SLEERICKETS

Matthew Buckley Smith
  • 4.8 (40)
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Welcome to SLEERICKETS, a podcast about poetry and other intractable problems.

  1. Possible Horrible Truth, Pt. 1

    5H AGO

    Possible Horrible Truth, Pt. 1

    NB: Sideways was actually co-written by Jim Taylor and Alexander Payne. SLEERICKETS is a podcast about poetry and other intractable problems. Make a one-time donation (not tax-deductible) For more SLEERICKETS, subscribe to SECRET SHOW! Leave the show a rating here! SLEERICKETS is now on YouTube! For a frank, anonymous critique on SLEERICKETS, subscribe to the SECRET SHOW and send a poem of no more 32 lines to sleerickets [at] gmail [dot] com Some of the topics mentioned in this episode: – Order Brian’s book The Optimists! It’s so good!Now give Brian’s book a 5-star review! – My chapbook The Soft Black Stars is out now! – Poems Beautiful and Useful, ed. Victoria Moul – To Lucasta, Going to the Wars by Richard Lovelace – Greater Metropolitan Shatador, ft. Victoria Moul – The Matrix (1999) – Jenny, the Halloween Spy by Lillie Patterson – The Statue of Responsibility (the one about Man’s Search for Meaning) – The Denial of Death by Ernest Becker – Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace – The Razor’s Edge by W. Somerset Maugham – The Optimists by Brian Platzer – The Mattering Instinct by Rebecca Newberger Goldstein – The Last Messiah by Peter Zapffe – The Conspiracy Against the Human Race by Thomas Ligotti – Inferno I, 32 by Jorge Luis Borges – Sideways (2004) – The Gay Science by Friedrich Nietzsche – Big in Romania, ft. Versecraft (the one where Elijah talks with Alice about The Denial of Death) – St. Judas by James Wright – The Mountain Pass, ft. Philip Metres, Part 1 & Part 2 – Tichborne’s Elegy by Chidiock Tichborne – Happy were he could finish forth his fate by Robert Devereaux – Ode on Solitude by Alexander Pope – Ars Poetica by Horace – Epode ii by Horace – The Fall of Rome by W. H. Auden – Riddley Walker by Russell Hoban Frequently mentioned names: – Joshua Mehigan – Shane McCrae – A. E. Stallings – Ryan Wilson – Morri Creech – Austin Allen – Jonathan Farmer – Zara Raab – Amit Majmudar – Ethan McGuire – Coleman Glenn – Chris Childers – Alexis Sears – JP Gritton – Alex Pepple – Ernie Hilbert – Joanna Pearson – Matt Wall – Steve Knepper – Helena Feder – David Yezzi – Victoria Moul – Katie Dozier & Tim Green – George David Clark – Tristram Fane Saunders – Philip Metres Other Ratbag Poetry Pods: Poetry Says by Alice Allan I Hate Matt Wall by Matt Wall Versecraft by Elijah Perseus Blumov Advice from an Unknown Poet by Alice Allan & Jonathan Farmer Ratbag Poetics By David Jalal Motamed Alice: In Future Posts Brian: @BPlatzer Cameron: Minor Tiresias Matthew: sleerickets [at] gmail [dot] com Music by ETRNL Art by Daniel Alexander Smith

