Poets At War

Joshua David Ling
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Art. Theology. Philosophy. Fun. Poets At War is a gathering place for Christian artists engaged in the culture war of worldviews. Hosted by Joshua David Ling, this podcast explores the intersection of creativity and faith through conversations that range from deeply philosophical to lightheartedly humorous. Drawing inspiration from Tolkien, Lewis, Calvin, Augustine, and Chesterton, Poets At War invites listeners into an authentic community of creators who are serious about their craft and convictions while maintaining a spirit of camaraderie and joy.

  1. 9h ago

    Poets At War Ep. 270: Electron Magic, Epic Poetry, & Whit's End

    Welcome to Poets at War, a podcast documenting the brood of writers, where art, theology, philosophy, and fun beckon your ears.Today on the program, Joshua David Ling is joined by Alex, Aaron, and Dante for a late-night work-gathering recorded February 11, 2026. Aaron kicks things off with a heavily-reworked opening chapter built around a fantasy magic system that runs on literal quantum physics — his mages control electrons, collapsing probability the way the Copenhagen interpretation demands — and the Brood breaks down why "insider trading in quantum physics" might be the best summary of a magic system ever said out loud.Then the night pivots into a full Guardians of Atlanta season-one autopsy. Dante, fresh off reading the entire series, delivers honest first-reader critiques: Cyrus reads as the true primary, William is too hot-headed for a leader, Bobby feels shallow, Brock needs a ballad. That ignites a Fellowship of the Ring vs. A New Hope debate on standalone stories, a deep dive into the Knights of Adonai's real-world church-history parallels (J. Gresham Machen, the OPC, and the fundamentalist–modernist controversy), and the reveal that the four Guardians are archetypes of the South itself. Joshua walks through his modular "10 poems per episode, 10 episodes per season" production model, the tell-and-song hybrid format, and teases season two — including a Christmas episode William would rather die than celebrate. And it all caps off with a confirmation that will break Adventures in Odyssey fans: the true identity of Mr. H.Chapters:00:00 — General's Report & Life Updates — Aaron's accidental 2,000-word writing day, Joshua's 600-poem library app, and Alex's thrift-store dining-room tour10:40 — Aaron Reads: Lightning & Stone — the reworked first chapter, featuring Alev and the "lightning is the husband, stone is the wife" lore25:40 — The Quantum Physics of Magic — knowledge vs. authority, electron control, and the bad guys who hold all the healing power41:30 — Dante's Guardians Autopsy — a new reader's honest first-impression critique of the cast48:50 — A New Hope vs. The Fellowship — the standalone-story debate, and "Bobby is my Legolas"58:00 — Production Plans & The Hybrid Format — one poem at a time, tell-and-song, and Enchanting Epics1:00:10 — Bobby: The Deliberate Odd Man Out — the deist among Christians, the circus-cult, the arcane trickster rogue1:04:30 — Freakshow, Amy, & The Sanderson Standard — the best-executed episode, and Amy the Frankenstein's monster1:13:30 — Amira's Broken Blessing — the twin, the power-drawing, and the foster-care stunting1:16:40 — Knights of Adonai & Real Church History — Machen, the OPC, and William's defensive hot-headedness1:22:20 — Season Two: The Christmas Episode — William vs. Christmas, and Amira's new faith1:27:00 — Red Death's Inner Circle — Philip Keller, Rose & Lily, Jack Skelton, and Berserk1:31:00 — Writing Sessions & Method Acting — Friday the 20th, and Dante's plan to get inside William's head1:38:00 — Four Archetypes of the South — Cyrus, William, Amira, and Bobby, from a 15-year-old's notebook1:46:00 — Shadowlash & The World of Odyssey Reveal — the three enchanted objects, cloned wine, and Mr. H's secret identity.Join The Brood: https://joshuadavidling.com/discord | Support Patreon: https://patreon.com/poetsatwar

