Inspiring Podcasts for Poetry Lovers
In recent years, podcasts have become a go-to source for discovering entertaining and inspiring content, harkening back to the golden age of radio in the early 20th century. There is something special about sitting on the floor and turning the dial to your favorite radio show. Instead, these days, we pop in earbuds and kick back in computer chairs to take a moment away from the busy video-driven world, and we just listen.
With nearly limitless themes covering just about any topic you can think of, creative writing and poetry are finding their way into a plethora of audio shows. There are a ton of enjoyable poetry-themed podcasts popping up from well-known magazines, famous poets, or budding writers and organizations you've never heard of. Each brings something a little different to the table that will uniquely inspire you.
Here are a few favorites we hope will move you to write a poem, read a book by a newly discovered poet, or simply keep you entertained while you get through your day.
The Slowdown
Produced in partnership with the Poetry Foundation, The Slowdown is hosted by former U.S. Poet Laureate Tracy K Smith. Each weekday, Tracy reads a poem curated often to compliment what's going on in the world.
Recently, many episodes have been dedicated to bringing awareness of racial injustice through poetry. Each episode, only about five minutes long, starts with Tracy's insight about the poem and it's relation to her and society. It's an excellent way to step away from the daily grind for a quick dose of poetry.
Have You Heard George's Podcast?
If you haven't heard of him (or his podcast), you'll definitely want to give this one a listen. George The Poet is a London-based spoken word artist, social commentator, and recording artist of Ugandan heritage. He uses poetry to shed light on institutionalized racial injustices people face in the U.K. and the rest of the world. He also focuses on community outreach and other current affairs. George the Poet's spoken-word delivery is lyrically profound and moving. Rest assured, you will be inspired.
Interesting People Reading Poetry
Hosted by brothers Andy and Brendan Sterner, Interesting People Reading Poetry is a short, casual audio show that features artists, musicians, journalists, professors, and other inspiring "luminaries" to pick a favorite poem to read and give insight on what it means to them.
The really cool thing about this podcast is that each featured artist adds their own unique charm. They do this by singing the lines, reading a poem in its original language, or relating it to their specific field of work.
Commonplace: Conversations with Poets (and Other People)
Poet Rachel Zucker's show takes a more casual approach to highlight everyday life through creative people's eyes. This podcast is a behind-the-scenes into the regular lives that many people forget poets and artists still have to live. Whether cooking a meal or taking a morning jog, when you're an artist, simple routines can inspire the building blocks of success. Although this podcast is more about the creative process, it proves to be very valuable. Learning how others find their creativity in everyday life via casual conversation is inspiring and eye-opening.
The New Yorker's Poetry Podcast
The New Yorker's poetry podcast is hosted by the magazine's poetry editor, Kevin Young. Each episode features a contemporary poet that has been published in the New Yorker. The poet shares a poem from the magazine's archives then sparks a conversation with the host discussing the piece. Afterward, the guest poet reads a poem of their own. This podcast's format is creative and engaging. Plus, you get to hear two different poems in each episode!
Dharma Bumz - A podcast by PSPOETS
We have also relaunched our own podcast this summer!
Dharma Bumz is hosted by pspoets co-founders Sergio Cacciotti and Chase Maser. It explores various topics that focus on creative writing, art, music, theater, anything that explores the nature of art and the lifestyle it creates.
The relaunch episode is conversation-based, where Sergio and Chase talk about Sergio's experiences in East Berlin as a teenager. The following episodes discuss creative writing basics and our upcoming Earth E-book release.
New episodes are in the works, so please tune in on Apple Podcast to catch our show and follow us on social media for more updates!