    1h 33m
  2. Literary Matters 18.2

    APR 26

    Literary Matters 18.2

    SLEERICKETS is a podcast about poetry and other intractable problems. Make a one-time donation (not tax-deductible) For more SLEERICKETS, subscribe to SECRET SHOW! Leave the show a rating here! SLEERICKETS is now on YouTube! For a frank, anonymous critique on SLEERICKETS, subscribe to the SECRET SHOW and send a poem of no more 32 lines to sleerickets [at] gmail [dot] com Some of the topics mentioned in this episode: – Order Brian’s book The Optimists! It’s so good!Now give Brian’s book a 5-star review! – My chapbook The Soft Black Stars is out now! – On Marriage by Victoria Moul – Literary Matters 18.2 – Not the Greatest Time to Be a Poet, ft. Horace & Friends, Part 1 & Part 2 – Handbook for the Recently Deceased Poet – A dolphin for the Dutch; or, is there any verse culture without occasional poems? by Victoria Moul – Merrily We Roll Along by Stephen Sondheim and George Furth – The Lower Depths by Maxim Gorky – Rachel Getting Married (2008) – Glee (2009–2015) – Sinners (2025) Frequently mentioned names: – Joshua Mehigan – Shane McCrae – A. E. Stallings – Ryan Wilson – Morri Creech – Austin Allen – Jonathan Farmer – Zara Raab – Amit Majmudar – Ethan McGuire – Coleman Glenn – Chris Childers – Alexis Sears – JP Gritton – Alex Pepple – Ernie Hilbert – Joanna Pearson – Matt Wall – Steve Knepper – Helena Feder – David Yezzi – Victoria Moul – Katie Dozier & Tim Green – George David Clark – Tristram Fane Saunders – Philip Metres Other Ratbag Poetry Pods: Poetry Says by Alice Allan I Hate Matt Wall by Matt Wall Versecraft by Elijah Perseus Blumov Advice from an Unknown Poet by Alice Allan & Jonathan Farmer Ratbag Poetics By David Jalal Motamed Alice: In Future Posts Brian: @BPlatzer Cameron: Minor Tiresias Matthew: sleerickets [at] gmail [dot] com Music by ETRNL Art by Daniel Alexander Smith

    1h 28m
  3. Not the Greatest Time to Be a Poet, ft. Horace & Friends, Pt. 1

    APR 19

    Not the Greatest Time to Be a Poet, ft. Horace & Friends, Pt. 1

    SLEERICKETS is a podcast about poetry and other intractable problems. Make a one-time donation (not tax-deductible) For more SLEERICKETS, subscribe to SECRET SHOW! Leave the show a rating here! SLEERICKETS is now on YouTube! For a frank, anonymous critique on SLEERICKETS, subscribe to the SECRET SHOW and send a poem of no more 25 lines to sleerickets [at] gmail [dot] com Some of the topics mentioned in this episode: – Order Brian’s book The Optimists! It’s so good!Now give Brian’s book a 5-star review! – My chapbook The Soft Black Stars is out now! – I’ll be doing the Rattlecast this Monday, April 13, at 8:00 p.m. US Eastern! Check it out! – Kronos by Joshua Mehigan – Does it help to be religious? by Victoria Moul – Horace & Friends by Victoria Moul – Poems Beautiful and Useful, ed. Victoria Moul – Poetry, Poetics, Poesia by Tamarah Rockwood – The Rattlecast went well, I think! – Church Going by Philip Larkin – Ep 241: A Serious House – The Poet’s Vision by Ryan Wilson – As I Prefer Them Well Cooked Through (from the French of Valérie Rouzeau) trans. Victoria Moul – A Deer Comes to Mind by Simon Armitage – The Birth of the Sonnet (from the French of Nicolas Boileau) trans. Elijah Perseus Blumov – Ken Gordon – My chapbook’s hatred-filled Goodreads page Frequently mentioned names: – Joshua Mehigan – Shane McCrae – A. E. Stallings – Ryan Wilson – Morri Creech – Austin Allen – Jonathan Farmer – Zara Raab – Amit Majmudar – Ethan McGuire – Coleman Glenn – Chris Childers – Alexis Sears – JP Gritton – Alex Pepple – Ernie Hilbert – Joanna Pearson – Matt Wall – Steve Knepper – Helena Feder – David Yezzi – Victoria Moul – Katie Dozier & Tim Green – George David Clark – Tristram Fane Saunders – Philip Metres Other Ratbag Poetry Pods: Poetry Says by Alice Allan I Hate Matt Wall by Matt Wall Versecraft by Elijah Perseus Blumov Advice from an Unknown Poet by Alice Allan & Jonathan Farmer Ratbag Poetics By David Jalal Motamed Alice: In Future Posts Brian: @BPlatzer Cameron: Minor Tiresias Matthew: sleerickets [at] gmail [dot] com Music by ETRNL Art by Daniel Alexander Smith

