the transient nature of human life through the metaphor of a sparrow, inspired by Bede's medieval parable.

This is a reading of Pindar's ancient Greek victory ode celebrating Asopichos of Orchomenos' win in the boys' short footrace at the Olympic Games, translated by Ernest Myers.

This episode features a reading and brief analysis of Robert Bridges' poem 'The Evening Darkens Over,' exploring its themes of solitude and nature imagery.

This episode features a reading and analysis of Countee Cullen's poem 'Bright Bindings,' exploring themes of love, faith, and disillusionment through literary commentary.

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This episode features poet Jenny George reading her poem 'Touching and Being Touched,' which explores layers of intimacy between people, nature, and inner selves.

This episode features a reading of Ashaki M.

A poet reads a poem about encountering a tarantula in the shower and reflecting on human coexistence with nature.

Mary Sutton interviews Danusha Lamaris, the March 2026 guest editor for Poem-a-Day, about her approach to curating daily poems.

This episode features a reading and brief analysis of Horace Gregory's poem 'Interior: The Suburbs,' exploring themes of mental restlessness and existential searching in suburban domesticity.

Mary Sutton interviews Dorianne Lox, the guest editor for Poem-a-Day during National Poetry Month, about her curation process, including selecting poets from personal connections and admired works, and learning from past editors.