Best Thom O Podcasts (2024)

1
Closing: Poems as Teachers (ft. Kai Cheng Thom) | Ep 7 12:42

1M ago12:42

12:42

In this concluding episode of "Poems as Teachers," our special miniseries on conflict and the human condition, host Pádraig Ó Tuama says the poems discussed in this offering are a different kind of teacher: “not as teachers that give us rules to follow — more so teachers that share something of their own intuition.” And for a final reflection, he o…

1
Yehuda Amichai — Poems as Teachers | Ep 6 14:04

1M ago14:04

14:04

Being right may feel good, but what human price do we pay for this feeling of rightness? Yehuda Amichai’s poem “The Place Where We Are Right,” translated by Stephen Mitchell, asks us to answer this question, consider how doubt and love might expand and enrich our perspective, and reflect upon the buried and not-so-buried ruins of past conflicts, ar…

1
Jericho Brown — Poems as Teachers | Ep 5 13:10

1M ago13:10

13:10

In “Hebrews 13” by Jericho Brown, a narrator says: “my lover and my brother both knocked at my door.” The heat is turned on, scalding coffee is offered and hastily swallowed, and silence is the soundtrack. What an exquisitely awkward triangle it is, and what a human, beautiful, and loving shape that can be. Jericho Brown is the Charles Howard Candl…

1
Mosab Abu Toha — Poems as Teachers | Ep 4 16:29

2M ago16:29

16:29

In Mosab Abu Toha’s “Ibrahim Abu Lughod and brother in Yaffa,” two barefoot siblings on a beach sketch out a map of their former home in the sand and argue about what went where. Their longing for return to a place of hospitality, family, memory, friends, and even strangers is alive and tender to the touch. Mosab Abu Toha is a Palestinian poet, sch…

1
Constantine P. Cavafy — Poems as Teachers | Ep 3 17:23

2M ago17:23

17:23

We ask questions to find out the facts, but what if you can’t trust the answers, the questions, or the person who's asking the questions? In Constantine P. Cavafy’s “Waiting for the Barbarians,” translated by Evan Jones, leaders exercise a sinister kind of violence — they’ve taken over people’s imaginations with showy displays of wealth and privile…

1
Joy Harjo — Poems as Teachers | Ep 2 17:43

2M ago17:43

17:43

As appealing as it may sound, is it really possible to live in a world completely free of conflict? No. And since differences and disagreements are inevitable and natural, Joy Harjo gives ground rules in “Conflict Resolution for Holy Beings.” Her call to us echoes across time and space — a call to listen, to humility, to justice, and to recognizing…

1
Introducing: Poems as Teachers (ft. Wisława Szymborska) | Ep 1 10:25

2M ago10:25

10:25

Host Pádraig Ó Tuama gives an overview of this Poetry Unbound mini season that's devoted to poems with wisdom to offer about conflict and humanity. He also brings us Wisława Szymborska’s “A Word on Statistics,” translated by Joanna Trzeciak, which covers statistics of the most human kind — like the number of people in a group of 100 who think they …

1
Thomas Lux — Refrigerator, 1957 14:09

4M ago14:09

14:09

If your home were a museum — and they all are, in a way — what would the contents of your refrigerator say about you and those you live with? In his poem “Refrigerator, 1957,” Thomas Lux opens the door to his childhood appliance and oh, does a three-quarters full jar of maraschino cherries speak volumes. Thomas Lux was an American poet and professo…

1
Rita Wong — flush 15:59

4M ago15:59

15:59

The word “flush” is a verb, as in an activity that we do umpteen times a day. It’s also an adjective that conveys abundance. Fittingly, Rita Wong’s poem “flush” offers a praise song to water’s expansive and unceasing presence in our lives — from our toilets to our teacups, from inside our bodies to outside our buildings, and from our soil to our sk…

1
Maria Dahvana Headley — Beowulf 15:55

5M ago15:55

15:55

Bro — this is definitely not the “Beowulf” that you read back in school. Maria Dahvana Headley’s gutsy, swaggering translation brings the Old English epic poem roaring into this century, showing you why this tale of fraught family ties, power plays and posturing, and mighty, imperfect people is as relevant as ever. Maria Dahvana Headley is the New …