    55 min
  4. A Serious House

    APR 11

    A Serious House

    NB: Advent wreath, obviously. One probably shouldn’t set fire to an advent calendar. SLEERICKETS is a podcast about poetry and other intractable problems. Make a one-time donation (not tax-deductible) For more SLEERICKETS, subscribe to SECRET SHOW! Leave the show a rating here! SLEERICKETS is now on YouTube! For a frank, anonymous critique on SLEERICKETS, subscribe to the SECRET SHOW and send a poem of no more 25 lines to sleerickets [at] gmail [dot] com Some of the topics mentioned in this episode: – Order Brian’s book The Optimists! It’s so good!Now give Brian’s book a 5-star review! – My chapbook The Soft Black Stars is out now! – I’ll be doing the Rattlecast this Monday, April 13, at 8:00 p.m. US Eastern! Check it out! – Does it help to be religious? by Victoria Moul – Along the Road by Winslow Homer – Sea Legs by Andrew Wyeth – La toilette de Diane by Antonin Merci – The Martyrdom of St. Catherine of Alexandria by Mattia Preti – Rock Bottom by Joan Mitchell – Chapelle Notre-Dame-du-Haut at Ronchamp by Le Corbusier – Austin by Ellsworth Kelly – Churchgoing by Philip Larkin Frequently mentioned names: – Joshua Mehigan – Shane McCrae – A. E. Stallings – Ryan Wilson – Morri Creech – Austin Allen – Jonathan Farmer – Zara Raab – Amit Majmudar – Ethan McGuire – Coleman Glenn – Chris Childers – Alexis Sears – JP Gritton – Alex Pepple – Ernie Hilbert – Joanna Pearson – Matt Wall – Steve Knepper – Helena Feder – David Yezzi – Victoria Moul – Katie Dozier & Tim Green – George David Clark – Tristram Fane Saunders – Philip Metres Other Ratbag Poetry Pods: Poetry Says by Alice Allan I Hate Matt Wall by Matt Wall Versecraft by Elijah Perseus Blumov Advice from an Unknown Poet by Alice Allan & Jonathan Farmer Ratbag Poetics By David Jalal Motamed Alice: In Future Posts Brian: @BPlatzer Cameron: Minor Tiresias Matthew: sleerickets [at] gmail [dot] com Music by ETRNL Art by Daniel Alexander Smith