  2. Aug 14

    Poets At War Ep. 269: Church AV, Conversion Vans, & The Alien Weather Girl

    Welcome to Poets at War, a podcast documenting the brood of writers, where art, theology, philosophy, and fun beckon your ears.Today on the program, Joshua David Ling hosts a casual brood hangout recorded on his daughter Hazel's 8th birthday. Carey joins from his new Louisiana home with a full house tour, and Daniel pops in later to catch up on work, faith, and creative burnout.The conversation ranges from Joshua's church AV struggles (85-inch TVs vs. projectors) and his legendary key fob microchip disaster that totaled his Ford Escape, to a deep dive on the Scots language, the proper way to eat boudin chicken patties, and whether Minecraft counts as "cool." Joshua also unveils the hilarious original origin of Cyrus Jones — a weather-controlling farm girl who fights aliens — and his former plans to turn it into a 2D platformer. Plus: new gear, Narnia therapy, and why trade school isn't always the answer.Chapters: 00:00 — Intro & Recorded on Hazel's Birthday 00:31 — Opening Poem & War Zone 00:52 — Church AV, Big TVs, & Carrie's Move 05:00 — Conversion Vans, School Buses, & the Key Fob Calamity 12:48 — First Cars & Transmission Woes 16:40 — Joshua's Book Edits & Church Filming 18:40 — Carrie's Appliance Repair & Wildlife Work 19:30 — Scots Language Deep Dive: Bairn & Lum Reek 24:44 — Louisiana Food: Boudin, Hibachi, & Southern Buffets 27:44 — Minecraft Redstone & 90s Lego Space Nostalgia 30:37 — Carrie's New House Tour 36:54 — Hazel's 8th Birthday & Daniel Arrives 38:00 — Fast Food Debates & Snack Wrap Eras 42:30 — Gaming: Mario, Skyrim, Myst, & Dispatch 47:00 — Trade Schools, Work Ethic, & Apprenticeships 57:00 — The Rookie & Female Cops in Fiction 59:00 — Daniel's Work Struggles & Hydration Science 1:03:00 — Joshua's App Building & Game Maker Project 1:06:34 — Cyrus Jones' Secret Origin: Aliens vs. The Weather Girl 1:08:30 — New Gear: Webcam, Teleprompter, & Mic Arm 1:11:40 — Narnia as Soul Food & Wrapping Up 1:15:41 — Outro & Closing Poem

  3. Aug 8

    Poets At War Ep. 268: The Broodcast July 2026

    Welcome to Poets at War, a podcast documenting the brood of writers, where art, theology, philosophy, and fun beckon your ears. Today on the program, we gather the troops for the monthly Broodcast! The writers assemble in the barracks to share their latest dispatches from the creative front lines.General Joshua David Ling kicks off by reading the next installment of Marty Francom's Civil War-era novel The Cane in the Field, following Virgil Cain's wrenching decision to run away to war with his younger brother Samuel — provoking a Brood-wide debate on the art of the simile and whether "darker than the inside of a cow" works in character voice. New recruit Ethan (SaurianScribe) shares two original prologues from his fantasy universe — a plane crash into a ruined skyscraper and a graveyard encounter in a wasteland — earning praise for his alliteration and worldbuilding. Ian Wilson then unleashes Chapter 8 of Heart of the Stars, where the wizard Azariah, a talking orange cat named Fred who pilots a Volkswagen van into space, and interdimensional arachnoid demons, leading to a dream-casting session (Christopher Lloyd vs. Eric Avari to play Azariah). Brendan shares the kinetic dragon-slaying climax of his fantasy novel — the heartbeat repetition, the final sword thrust — earning the title of "best action writer in the Brood." Joshua reads a raw-text chapter from Joel Stanley's sci-fi universe, exploring nanite handlers, shared dreaming, and post-battle healing. Finally, Joshua premieres two new poems from Idiot's Guide to Illegal Tech Repair ("Diners in Space" and "Idiot Dope") on his custom-built lyricanium reader, revealing that Waffle House is, in fact, space canon.Chapters: 00:00:00 — Intro & Broodcast Roll Call 00:11:19 — Joshua Reads Marty Francom: The Cane in the Field 00:28:36 — Feedback on Marty's Story 00:40:30 — Ethan (SaurianScribe) Shares: Prologue 1 — Sizable Adventures 00:49:35 — Interruption & Baby Time 00:53:28 — Ethan Shares: Prologue 2 — Destiny for Revival 00:59:28 — Feedback on Ethan's Prologues 01:11:23 — Ian Wilson Reads: Heart of the Stars Chapter 8 01:26:44 — Feedback on Ian's Story & Dream-casting Azariah 01:44:29 — Brendan Shares: Dragon-Slaying Climax 01:51:06 — Feedback on Brendan's Story 01:58:29 — Joshua Reads Joel Stanley's Sci-Fi Chapter: "Time to Rest" 02:09:43 — Feedback on Joel's Chapter 02:13:44 — Joshua's Poetry: Idiot's Guide to Illegal Tech Repair 02:21:26 — Feedback on Joshua's Poems 02:28:10 — Outro & Closing BlessingYou too can be a part of the brood of writers and Poets at War. Just visit https://JoshuaDavidLing.com/Discord to join. If you're a true poetry patriot, you can support us on and Patreon, which has been newly relaunched at https://patreon.com/poetsatwar/ and get the recordings of all of our encouraging and strategic meetings early and uncut! Over and out.