1
Michael Klein — Swale 14:02

5M ago14:02

14:02

A horse race from the 1980s may not seem like the obvious inspiration for a poem that celebrates so many of the things that make our lives worth living — good company (human and animal), good books, good food, and honest work — and that is just part of the surprise, delight, and surging joy of Michael Klein’s “Swale.” Michael Klein is a two-time wi…

1
Ray Young Bear — Our Bird Aegis 13:45

5M ago13:45

13:45

What holds our bodies together? Yes, there are the biological components, such as the cells, fluids, fibers, but what about the bone-deep stuff, the histories, myths, aches, resolves? In “Our Bird Aegis,” poet Ray Young Bear evokes an adolescent eagle to show how this blend of the visceral, the inherited, and the self-made abides in each of us, no …

1
Suji Kwock Kim — Search Engine: Notes from the North Korean-Chinese-Russian Border 15:36

5M ago15:36

15:36

While disputes over contested lands result in damage that can be seen and documented, they also create countless unseen ruptures in the hearts, minds and souls of the humans caught in the chaos. By giving voice to yearning, Suji Kwock Kim’s poem “Search Engine: Notes from the North Korean-Chinese-Russian Border” shows how bearing witness and asking…

1
Amber McBride — ROLL CALL: NEW TAROT NAMES FOR BLACK GIRLS 16:35

5M ago16:35

16:35

In “ROLL CALL: NEW TAROT NAMES FOR BLACK GIRLS,” Amber McBride treats us to a playful litany of language that twists and leaps and never stumbles. Flavored with old-time Christianity, old-time hoodoo, and a modern alchemy all her own, it talks back to prejudice, reclaims the words meant to take people down, and forges new identities that shimmer wi…

1
Carl Dennis — Breath 15:23

5M ago15:23

15:23

A fragile and wondrous technology that we all possess, the human breath powers any number of things in our lives — speeches, feats of music, athleticism, and more. Carl Dennis’s powerful and meditative poem “Breath” calls on us to take a moment, give our breath our full attention, and celebrate it. Carl Dennis is the author of 13 works of poetry, i…

1
Elisa Gonzalez — To My Twenty-Four-Year-Old Self 14:49

5M ago14:49

14:49

Our lives are filled with distances, the physical spans that we travel but also the stranger, vaster expanses between our past and our present or between feeling anchored and connected and feeling terribly alone. A poem can capture all of those in a way that a map can’t, as Elisa Gonzalez superbly demonstrates in “To My Twenty-Four-Year-Old Self.” …

1
Ofelia Zepeda — Deer Dance Exhibition 15:27

5M ago15:27

15:27

Most of us do our eavesdropping shyly and secretively, but Ofelia Zepeda’s poem “Deer Dance Exhibition” welcomes us to listen in on an exchange between people as they watch a ceremonial dance. Along the way, we get the sense that what we’re witnessing is more than a conversation — it’s the sounds and sensations of life itself. Ofelia Zepeda is a po…

1
Sandra Cisneros — When in Doubt 14:52

6M ago14:52

14:52

Even in the most uneventful of human lives, uncertainty and doubts will inevitably intrude. When faced with those, what can you do to steady yourself? One suggestion: Turn to the poem “When in Doubt” by Sandra Cisneros, where she generously shares some of the wisdom that she’s gleaned over the years. Sandra Cisneros is a poet, short story writer, n…

1
Kandace Siobhan Walker — Three Mangoes, £1 15:50

6M ago15:50

15:50

To be alive is to be in conversation with the dead. The ghosts of loved ones are always swirling around us, and sometimes we’re lucky enough to catch a glimpse. In the poem “Three Mangoes, £1,” Kandace Siobhan Walker describes a surprising encounter with her late grandmother at a busy market, and an encounter with a stranger. Kandace Siobhan Walker…

1
Francisco Aragón — Asleep You Become a Continent 13:04

6M ago13:04

13:04

It is an intimate thing, to watch a lover while they sleep. In Francisco Aragón’s translation of Francisco X. Alarcón’s homoerotic poem, “Asleep You Become a Continent,” a man views his sleeping lover’s body like it’s a landscape: legs underneath sheets become mountains and valleys. The waking lover describes this view like an explorer might an unk…

