Best Don Sewing Podcasts (2025)

1
Kevin FitzPatrick's Farewell 4:12

2h ago4:12

4:12

Here's a performance of a poem from FitzPatrick's final collection done in remembrance of the St. Patrick's Day poetry readings he used to lead every year. That poetry collection, Still Living in Town, told of his life working on his life-partner's farm in Wisconsin. One of the characters in that book's series of poems about rural life was the farm…

1
I Sit and Sew 3:40

3d ago3:40

3:40

"I Sit and Sew" is likely Alice Dunbar-Nelson's best-known poem, a strongly worded statement of a woman wishing to assuage the suffering of war. I've now made it into a short song, as that's what the Parlando Project does. I'll write a bit more about the particulars of the poem at the Project's blog and archives later today, but I thought her poem …

1
Credo (The Will To Love) 2:01

6d ago2:01

2:01

Long work this week to find a set of words I could use and sing, ones that would meet our world and times with some measure of hope and purpose. These are the ones I chose, written over a hundred years ago by early American Modernist poet and publisher Alfred Kreymborg. The Parlando Project combines various words (mostly literary poetry) with origi…

1
Six Maxims 2:07

13d ago2:07

2:07

This February during Black History Month I've been writing about the discovery, history, and my subsequent impressions of a scrapbook featuring the life and career of a mid-20th Century Afro-American musician and singer Lawrence "Hank" Hazlett who played with a swing Jazz quartet The Cats and the Fiddle from Chicago and then with his own Hank Hazle…

1
You! Inez! 2:15

14d ago2:15

2:15

Here's Alice Dunbar Nelson's passionate love poem from the last decade to be called The Twenties performed as a song. I just saw this poem this morning, but I was so taken with it that I spent my afternoon composing some music to perform it with. The Parlando Project combines various words (mostly literary poetry) with original music in differing s…

1
Langston's Blues (Dreams) 2:13

25d ago2:13

2:13

Our Black History Month celebration this month is more focused on new articles on the Parlando Project blog, but I thought it'd be good to provide some new musical pieces too. Here's Langston Hughes' poem "Dreams" which I've cast as a blues for acoustic guitar, bass, and piano for this performance. The Parlando Project takes various words (mostly l…

1
Couples 1:35

1M ago1:35

1:35

Here's the somewhat forgotten Modernist poet Carl Sandburg in a weird mode. I still don't know what this elusive poem of his, titled "Couples," is describing, but I felt compelled to make it into this short song anyway. That's what the Parlando Project does. We take various words (mostly literary poetry) and combine them with original music. We've …

1
Arcadian Ewes (Ca' the Yowes to the Knowes) 2:51

2M ago2:51

2:51

I start this piece singing the refrain of a song attributed to Robert Burns, and then the music continues as I read a sonnet from my memory care series. The Parland Project combines words (usually literary poetry) with music in differing styles. We've done over 800 of these combinations and you can hear any of them and read about our encounter with…

1
EPISODE 301 - ANNOUNCEMENT: WE ARE RENAMING AND REBRANDING OUR PODCAST. 8:35

2M ago8:35

8:35

We are changing the name of our podcast from The Six Figure Gutter Cleaner podcast to Gutter Cleaning Gold. While we will continue to put out content that will help you build a business that will net you six figures with gutter cleaning as your primary service, we will put more of an emphasis on building long-term wealth by building your business i…

1
Inconceivable Solemn 2:25

2M ago2:25

2:25

What is poet Emily Dickinson describing in this poem I've turned into a song? Is it soldiers marching off to the American Civil War? Or is it just maybe a partisan political campaign march in time that her country's political failure was leading it to that war? There's more on this, and over 800 other combinations of various words (mostly literary …

1
Libertad! Igualdad! Fraternidad! 2:07

2M ago2:07

2:07

This William Carlos Williams short poem of disappointment and survival seemed apropos for this American January, so now I've made it into a song, just me with my rough-hewn voice with a lonely acoustic guitar. "Dreams are not a bad thing" he says. Perhaps it will speak to you too. The Parlando Project takes various words (mostly literary poetry) an…

1
Journey of the Magi 3:38

2M ago3:38

3:38

What if one of the Three Wise Men left a Yelp review after their Epiphany visit to the manger? Presented that way it sounds like a sketch-comedy bit, doesn't it? But T. S. Eliot had an ear for poetic dialog, and he wrote a poem that approaches the sacred on the back of a sore camel. I took Eliot's poem and performed it with some original music yest…

