76 episodes
VS Poetry Foundation
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4.9 • 316 Ratings
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The VS podcast is a bi-weekly series where poets confront the ideas that move them. Hosted by poets Danez Smith and Franny Choi, produced by Daniel Kisslinger, and presented by the Poetry Foundation and Postloudness.
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Ada Limón vs. Epiphany
The VS fam returns to kick off Season 5! After an announcement about the future of the show, we get into a great conversation with the wonderful poet Ada Limón. We talk birds, epiphanies, loneliness, and much more. Plus, a new game and a goofy-ass outro. Enjoy!
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Naomi Shihab Nye vs. Hope
VS Season 4 wraps up with a whisper, a bang, a smile, and a hug from Naomi Shihab Nye! The legendary poet brings a fistful of sunshine to her conversation with Franny and Danez about learning from her four year-old grandson, holding onto hope and wonder, the magic and utility of child brain, creating welcoming poems, and so much more.
NOTE: VS is going to be taking its customary break between seasons, but will be returning for a fifth season next year. Stay tuned for updates!
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Aracelis Girmay vs. Dirt
Franny and Danez get their hands dirty with the inimitable Aracelis Girmay! The prolific and wonderful poet talks about the childhood joy of dirt, parenting in a pandemic, how she centers truth in her poetry, and much more. Plus, we start off with a potential new name for the show…?
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Marilyn Chin vs. Fierceness
On this episode, we get to talk on this episode with the legend, superstar, and self-proclaimed “baby yoda” Marilyn Chin. We talk about her long journey toward building Asian-American poetics, being the Nicki Minaj for so many young writers (in that all of these bitches are her sons), how she’s balancing quarantine with Youtube rabbit holes, and so much more. Plus, the play-by-play of a legendary physical brawl, in which she scraped with a beloved American poet.
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Nandi Comer vs. La Lucha
Nandi Comer climbs in the ring with Franny and Danez for this wonderful, warm episode of VS. The Detroiter, whose new book Tapping Out is available now from Northwestern University Press, talks about her love of lucha libre mexican wrestling, writing into a tradition that isn’t her own, the ways that academia can rob poets of their humanity, and DETROIT!
Pick up Nandi’s book Tapping Out here: https://nupress.northwestern.edu/content/tapping-out
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Randall Horton vs. the i
Danez and Franny have the honor and pleasure of chopping it up with the brilliant Randall Horton on this episode of the show. Randall, whose newest collection {#289-128}: Poems just dropped this month, talks about coming to know his story so that he could eventually write about it, resisting being boxed in as a poet who was incarcerated, and what he’s learned from his collaborations with jazz musicians. Get into it!
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Customer Reviews
Sheer amazingness
This is the first time I’ve cared enough about anything to write a review. Franny Choi and Danez Smith are amazing. All the conversations are so engaging. I feel like I’m part of a poetry community, which is something I’ve never really had going through life. This podcast means a lot me. It is a significant part of my daily life and such a great way to get motivated to think and write. It’s also great for finding more authors to read. Big fan of both hosts as people and poets. So inspiring. Also the production on this is fantastic. Appreciate ya, Daniel Kisslinger. I recommend this podcast to anyone who likes poetry and wants to be challenged while still being caught up in joy.
Junior High
Like listening to a bunch of seventh graders.
Such a great podcast. Essential listening for poets.
I’ve just been introduced to this podcast and am slowly working my way through the back catalog. It is so invigorating to listen to poets really talk about craft and ideas in this intimate way. A great way to wake up in the morning.