  4. Jul 31

    Poets At War Ep. 267: Swagger, Spiders, and Space Princesses

    Welcome to Poets at War, a podcast documenting the brood of writers, where art, theology, philosophy, and fun beckon your ears. The Brood assembles for an evening that ranges from music theory to alien invasions. Joshua kicks off with a deep dive into the evolution of hip-hop, the death of swagger in rock, and why Outkast matters — even playing a sample to prove his point. Ian Wilson shares an extensive outline for his middle-grade sci-fi novel Heart of the Stars, featuring giant spiders, a wizard named Azariah, a time-traveling cat named Fred, and a bully who decides life on an alien planet beats his trailer back home. The gang plays "Fallout Boy Song or Anime Title?" and reveals which movie character they most closely associate with. Plus: Brendan's work woes, Joshua's chronic stress management, and a scheduling check-in for future episodes.Chapters:00:00 — Weather Check-In & Brood Chat Recap05:10 — Joshua's Daughter Turns Eight10:00 — Hip-Hop, Rock, and the Nature of Swagger17:35 — Joshua Plays a Music Sample23:00 — Rap vs. Hip-Hop: Defining the Genres27:40 — Ian Reads Heart of the Stars Outline40:30 — Feedback on Ian's Story47:00 — Fallout Boy Song or Anime Title? (The Game)54:40 — What Movie Character Do You Associate With?1:02:30 — Work Updates: Brendan, Daniel, and Joshua1:14:30 — Brendan's New AI-Assisted Story Idea1:18:00 — Scheduling & Close

  5. Jul 24

    Poets At War Ep. 266: Commerce, Broadway, and Dignity in Dress

    Welcome to Poets at War, a podcast documenting the brood of writers, where art, theology, philosophy, and fun beckon your ears. This is Part 2 of a marathon recording session with the Brood, and the dispatches are flying fast and thick.The conversation kicks off with Alex delivering a passionate breakdown of Wickard v. Philburn and the Commerce Clause, before pivoting headfirst into Joshua's latest experiments in vibe-coded web development — a secret terminal architecture with a premium paywall hidden behind Easter-egg UX. The Brood then assembles into a war council for the "Guardians of Atlanta" opera-musical-audio-drama project, debating the Howard Ashman model (speak until you can't, sing until you can't, dance), whether Zeke's prophecy should be sung-through or spoken, and casting calls for Reed Jones and Crusader himself. Brendan and Jesse engage in an extended workshop on the psychology of artistic practice — why we stall, how to push through the "blue screen of the soul" — anchored by Ian McKellen's Hobbit breakdown as a metaphor for creative isolation. Finally, Alex reads a lengthy passage from Robert Farrar Capon's "Offering of Uncles" on the theology of clothing, the body, and why men's fashion has surrendered to a culture of tubes and leather thongs. Jesse expands this into a full treatise on V-silhouettes, diamond body theory, and why every youth pastor in skinny jeans is a sin against proportion.Timestamps: 00:00:00 — Intro & Part 2 Kickoff 00:00:16 — The Commerce Clause: Wickard v. Philburn 00:06:30 — Joshua's Secret Terminal: Vibe-Coding a Premium Website 00:09:24 — Guardian of Atlanta: Ashman vs. Sung-Through Debate 00:24:12 — Reed Jones & William Avery: Voice Casting the Brood 00:28:41 — Alex's Project: Reformatting Papal Encyclicals & Economics Ed 00:36:14 — Brendan & Jesse: The Psychology of Artistic Practice 00:40:30 — Ian McKellen, Green Screens & the Loneliness of Creation 00:43:00 — The Drawing Challenge: Practice vs. Finished Work 00:48:20 — Alex's Reading: Capon's "Offering of Uncles" on the Body & Fashion 01:25:10 — Jesse's Fashion Theory: Male Hourglass, Female Diamond, the Thirds/Thirds Ratio 01:41:10 — The Problem with Modern Men's Wear & Cultural Laziness 01:45:20 — Outro & Sign-offYou too can be a part of the brood of writers and Poets at War. Just visit JoshuaDavidLing.com/Discord to join. If you're a true poetry patriot, you can support us on Substack and Patreon and get recordings of all of our encouraging and strategic meetings, along with much more. Once again, all links can be found at joshuadavidling.com. Over and out.

