Nov 24th, 2008 · Eighth century Chinese poet Du Fu, one of the most admired lyric poets in the world, left behind some 1,400 poems and a record of a life that translator and editor David Young has now turned into a biography in verse.
Nov 24th, 2008 · Slam poet Gayle Danley has won international acclaim as a slam poet. Her newest endeavor is could be her most challenging one yet. Danley is taking the themes within her poems and passing them on to children. The artist, recently featured in the Washington Post Magazine, explains her passion for the spoken word and for sharing her message with young people.
Nov 9th, 2008 · A new book out this week compiles poems and memoirs from women veterans. It's called, "Powder: Writing by Women in the Ranks, from Vietnam to Iraq." The women share experiences, such as interrogating suspected terrorists and fending off advances from Iraqi men. Host Liane Hansen talks to Charlotte Brock, a former Marine Corps officer who wrote an essay about trying to identify dead bodies in Iraq. Warning: Graphic content.
Oct 18th, 2008 · "To the Family of the Man We Ate 130 Years Ago" is just one of the provocative poems in Sharon Dolin's new collection, Burn and Dodge. Dolin recites some of her poems and discusses the underlying theme of sin.
Oct 14th, 2008 · The third album from the William Parker Quartet is named Petit Oiseau, after a character in a poem written by Parker. Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead assesses whether the album — whose French title translates to "Little Bird" — takes flight.
Oct 12th, 2008 · Azam Ali and Loga Ramin Torkian, of the Persian-Indian music trio Niyaz, sit down to talk about their new album Nine Heavens. The disc blends modern electronica with old Persian folk songs and mystical Sufi poems. Ali talks about how her transcontinental journey from Iran to India, and then to the U.S., has shaped her music.
Oct 9th, 2008 · Poet Nikki Giovanni says her new book, Hip Hop Speaks To Children, aims to teach children poetry, history and culture through cadence. Poems by such greats as Langston Hughes are set to blues, jazz or gospel music.
Oct 2nd, 2008 · Known as a cultural critic, Clive James is gaining deserved recognition as a poet. Lucid and fun, these poems touch on literary life, mortality, religion — and unrequited love for the stars of women's tennis.