The Unruly Muse

Lynn C. Miller and John Modaff
  • 5.0 (14)
  • PERFORMING ARTS

Half hour-ish podcasts that feature songs, poems, stories, and patter built around a theme each time. Modaff and Miller are writers and stage/radio performers. Contemporary and classic writers, original stories and songs are performed.

  1. Freedom

    1D AGO

    Freedom

    Song 1: Ride Downtown (composed & performed by John V Modaff, with Dave Merrill on 2nd & 3rd guitars and harmonica)        Poem 1: “Eleanor Remembers” by Susan Aizenberg, published in 2025 in On the Seawall, a community gallery of new writing, art, and commentary. Susan is a poet living in Iowa City; her latest book is:A Walk With Frank O’Hara (U of New Mexico Press, 2024.) Fiction: “She Always Knew What She Wanted,” a short story by Lynn C. Miller. Her fifth novel, The Surrogate, comes out March 31, 2026 from the University of Wisconsin Press. https://uwpress.wisc.edu/Books/T/The-Surrogate Feed the Cat Break: “Estranged” (composed & performed by John V. Modaff) Poem 2: “Fireflies,” by Rebecca Aronson, poet, professor and editor. She is the author of three collections of poetry, most recently Anchor, and is a winner of several awards for her poetry. https://www.rebeccaaronsonpoetry.com/ Song 2: Beyond the Other Side (by David R. Merrill / performed by D.R. Merrill and J.V. Modaff on bass & percussion)                                                                   Episode artwork by Lynda Miller  Show theme and incidental music by John V. Modaff  The Unruly Muse is recorded in Albuquerque, NM and Morehead, KY  Produced at The Creek Studio, Morehead, KY  NEXT UP: Mar/ 2026, Episode 57: “Hello, is anyone there?”    Thank You to our listeners all over the world. Please tell a friend about the podcast.  Lynn & John

    40 min
  2. Ancestors

    JAN 28

    Ancestors

    Song 1: “Like They Did” (composed and performed by John V. Modaff with Dan Modaff on mandolin and 2nd/3rdguitars) Poem 1: “Bringing Back the Dead” by Julie Williams, a poet and visual artist. Author of Escaping Tornado Season and Drama Queens in the House. Her new poetry collection is in process.  Prose Fiction: “The Home Place,” excerpt of a short story by Lynn C. Miller, whose fifth novel, The Surrogate, comes out March 31, 2026. www.lynncmiller.com Feed the Cat Break: from “Tuel’s Landing” (composed by Lauren Price, performed by The Price Sisters Lauren and Leanna and their fantastic bluegrass band) Poem 2: “Willard at Work” by Kelly Yenser, from Midcentury Modern, a new collection in process. His most recent published collection is Walking Uphill at Noon, from UNM Press.  Song 2: “Life is a Chorus” (lyrics by Larry D. Browning, performed by John V. Modaff with brother Dan Modaff on mandolin and 2nd guitar) Episode artwork by Lynda Miller  Show theme and Incidental music by John V. Modaff  The Unruly Muse is Recorded in Albuquerque, NM and Morehead, KY Produced at The Creek Studio, Morehead, KY  NEXT UP: Feb/ 2026, Episode 56: “Freedom”  Thank You to our listeners all over the world. Please tell a friend about the podcast.  Lynn & John

    45 min
  3. The Forbidden

    11/24/2025

    The Forbidden

    Song 1: “You Can’t Do That” (composed and performed by John Modaff) Poem 1: “Vegetable Medley” by Mikki Aronoff, a much-published Albuquerque poet, Pushcart nominee, and animal advocate. Poem first published in The Dribble Drabble Review.  Fiction: excerpt from Death of a Department Chair by Lynn C. Miller.Her fifth novel, The Surrogate, comes out in Spring, 2026 from the University of Wisconsin Press. https://uwpress.wisc.edu/Books/T/The-Surrogate   Feed the Cat Break: “Never Goodbye” (composed by John Modaff, performed by jvm and The Mystery Woman)            Poem 2: “Who Knew” by poet and artist Julie Williams, author of Escaping Tornado Season and Drama Queens in the House. A poetry collection is in process.  Song 2: “Original Sin” (composed and performed by John Modaff)   Episode artwork by Lynda Miller  Show theme and Incidental music by John V. Modaff  The Unruly Muse is Recorded in Albuquerque, NM and Morehead, KY.  NEXT UP: Jan 2026, Episode 55, “Ancestors”       Thank You to our listeners all over the world. Please tell a friend about the podcast.  Lynn & John

    38 min
  4. Homeless

    10/27/2025

    Homeless

    Song 1: “Homeless” (by Daniel P. Modaff with Good Enough) Poem 1: “Burned” by Jack Cooper, author of Silly Lily’s Rhyming Adventures In Nature (2023) and Across My Silence (2007) World Audience, Inc. https://sillylilysadventures.com/ Fiction: “Displaced,” a short story by Lynn C. Miller. Her fifth novel, The Surrogate, comes out March 31, 2026 from the University of Wisconsin Press. To pre-order go to: https://uwpress.wisc.edu/Books/T/The-Surrogate Lynn’s website: www.lynncmiller.com Feed the Cat Break: excerpt from “Lost Soul” (composed and performed b y David R. Merrill)     Poem 2: “Still Life with Extinctions,” by Lauren Camp who has been the Poet Laureate of New Mexico for the past three years. Author of eight collections of poetry, Lauren’s new book In Old Sky won the New Mexico Book Award. Song 2: “Old Texas Town,” composed by Mark E. Collins, Dan and John Modaff. Performed by J. Modaff       Episode artwork by Lynda Miller  Theme & Incidental Music by John V. Modaff, BMI  Recorded in Albuquerque NM and Morehead KY Produced at The Creek Studio  NEXT UP on Episode 54: The Forbidden     Thank You to our listeners all over the world. Please tell a friend about the podcast.  Lynn & John

    37 min
  5. Love?