  6. Jul 17

    Poets At War Ep. 265: Magic Terminals, Guild Economics, & The Two Tyrannies

    Welcome to Poets at War, a podcast documenting the brood of writers, where art, theology, philosophy, and fun beckon your ears.Today on the program, Joshua David Ling is joined by Jesse, Alex, Carrie, and Stephen for a three-hour barn burner split into two parts. This is Part 1 — a dense, wide-ranging conversation that moves from vibe-coded website magic to a deep critique of capitalism, liberalism, and the walls that make freedom possible.Chapters:00:00 — General's Report & The Magic Terminal — Joshua opens with a weather check (snow flurries, Hurricane Helene aftershocks) before unveiling his latest vibe-coding project: a premium website with a secret "magic terminal," Payhip passcode integration, 10-year browser cookies, and a Netflix-style thumbnail grid.19:06 — Joshua's Writing Software & Version Control — A rebuilt poetry writing app with indented series/season/episode structure, Automator versioning, and full text-to-speech across manuscripts.23:30 — Alex's Economics Education: Rerum Novarum — Alex walks through his EPUB reformatting project, reading from Pope Leo XIII's 1891 encyclical on the rights and duties of capital and labor, the nature of private property, and Christian trade unions as instruments of moral education.33:30 — The Liberal Heart: Capitalism as Totalizing Philosophy — The conversation deepens into a critique of liberalism, the amorality of capitalism, the sexual revolution as capitalism applied to sex, attention as commodity, and Chesterton's giraffe — why art and morality consist of drawing the line somewhere.58:13 — Tech Upgrades & The Music Album — Joshua shows off his new Toner mic arm, YOLO Live webcam, and teleprompter monitor, then plays tracks from his Suno AI-assisted album including "Minstrel Boy" and "Kings of the Backyard."1:06:10 — Jesse's World-Building & Drawing Practice — Jesse shares his 5-year Minecraft-derived fantasy world, "moth with the sword" artwork, and a discussion on bad practice vs good practice — doing the same thing over and over vs intentional growth.1:14:40 — Outro & Call to Action — Closing remarks and poem.To join the Brood and participate in future recordings, visit https://joshuadavidling.com