1
Conor Kerr — Winter Songs 14:59

6M ago14:59

14:59

Conor Kerr’s “Winter Songs” depicts a future scene: coyotes roaming through a rewilded city, digging up the bones of Indigenous ancestors who then regenerate and reclaim what was taken. Power is dismantled, something original is restored. Conor Kerr is a Métis/Ukrainian writer living in Edmonton. A member of the Métis Nation of Alberta, he is desce…

1
Valencia Robin — The Coup 14:16

6M ago14:16

14:16

Valencia Robin’s poem portrays a tense relationship between mother and daughter; perhaps each resembling the other too much. In desperation — and shock — the daughter says the worst thing she can think of to her mother. What follows is like the fall of a dictator, a coup, an end, an opening. Valencia Robin is an interdisciplinary artist whose pract…

1
Eugenia Leigh — How the Dung Beetle Finds Its Way Home 15:51

6M ago15:51

15:51

In a poem about how a small moment can help you make a wise decision, Eugenia Leigh finds the strength to go back home after storming out. No self-pity in the poem, just humor and brilliance. She had every reason to leave, and finds every reason to return. Eugenia Leigh is a Korean American poet and the author of two collections of poetry, Bianca (…

1
Poetry Unbound — Season 8 Trailer 1:07

7M ago1:07

1:07

Poetry Unbound with host Pádraig Ó Tuama is back on Monday, January 1. Featured poets in this season include Amber McBride, Eugenia Leigh, Francisco Aragón, Ray Young Bear, and many more. New episodes released every Monday and Friday through February 23. Follow us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Overcast, or wherever you listen.…

1
Clint Smith with Krista Tippett — What We Know in the "Marrow of Our Bones" 1:05:43

8M ago1:05:43

1:05:43

Friends, Pádraig here — we are awakening your Poetry Unbound feed to share this brilliant episode from the newest season of On Being, which is well underway. Conversations on love and loss, comedy and ecology, social creativity, poetry, and more all await you in the On Being feed — subscribe now and don’t miss out. And — Poetry Unbound Season 8 is …

1
BONUS: Truth-seeking and the Symphony of Language with Henri Cole 1:04:44

10M ago1:04:44

1:04:44

A central duality appears in the work of Henri Cole: the revelation of emotional truths in concert with a “symphony of language” — often accompanied by arresting similes. We are excited to offer this conversation between Pádraig and Henri, recorded during the 2022 Dodge Poetry Festival in Newark, New Jersey. Together, they discuss the role of anima…

1
BONUS: Making Space for the Erotic with Aimee Nezhukumatathil 1:00:50

10M ago1:00:50

1:00:50

Aimee Nezhukumatathil’s poems are filled with butchery and blood as she carves space for desire, motherhood, and an encyclopedic knowledge of plants to coexist in life and on the page. We are excited to offer this conversation between Pádraig and Aimee, recorded during the 2022 Dodge Poetry Festival in Newark, New Jersey. Together, they explore the…

1
BONUS: Poetry That Pays Attention with Patricia Smith 1:08:16

10M ago1:08:16

1:08:16

Through her poetry, Patricia Smith generously, skillfully puts language around what can be seen both in the present and deliberately looking back at oneself. We are excited to offer this conversation between Pádraig and Patricia, recorded during the 2022 Dodge Poetry Festival in Newark, New Jersey. Together, they explore how memory, persona, and a …

1
Maya C. Popa — They Are Building a Hospital 15:52

11M ago15:52

15:52

So much of what was once deemed impossible was found — during Covid — to be possible. Here, a poet watches a tent, a huge temporary hospital, be raised up on the green of Central Park, a place she’d previously walked her dog. Maya C. Popa is the author of Wound Is the Origin of Wonder (W. W. Norton, 2022) and American Faith (Sarabande, 2019), which…

1
Jenny Mitchell — A Man in Love with Plants 13:06

11M ago13:06

13:06

How to remember a beloved who died tragically, violently? Remember the violence? Sometimes, yes. But also this: remember his love of flowers. Jenny Mitchell is the author of the poetry collections Her Lost Language (Indigo Dreams Publishing, 2019) and Map of a Plantation (2021). Her latest collection, Resurrection of a Black Man (2022), is a Poetry…

