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Alexander Pope's "Epistle to Dr. Arbuthnot"
Alexander Pope (1688-1744) was notorious for embroiling himself in literary-political controversy–his sharp pen writing scathing checks his 4’6” fram…
1 year, 6 months ago
Richard Wilbur's "A Dubious Night"
Great poets write as much by ear as by sight, and often turn to sonic phenomena for inspiration. The ringing of bells is one of the most time-honored…
1 year, 6 months ago
T. S. Eliot's "Ash Wednesday"
Today’s poem runs the gamut of Italian renaissance poetry, the Book of Common Prayer, and the depths and heights of the human soul. It opens with an …
1 year, 6 months ago
Scott Cairns' "Possible Answers to Prayer"
Librettist, essayist, translator, and author of ten poetry collections, Scott Cairns is Curators’ Distinguished Professor Emeritus at University of M…
1 year, 6 months ago
Rudyard Kipling's "The Camel's Hump"
Today’s poem finds the meeting place between the bump on the log and the one on the camel. Happy reading.
This is a public episode. If you'd like to …
1 year, 6 months ago
Langston Hughes' "Dreams"
Today’s poem plays nicely against Hughes’ more famous meditation on “dreams” (the deferred kind, in “Harlem”). Rather than emphasizing the danger of …
1 year, 6 months ago
Richard Henry Horne's "The Plough"
Today’s poem features a simple but satisfying sleight of hand. Happy reading.
Richard Henry Horne (1802-1884), poet, was born on 31 December 1802 at E…
1 year, 6 months ago
Edward Lear's "The Owl and the Pussy-Cat"
Today’s poem is the best-remembered work of the beloved “nonsense poet” Edward Lear–a silly lyric about a serious love. The episode also features a f…
1 year, 6 months ago
Gary Soto's "Oranges"
Today’s poem will leave you “knowing very well what it was all about.” Happy reading.
Gary Soto was born in Fresno, California on April 12, 1952, to w…
1 year, 6 months ago
Maurice Manning's "A Plank from the Platform"
Today’s poem is a meditation on speech in the voice of a president. Perfect for an obligatory federal holiday. Happy reading.
This is a public episod…
1 year, 6 months ago