  7. Jul 10

    Poets At War Ep. 264: Pipes, Caffeine Crashes, & The Brood Animated Movie

    Today on the program, Joshua David Ling is joined by Jesse, Carrie, Daniel, and Alex for a massive, multi-topic roundtable. The conversation kicks off with some wild life updates, including stolen trucks, insurance woes, and Joshua's latest vintage book acquisition. The crew then dives into the art of hand-carving wooden pipes and the struggles of using AI to generate complex musical arrangements.As the episode progresses, the guys share some hilarious and terrifying caffeine stories, from Joshua's unforgettable Sobe drink crash during football practice to a legendary 10-shot espresso dare. The conversation takes a surreal turn as they recount profound and bizarre dreams, including a heroic British butler, the Beast of Revelation, and a zombie from the Princess Bride. Finally, Joshua fan-casts the "Brood Animated Movie" with 80s Hollywood legends and introduces the group to the comedic genius of Key & Peele's East/West Bowl sketches.You too can be a part of the brood of writers and Poets at War. Just visit https://JoshuaDavidLing.com/Discord to join.If you're a true poetry patriot, you can support us on Substack and Patreon and get the recordings of all of our encouraging and strategic meetings, along with much more. Once again, all links can be found at joshuadavidling.com. Over and out.Chapters:00:00:00 - Intro & Stolen Trucks00:02:30 - Joshua's Vintage Book Acquisition00:05:40 - Hand-Carved Pipes & Smoking00:08:00 - AI Music Generation & "The Prophecy"00:10:00 - Trade Schools vs. Apprenticeships00:13:00 - Funny News: Don Lemon & The KKK Act00:16:30 - The Art of Crafting a Wooden Pipe00:23:00 - Vintage Leather Jackets00:31:50 - Making Peanut Butter Sandwiches & Fatherhood Skits00:37:30 - Broodcast Updates & Poetry Boot Camp Ideas00:44:15 - Sobe Drinks & A Caffeine Crash Story00:48:00 - The 10 Shots of Espresso Dare00:50:00 - Profound Dreams: Mr. Wendell & The Beast of Revelation01:01:15 - Casting The Brood Animated Movie01:11:00 - Key & Peele's East/West Bowl Names01:17:30 - Mythbusters, Battlebots, & Upcoming Conferences

  8. Jul 3

    Poets At War Ep. 263: The Broodcast June 2026

    Welcome to Poets at War, a podcast documenting the brood of writers, where art, theology, philosophy, and fun beckon your ears.In this episode, Joshua David Ling hosts another Broodcast, where members of the Brood gather to share their latest creative writings and pitches. Joshua and Daniel kick things off by answering a challenge to pitch a D&D-themed cop show, resulting in "DNDPD" and a cozy mystery involving a bookstore-owning Dungeon Master. Ian then shares a thrilling and terrifying chapter from his story "Heart of the Stars," featuring giant spiders, a wizard named Azariah, and a very helpful cat named Fred. Abby brings a fun, urban fantasy vibe with "The Lightning Night," a story about an airport security guard dealing with Fae hooligans trying to smuggle swords through a checkpoint. Finally, Joshua reads a gripping chapter from Marty Francom's Civil War-era story, exploring the sobering reality of war fever.You too can be a part of the brood of writers and Poets at War. Just visit https://JoshuaDavidLing.com/Discord to join. If you're a true poetry patriot, you can support us on Substack and Patreon and get the recordings of all of our encouraging and strategic meetings, along with much more. Once again, all links can be found at joshuadavidling.com. Over and out.Chapters:00:00:00 - Intro & Apology to Joel Stanley00:18:30 - Joshua's Pitch: DNDPD (D&D Cop Show)00:25:55 - Daniel's Pitch00:28:15 - Feedback on Joshua & Daniel's Pitches00:35:00 - Ian Shares: "Heart of the Stars" Chapter 700:48:15 - Feedback on Ian's Story00:59:00 - Abby Shares: "The Lightning Night" Part One01:08:05 - Feedback on Abby's Story01:15:00 - Joshua Reads Marty Frankham's Story (Chapter 2)01:23:45 - Feedback on Marty's Story & Outro

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About

Art. Theology. Philosophy. Fun. Poets At War is a gathering place for Christian artists engaged in the culture war of worldviews. Hosted by Joshua David Ling, this podcast explores the intersection of creativity and faith through conversations that range from deeply philosophical to lightheartedly humorous. Drawing inspiration from Tolkien, Lewis, Calvin, Augustine, and Chesterton, Poets At War invites listeners into an authentic community of creators who are serious about their craft and convictions while maintaining a spirit of camaraderie and joy.

Information

  • Creator
    Joshua David Ling
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    270
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Joshua David Ling
  • Show Website
    Poets At War