1
At the New Year 4:39

2M ago4:39

4:39

Kenneth Patchen wrote this poem sometime before the middle of the 20th century, but it seemed so apt today that I felt that I had to sing it as a statement for the end of our year. The Parlando Project combines various words (mostly literary poetry) with original music in differing styles. We've done over 800 of these combinations, and you can hear…

1
One need not be a chamber to be haunted 3:03

3M ago3:03

3:03

Once more we put an Emily Dickinson poem into a song setting. Today's piece weighs fears: haunted houses, ghosts, graveyards, assassins, but says the greatest fear is, or should be, ourselves. A full rock ensemble for this one: bass, drums, piano, two electric guitars and a 12-string acoustic. The Parlando Project takes various words, mostly litera…

1
Songs to Joannes 9 & 10 1:45

3M ago1:45

1:45

As a young woman, Mina Loy adventured through many avant-garde artistic scenes in early 20th century, and her series of poems of desire, its attractions and disaffections, "Songs to Joannes," still stands out for its exciting use of language. Here are two small excerpts from that series turned into a song. The Parlando Project has combined over 800…

1
A Face Devoid of Love or Grace 1:36

3M ago1:36

1:36

Emily Dickinson wrote a short poem about looking at the face of someone that disgusted her. It's now a song here, because that's what the Parlando Project does: we take words (mostly literary poetry not intended to be sung) and combine it with original music in differing styles. We've done over 800 of these combinations, and you can hear them all a…

1
The Fade 7:12

3M ago7:12

7:12

For our 800th official release I've chosen this, with words and music by the Parlando Projects alternative voice, Dave Moore. Dave sings this and plays keys, just as he did in the earliest days of this project, and its predecessor the LYL Band. "The Fade" is an unusual rock song, even if you file it under "Indie" or "Alt Rock," because it talks abo…

1
Records In Childhood 2:58

3M ago2:58

2:58

A sonnet about the small number of records I can recall from my childhood household. performed with an acoustic duo. Yes, thinking back, this odd combination of disks might have given me part of the inspiration for the Parlando Project. That Parlando Project takes various words (mostly literary poetry not intended by its writers to be sung) and com…

1
Millay's Thanksgiving 3:16

4M ago3:16

3:16

Edna St. Vincent Millay wrote a poem about her fears and blessings on the American holiday of Thanksgiving nearly 75 years ago. I think it might speak to some Americans this year, so I've put together these excerpts from her longer poem for you to hear. The Parlando Project combines various words (mostly literary poetry) with original music in diff…

1
When the Year Grows Old 3:37

4M ago3:37

3:37

Edna St. Vincent Millay's early poem of a late Autumn tinged with ambiguous longing, now sung with original music. The Parlando Project combines various words (mostly literary poetry) with original music in differing styles. As of this date we've released almost 800 of these combinations and you can hear them and read about our encounter with the w…

1
Ducks, as if Teenagers 2:45

4M ago2:45

2:45

A sonnet about reaching a time of separation now made into a song. The Parlando Project combines various words, usually literary poetry, with original music in differing styles, We've done nearly 800 of these combinations over the years. You can hear them all and read about our encounters with the words at our blog and archives located at frankhuds…

1
Ten Cents a Bushel 4:58

4M ago4:58

4:58

Here's Edwin Ford Piper's unflinching yet sensuous description of an early 20th century Midwestern farmer's November harvest performed with original music by the Parlando Project. This is but one example of what the Parlando Project does. We combine words (mostly other people's words, mostly literary poetry) with music we create and record in diffe…

1
Let No Charitable Hope 2:29

4M ago2:29

2:29

Elinor Wylie was an American poet who reached an audience during the last decade called The Twenties. Some of her poems might still be appreciated if we were to come upon them today, and in that regard, the Parlando Project has turned this poem of hers into a short Indie-Folk song. The Parlando Project has done over 750 of these combinations taking…

1
A Sonnet of Two Letters 2:53

4M ago2:53

2:53

One of this Project's mottos is "Other People's Stories," which means that I'm usually setting and performing other poets' work. Today's piece is one of the exceptions, using a sonnet I wrote. At least I think I wrote it. I found a draft of today's piece among some old papers this Fall and recognized it as being in my own handwriting -- but I have …