    09/28/2025

    Love?

    Song 1: “Is That Love” (John V. Modaff) Poem 1: “Little Histories” by Scott Wiggerman whose new book of poems comes out in Spring of 2026 with Casa Urraca Press. Scott lives in Albuquerque and is a painter and a poet among other things. https://scottwiggerman.myportfolio.com/ Fiction: from the novel The Surrogate by Lynn C. Miller. Coming out March 31, 2026 from the University of Wisconsin Press. To pre-order go to: https://uwpress.wisc.edu/Books/T/The-Surrogate  Lynn’s website:  www.lynncmiller.com Feed the Cat Break: a clip from “A Fine Romance,” Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire version. Poem 2: “Persephone” by Sarah Kotchian. From her collection Light of Wings. University of New Mexico Press, 2024. https://www.unmpress.com/9780826365972/light-of-wings/ Song 2: “Victory” (Sasha Colette and The Magnolias)   Episode artwork by Lynda Miller Theme & Incidental Music by John V. Modaff, BMI Recorded in Albuquerque NM and Morehead KY Produced at The Creek Studio NEXT UP on Episode 53:  Homeless Thank You to our listeners all over the world. Please tell a friend about the podcast.  Lynn & John

    39 min
  6. Stop the World, I Want to Get Off

    08/30/2025

    Stop the World, I Want to Get Off

    Song 1: “Disappear” (Daniel P. Modaff with Good Enough on the CD Dakota Plains) Poem 1: “For the Dark Girl” by Susan Aizenberg. Published in her first full-length collection, Muse. Susan lives in Iowa City, IA. Her most recent book is A Walk With Frank O’Hara (U of New Mexico Press, 2024.) Fiction: “Shock Without Awe,” a short story by Lynn C. Miller. Her most recent book is The Lost Archive: Stories. www.lynncmiller.com Feed the Cat Break: excerpt from “Moment of Time” (Dave Merrill)             Poem 2: “The Messiah Horse” by Mark Sanders. Mark lives in Nacogdoches, TX and teaches at Stephen F. Austin University. https://sandersme1.wixsite.com/mark-sanders/  Song 2: “Hold On” (John V. Modaff, cello by David R. Merrill) Episode artwork by Lynda Miller  Theme & Incidental Music by John V. Modaff, BMI  Recorded in Albuquerque NM and Morehead KY Produced at The Creek Studio  NEXT UP on Episode 52: Love?                Thank You to our listeners all over the world. Please tell a friend about the podcast.  Lynn & John

    43 min
  7. Levity & Gravity

    07/24/2025

    Levity & Gravity

    Song 1: “Twenty Wishes” (John V. Modaff, w/ lead guitar and mandolin by Dan Modaff) Poem 1: “You Weary Listening To Their First World Complaints” by Mikki Aronoff. Published in Gooseberry Pie. Mikki is featured this year in Best Microfiction 2025 and Best Small Fictions 2025. Fiction excerpt: Scene from the novel The Unmasking by Lynn C. Miller, published by UNM Press, 2020. www.lynncmiller.com Feed the Cat Break: “Bittersweet” (JVM.) Poem 2: “Fat Boy Poems” by Kelly Yenser, whose most recent collection is Walking Uphill at Noon. Kelly publishes fiction and poetry. Song 2: “Jesus & Satan Take a Nap,” (John V. Modaff.) Episode artwork by Lynda Miller Theme & Incidental Music by John V. Modaff, BMI Recorded in Albuquerque NM and Morehead KY. Produced at The Creek Studio NEXT UP on Episode 51:  Stop the World, I Want to Get Off.         Thank You to our listeners all over the world. Please tell a friend about the podcast.  Lynn & John

    39 min
  8. Speaking Up

    06/28/2025

    Speaking Up

    Song 1: “Speak Up,” (composed and performed by John V. Modaff, with guitars by Dan Modaff and Dave Merrill) Poem 1: “Sound Barrier” by Scott Wiggerman from the “Fire” chapter of Presence (San Antonio TX: Pecan Grove Press, 2011), a book arranged around the elements. Fiction excerpt: from the novel Death of a Department Chair by Lynn C. Miller. University of Wisconsin Press, 2006. https://uwpress.wisc.edu/Books/D/Death-of-a-Department-Chair  Feed the cat break: “Cats, Cats, Cats” (Andrew Preston and AP Harbor) Poem 2: from ee cummings, poem #22 from XAIPE, 1950. This innovative modern poet (1894-1962) revitalized language from the familiar. He was also a painter, essayist, author, and playwright. Song 2: “Tell Me,” composed and performed by John V. Modaff. Episode artwork by Lynda Miller  Theme & Incidental Music by John V. Modaff, BMI  Recorded in Albuquerque NM and Morehead KY. Produced at The Creek Studio  NEXT UP on Episode 50: “Levity and Gravity”          Thank You to our listeners all over the world. Please tell a friend about the podcast.  Lynn & John

    39 min
See All (56)

5
out of 5
14 Ratings

About

Half hour-ish podcasts that feature songs, poems, stories, and patter built around a theme each time. Modaff and Miller are writers and stage/radio performers. Contemporary and classic writers, original stories and songs are performed.

Information

  • Creator
    Lynn C. Miller and John Modaff
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    56
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2021
  • Show Website
    The Unruly Muse