    1h 10m
  5. AMA #3, Pt. 1

    APR 2

    AMA #3, Pt. 1

    SLEERICKETS is a podcast about poetry and other intractable problems. Make a one-time donation (not tax-deductible) For more SLEERICKETS, subscribe to SECRET SHOW! Leave the show a rating here! SLEERICKETS is now on YouTube! For a frank, anonymous critique on SLEERICKETS, subscribe to the SECRET SHOW and send a poem of no more 25 lines to sleerickets [at] gmail [dot] com Some of the topics mentioned in this episode: – Order Brian’s book The Optimists! It’s so good! – Now give Brian’s book a 5-star review! – My chapbook The Soft Black Stars is out now! Timothee Chalamet's statements on ballet and opera, and on not having children All Fours by Miranda July Heart the Lover by Lily King Night by Elie Wiesel Schopenhauer Cocktail Hour on Versecraft Reference Back by Philip Larkin Donald Justice Atmosphere in Eight Lines by Maryann Corbett Down in the Valley by Joshua Mehigan Done on This Side by Joshua Mehigan Poetry Says Ep 242. with Joshua Mehigan The Sponge by Joshua Mehigan on VersecraftSecret show notes Poetry Says Ep 219. This is scripture Blues in Dallas, Old College Try, Going to Georgia, and This Year by The Mountain Goats (also No Children for Timothee) Thomas Hardy Edwin Arlington Robinson Black Books: I Love Books guy Black Sparrow Press Faber Literary Matters HEAT New Verse Review Image Journal London Review of Books 32 Poems no more poetry Everybody wants to waste your time by Drew Gooden Wildflower and Barley by Hozier Frequently mentioned names: – Joshua Mehigan – Shane McCrae – A. E. Stallings – Ryan Wilson – Morri Creech – Austin Allen – Jonathan Farmer – Zara Raab – Amit Majmudar – Ethan McGuire – Coleman Glenn – Chris Childers – Alexis Sears – JP Gritton – Alex Pepple – Ernie Hilbert – Joanna Pearson – Matt Wall – Steve Knepper – Helena Feder – David Yezzi – Victoria Moul – Katie Dozier & Tim Green – George David Clark – Tristram Fane Saunders – Philip Metres Other Ratbag Poetry Pods: Poetry Says by Alice Allan I Hate Matt Wall by Matt Wall Versecraft by Elijah Perseus Blumov Ratbag Poetics By David Jalal Motamed Alice: In Future Posts Brian: @BPlatzer Cameron: Minor Tiresias Matthew: sleerickets [at] gmail [dot] com Music by ETRNL Art by Daniel Alexander Smith

    1h 21m
  6. INTRODUCING Advice from an Unknown Poet

    MAR 26

    INTRODUCING Advice from an Unknown Poet

    SLEERICKETS is a podcast about poetry and other intractable problems. Make a one-time donation (not tax-deductible) For more SLEERICKETS, subscribe to SECRET SHOW! Leave the show a rating here! SLEERICKETS is now on YouTube! For a frank, anonymous critique on SLEERICKETS, subscribe to the SECRET SHOW and send a poem of no more 25 lines to sleerickets [at] gmail [dot] com Some of the topics mentioned in this episode: – Advice from an Unknown Poet – Berryman by W.S. Merwin – Proxies by Brian Blanchfield Frequently mentioned names: – Joshua Mehigan – Shane McCrae – A. E. Stallings – Ryan Wilson – Morri Creech – Austin Allen – Jonathan Farmer – Zara Raab – Amit Majmudar – Ethan McGuire – Coleman Glenn – Chris Childers – Alexis Sears – JP Gritton – Alex Pepple – Ernie Hilbert – Joanna Pearson – Matt Wall – Steve Knepper – Helena Feder – David Yezzi – Victoria Moul – Katie Dozier & Tim Green – George David Clark – Tristram Fane Saunders – Philip Metres Other Ratbag Poetry Pods: Poetry Says by Alice Allan I Hate Matt Wall by Matt Wall Versecraft by Elijah Perseus Blumov Ratbag Poetics By David Jalal Motamed Alice: In Future Posts Brian: @BPlatzer Cameron: Minor Tiresias Matthew: sleerickets [at] gmail [dot] com Music by ETRNL Art by Daniel Alexander Smith