1
To Waken an Old Lady 1:19

4M ago1:19

1:19

The LYL Band takes a poem by William Carlos Williams about aging and an oncoming winter and turns it into a song. This is what the Parlando Project does: we take various words (mostly literary poetry) and combine it with music in differing styles. We've done over 750 of these combinations and you can hear them all and read what I wrote about our en…

1
The Three Friends - an audio play adaption of a Walter de la Mare short story 10:20

5M ago10:20

10:20

A change of pace for this Project: I adapted a short story by the British master of the subtle supernatural into a 10-minute audio play. So, sit back and enjoy as The Parlando Project Theatre of the Air presents Walter de la Mare's story of a man with a problem: he can see something past the Samhain veil. How will his two friends react to what he t…

1
The Song of Finis 1:47

5M ago1:47

1:47

When it comes to the poetic-spooky presented though inference and understatement, Walter de la Mare is a master; so I wanted to get this poem of his turned into a song in time for our Halloween series. The Parlando Project combines various words (mostly literary poetry) with original music in differing styles. We've done over 750 of these combinati…

1
The Haunted Palace 4:56

5M ago4:56

4:56

Edgar Allan Poe's poem has been turned into a song as part of our Halloween series featuring fantasy and supernatural poems this year. The Parlando Project takes words (mostly literary poetry) and combines them with original music in differing styles. We've done over 750 of these combinations, and you can hear them and read about our encounters wit…

1
The Puca 2:32

5M ago2:32

2:32

Our Halloween series continues. Irish poet Joseph Campbell has a twist on the idea of a goblin spirit casting a spell on a human. In this encounter, a downhearted man comes upon a puca, and the human's dissatisfaction and weariness changes the goblin. I came upon this poem, and now I've changed it into a song. The Parlando Project takes words (most…

1
Shadwell Stair 3:07

5M ago3:07

3:07

Is this a Halloween piece? I'm not sure, but the poem, one of Wilfred Owen's strangest, says it's being sung by a ghost. My musical setting here is one of my orchestral ones. The Parlando Project takes various words (mostly literary poetry) and sets them to original music in differing styles. We've done over 750 of these combinations, and you can h…

1
Black Cat 1:56

5M ago1:56

1:56

Here's a fresh translation into English of a poem by Rainer Maria Rilke performed with original music as our Halloween series continues this October. The Parlando Project takes various words (mostly literary poetry) and combines them with music we create and record. We've released over 750 of these pieces over the years, and you can hear any and al…

1
The House of Ghosts 5:16

5M ago5:16

5:16

Here's the next song in our Halloween series, this time with words I adapted from a poem by Margaret Widdemer. Just like last time, someone's at the door, but this time they let themselves in and the song is the story of what they find inside. The Parlando Project combines various words (mostly literary poetry) with original music in differing styl…

1
The Witch 3:38

5M ago3:38

3:38

Starting a Halloween series for this year with this supernatural poem by Mary Coleridge that I've now turned into a song. That's what the Parlando Project does: we take various words (usually literary poetry) and combine them with original music in differing styles. We also write short pieces about our experiences with the poems. and you can read t…

1
The Wind Began to Rock 4:48

5M ago4:48

4:48

Here's a poetic narrative that you could call : started early, took my shaggy dog. A storm builds to a deluge and then ends with an escape, all the while, a rock band with three guitars pelts the music. Emily Dickinson rocks! This is an example of what the Parlando Project does: we take words (mostly literary poetry) and combine them with original …

1
Nature Can Do No More Blues (after a poem by Emily Dickinson) 2:04

5M ago2:04

2:04

Here I take inspiration from a late, short poem by Emily Dickinson and redo it as a bottleneck-slide guitar Blues. My sense of her original gnomic poem was that Dickinson was writing of Autumn's end of the growing season with the knowledge that this close of a yearly cycle is a phase that will be followed by another Summer. The Parlando Project pre…

1
Words like Blades 2:41

6M ago2:41

2:41

Once more in this late September series, I turn a mysterious Emily Dickinson poem into a song. This one accompanied with a sparce trio of 12-string guitar, tambura, and viola. The Parlando Project has done over 750 of these new musical combinations of various words (usually literary poetry) with music we compose and record. You can find more of the…

1
My Life had stood a Loaded Gun 3:12

6M ago3:12

3:12

I'm celebrating Emily Dickinson this week, and this is a poem, extraordinary even for her, the tragic story of a faithful gun. Since this is the Parlando Project I took Dickinson's poem and turned into a strange little song. That's what the Project does and has done over 750 times. We take various words (usually literary poetry) and combine them wi…