1
Vidyan Ravinthiran — Artist 13:22

12M ago13:22

13:22

What self-consciousnesses do artists carry? It can be difficult to know how to hold onto confidence in your work, especially when small jibes from others remain long after apologies have been offered. Art compels and calls, and also complicates. Vidyan Ravinthiran was born in Leeds to Sri Lankan Tamils. His first book of poems, Grun-tu-molani (Bloo…

1
Mark Turcotte — Dear New Blood 15:37

12M ago15:37

15:37

A poet reads to a room full of youths who seem to have some residual resentment to the poet. The poet doesn’t mind — he understands, and calls on the listeners to share in the power of focused anger, to make it a motivation for their creativity. Mark Turcotte (Turtle Mountain Ojibwe) is the author of The Feathered Heart (Michigan State University P…

1
Wo Chan — the smiley barista remembers my name 12:27

12M ago12:27

12:27

What do sandwiches, laundry, therapy, childhood homes, and forgiveness have to do with each other? Wo Chan weaves a poem that charts the many things a single day can hold. Wo Chan is a poet and drag artist who performs as The Illustrious Pearl. They are a winner of the Nightboat Poetry Prize and the author of Togetherness (Nightboat Books, 2022). W…

1
Amanda Gunn — Ordinary Sugar 17:06

12M ago17:06

17:06

A note from the Poetry Unbound team: We’ve updated the audio for our episode “Amanda Gunn — Ordinary Sugar.” This updated version includes an additional stanza initially omitted from the recording and additional reflection from Pádraig. How can russet potatoes be made to taste of sugar and caramel? By dedication, love, and craft. Amanda Gunn places…

1
J. Estanislao Lopez — Alternate Ending: The Escape of Jephthah’s Daughter 13:26

12M ago13:26

13:26

Old stories — of mythology or religion — have sometimes been depicted as having one narrative and one interpretation. Here, J. Estanislao Lopez takes on the voice of a character whose story ended in violence, inviting listeners to claim their agency as this character claims hers. J. Estanislao Lopez is the author of We Borrowed Gentleness (Alice Ja…

1
More UAP / UFO Whistleblowers May Come Forward 8:07

12M ago8:07

8:07

High-ranking U.S. officials could provide congress with new information surrounding government intel on Unidentified Flying Objects, commonly known as UFO's, or Unidentified Aerial Phenomena. New South Politics editor Matt O'Hern explains the latest info and quotes from Sen. Marco Rubio, who co-chairs the Senate Intelligence Committee. You can also…

1
BONUS: A Conversation with Sasha taqwšəblu LaPointe 38:19

1y ago38:19

38:19

We are delighted to offer this extended conversation between host Pádraig Ó Tuama and the poet Sasha taqʷšəblu LaPointe. Together, they take a deep dive into the story and language of her poem "Blue," featured in Season 7 of Poetry Unbound, as well as Sasha's beginnings in poetry. Sasha taqwšəblu LaPointe is the author of Rose Quartz. She is from …

1
Sasha taqwšəblu LaPointe — Blue 17:22

1y ago17:22

17:22

In a poem that explores a story of a name, a story of a color, a story of a sound, a story of an identity, a the story of a person — we hear of ancestors, childhood innocences, exclusions, memories, sensualities, and the way that the dead are not always dead. Sasha taqwšəblu LaPointe is the author of Rose Quartz. She is from the Upper Skagit and No…

1
Charif Shanahan — Present Moment 15:10

1y ago15:10

15:10

On one particular day, a poem places events alongside each other, the ordinariness of each event casting the other events into light and shade. Charif Shanahan is the author of two collections of poetry: Trace Evidence: Poems (Tin House, 2023) and Into Each Room We Enter without Knowing (Crab Orchard Series in Poetry/SIU Press, 2017), which was a f…

1
Brenda Cárdenas — This Is Why 15:30

1y ago15:30

15:30

Why do we do the things we do when we’re young? Brenda Cárdenas recalls nights sneaking out of the house as a teenager, looking for highs, looking for company. “Why would you do that?” is the adult question throughout the poem. “Why wouldn’t I?” is a reply. Brenda Cárdenas is the author of the poetry collection Trace (Red Hen Press, 2023). Cárdena’…