    45 min
  7. Listener Crit #10

    MAR 21

    Listener Crit #10

    SLEERICKETS is a podcast about poetry and other intractable problems. Make a one-time donation (not tax-deductible) For more SLEERICKETS, subscribe to SECRET SHOW! Leave the show a rating here! SLEERICKETS is now on YouTube! For a frank, anonymous critique on SLEERICKETS, subscribe to the SECRET SHOW and send a poem of no more 25 lines to sleerickets [at] gmail [dot] com Some of the topics mentioned in this episode: – Order Brian’s book The Optimists! It’s so good! – Now give Brian’s book a 5-star review! – My chapbook The Soft Black Stars is out now! – A conversation Alice & I had for Poetry London! Frequently mentioned names: – Joshua Mehigan – Shane McCrae – A. E. Stallings – Ryan Wilson – Morri Creech – Austin Allen – Jonathan Farmer – Zara Raab – Amit Majmudar – Ethan McGuire – Coleman Glenn – Chris Childers – Alexis Sears – JP Gritton – Alex Pepple – Ernie Hilbert – Joanna Pearson – Matt Wall – Steve Knepper – Helena Feder – David Yezzi – Victoria Moul – Katie Dozier & Tim Green – George David Clark – Tristram Fane Saunders – Philip Metres Other Ratbag Poetry Pods: Poetry Says by Alice Allan I Hate Matt Wall by Matt Wall Versecraft by Elijah Perseus Blumov Ratbag Poetics By David Jalal Motamed Alice: In Future Posts Brian: @BPlatzer Cameron: Minor Tiresias Matthew: sleerickets [at] gmail [dot] com Music by ETRNL Art by Daniel Alexander Smith

    1h 25m
  8. AWP 2026

    MAR 13

    AWP 2026

    SLEERICKETS is a podcast about poetry and other intractable problems. Make a one-time donation (not tax-deductible) For more SLEERICKETS, subscribe to SECRET SHOW! Leave the show a rating here! SLEERICKETS is now on YouTube! For a frank, anonymous critique on SLEERICKETS, subscribe to the SECRET SHOW and send a poem of no more 25 lines to sleerickets [at] gmail [dot] com Some of the topics mentioned in this episode: – Order Brian’s book The Optimists! It’s so good! – Now give Brian’s book a 5-star review! – My chapbook The Soft Black Stars is out now! – I’m reading this Saturday, March 14, at 6:00 p.m. at the Mettlesome Theater in Durham, NC – Brian’s appearance on The Gist – The Mysterious Case of Gothic Verse Narratives by Brian Brodeur – Pre-order Sixteen Games of Hide and Seek by Stephen Bass and Steve Teare! – Sofia Kavlin Castaneda of Unsent Letterbox – Rosanna Oh – Sonnet 130 – One Art by Elizabeth Bishop – Poetry by Joseph Harrison – Moira Egan – Joe Osterhaus – Robert Schreur – Sunil Iyengar – The Same City by Terrance Hayes – Maps by James Baker Hall – Michael Theune – Kim Noriega – Kim Addonizio – Poetry Says Ep 294. The American Ecstatic – Dan Kois – The Martin Chronicles – Lauren Wethers – Reclaiming Jane – Jordan Kisner – Thresholds – The Critic and Her Publics – Michele Moses Frequently mentioned names: – Joshua Mehigan – Shane McCrae – A. E. Stallings – Ryan Wilson – Morri Creech – Austin Allen – Jonathan Farmer – Zara Raab – Amit Majmudar – Ethan McGuire – Coleman Glenn – Chris Childers – Alexis Sears – JP Gritton – Alex Pepple – Ernie Hilbert – Joanna Pearson – Matt Wall – Steve Knepper – Helena Feder – David Yezzi – Victoria Moul – Katie Dozier & Tim Green – George David Clark – Tristram Fane Saunders – Philip Metres Other Ratbag Poetry Pods: Poetry Says by Alice Allan I Hate Matt Wall by Matt Wall Versecraft by Elijah Perseus Blumov Ratbag Poetics By David Jalal Motamed Alice: In Future Posts Brian: @BPlatzer Cameron: Minor Tiresias Matthew: sleerickets [at] gmail [dot] com Music by ETRNL Art by Daniel Alexander Smith

    57 min
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4.8
out of 5
40 Ratings

About

Welcome to SLEERICKETS, a podcast about poetry and other intractable problems.

Information

  • Creator
    Matthew Buckley Smith
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    270
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2021 Matthew Buckley Smith
  • Show Website
    SLEERICKETS

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