1
I Sing to Use the Waiting 2:21

6M ago2:21

2:21

Another Emily Dickinson setting where my music seeks to bring out the strangeness that sits in-between some of her poems' lines. This lesser-known Dickinson poem might be paired with her "Because I could not stop for Death." She's singing here before the carriage arrives. For more than 750 other combinations of various words (mostly literary poetry…

1
The Day Undressed Herself 2:27

6M ago2:27

2:27

I'm planning a short series of Emily Dickinson poems combined with a variety of original music as I look forward to spending next week attending (online) a number of events in the Emily Dickinson Museum's Tell It Slant festival. Today's example is a musical setting for acoustic steel-string guitar of a poem portraying a day's sunset viewed in an in…

1
Quiet Night Thoughts 1:57

6M ago1:57

1:57

Each year on September 18th I do something to commemorate composer and guitarist Jimi Hendrix. This year I set this famous short poem by classical Chinese poet Li Bai. Later this morning I'll post more about thoughts on how this poet and that musician might fit together. This just one example of what the Parlando Project does: we combine various wo…

1
Heaven and Hail 3:26

6M ago3:26

3:26

The Parlando Project is less often able to present the live rock band performances that it started out with, but here's a little piece from one of those performances, one telling about the aftermath of a large hail and high-wind storm that struck in August of 2023. The Parlando Project combines various words (usually literary poetry) with original …

1
At the Threshold 2:58

6M ago2:58

2:58

Late 19th century American poet Richard Hovey translated many French Symbolist poems; but this sonnet, published in a posthumous collection, is apparently Hovey's own work in French under the title "Au Seuil." Hovey's poem considers dying and the possibility of a judgement and afterlife. I translated Hovey's French into English for this musical per…

1
Isabel 2:10

6M ago2:10

2:10

Here's a short love poem by written for the 1894 Songs From Vagabondia by Richard Hovey. This book found favor with young men in its day for eschewing moral uplift and earnest toil to write instead of wine, women, and joyful travels. The Parlando Project combines various words (usually literary poetry) with original music in differing styles. We've…

1
Down the Songo - Summer: Still Rowing, Still Dreaming 4:10

7M ago4:10

4:10

Labor Day weekend in America is often the occasion for end of Summer activities. In this poem from the 1894 Songs from Vagabondia, poet Richard Hovey rows down a river in Maine connecting a lake and ponds. What does he find? The sense that Summer feels like a dream. The Parlando Project combines various words (usually literary poetry) with original…

1
The Mote: A 19th Century SF Prose Poem 3:31

7M ago3:31

3:31

Pioneering Canadian poet Bliss Carman included this fantastic prose poem in his breakthrough 1894 collection "Songs from Vagabondia." Is it the slightly intoxicated wonder-talk of two tipsy young men, or the account of two angels playing with the universe? That Carman seems to have designed that blurring makes for an interesting 19th century SciFi …

1
The Two Bobbies 2:07

7M ago2:07

2:07

Pioneering Canadian poet Bliss Carman's break-through collection was called Songs of Vagabondia, a popular 1894 book which extoled the adventurous and sensuous life. In this selection he jauntingly compares Robert Burns and Robert Browning. The Parlando Project combines various words (usually literary poetry) with original music in different styles…

1
O But My Delicate Lover 2:27

7M ago2:27

2:27

Ancient Greek poet Sappho's poetry survives in fragments and spaces, but in 1904 a Canadian poet imagined Sappho's poems as if they were complete. The audacity of that project undertaken by Bliss Carman must be conceded, but the results can be judged on their own merits. The Greeks said that Sappho's poems were sung with lyre music, and the Parland…

1
I Dream I Am Falling 2:53

7M ago2:53

2:53

August 6th is the 8th anniversary of the launch of the Parlando Project — but it is also the 23rd anniversary of my late wife's death and Hiroshima Day. The Parlando Project is largely about performing other people's words (mostly literary poetry) with original music in various styles, but for this August observance I used a poem I myself wrote abo…

1
Sara Teasdale again: Advice to a Girl 1:48

8M ago1:48

1:48

Not sure it's advice only useful for young women, but a savvy poem of love's boundaries none the less. The Parlando Project takes various words (usually literary poetry) and combines them with original music. We've done over 750 such combinations and you can find more at our blog and archives located at frankhudson.org…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Don Sewing Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Quick Reference Guide