1
Nithy Kasa — Blouse 11:55

1y ago11:55

11:55

An item of clothing — the blouse of a grandmother — is praised for its artistry, is remembered for how it sits on the body. And then, having been lost, is remade, refined, and reimagined on a new body that recalls the bodies of women of previous generations. Nithy Kasa is a Dublin-based poet of Congolese origin. Published in poetry magazines such a…

1
Selina Nwulu — Replay 13:15

1y ago13:15

13:15

What might have been? A poet recalls flirtations and electric connections that could have led to a different life. Selina Nwulu is a writer of Nigerian heritage who is based in London. Her poetry and essays have been widely featured in a variety of journals, short films, and anthologies, including the critically-acclaimed anthology New Daughters of…

1
John Lee Clark — Self Portrait 13:29

1y ago13:29

13:29

If you had to make a self portrait of your daily morning routine through language and sensation, what would you include? John Lee Clark offers memories of a birthday through experiences the body holds. John Lee Clark is a DeafBlind poet, essayist, historian, translator, and an actor in the Protactile movement. He is the author of the poetry collect…

1
Kay Ulanday Barrett — Pantoum for recital when my mom said, don’t let them see you cry 13:29

1y ago13:29

13:29

A memory from childhood is viewed through the lens of the Malaysian poetic form of pantoum. New things emerge when lines break and reform with new associations. Kay Ulanday Barrett is a poet, essayist, cultural strategist, and A+ napper. They are the winner of the 2022 Foundation for Contemporary Arts Cy Twombly Award for Poetry, a 2022 recipient o…

1
dg nanouk okpik — In a Lock of Hair 13:45

1y ago13:45

13:45

If you could put a lock of your hair under a microscope, what would it contain? DNA certainly, but here in dg nanouk okpik’s poem, the hair also contains memory, smell, location, disease, dreams, and medicine. dg nanouk okpik is Iñupiat-Inuit from Alaska. Her first book, Corpse Whale (University of Arizona Press, 2012), won the American Book Award …

1
On Poetry and Patronage: An Invitation to Love Us 1:33

1y ago1:33

1:33

Pádraig reflects on the transformative force of poetry, and Krista joins with an invitation to pay tribute to the ongoing work of Poetry Unbound. Make a gift and learn more at onbeing.org/LoveUs.By On Being Studios

1
DeSantis vs. Trump, 2024 Electoral Map, Mike Pence 5:40

1y ago5:40

5:40

Analysis of Trump vs. DeSantis, the 2024 Electoral Map, and Mike Pence entering the Republican Presidential Primary. Get more info and analysis on political news across the south at NewSouthPolitics.com New South Politics, founded by Matt O’Hern, was created to inform and update voters in southern states on both about the latest developments surrou…

1
Benjamin Gucciardi — The Rungs 15:02

1y ago15:02

15:02

A social worker holds a group for teenagers at a school. They only half pay attention to him. Then something happens, and they pay attention to each other. Benjamin Gucciardi was born and raised in San Francisco, California. His first book, West Portal (University of Utah Press, 2021), was selected by Gabrielle Calvocoressi for the Agha Shahid Ali …

1
Rowan Ricardo Phillips — Never Again Would Birds’ Song Be the Same 12:58

1y ago12:58

12:58

Have you ever had a private moment — perhaps in the middle of the night — in a large city? When it just seems like it’s you and the great dreaming metropolis? Rowan Ricardo Phillips brings us into a memory he can’t forget, complete with a Wu-Tang Clan soundtrack. Rowan Ricardo Phillips is a highly acclaimed, multi-award-winning poet, author, screen…

1
Alexander Posey — The Dew and the Bird 11:30

1y ago11:30

11:30

In a poem of strict rhymes and old forms, Alexander Posey (1873-1908), a poet of the Creek Nation, poses challenges to pomposity. Alexander Posey was a poet, editor, and satirist born in 1873 in the Creek Nation. Posey was the publisher of the first Indian-published daily newspaper, the Eufaula Indian Journal. Find the transcript for this show at o…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Thom O Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Quick Reference Guide