In this “hairstyle of an episode,” we take a turn examining braid poems—such as those popularized by our special guest, David Kirby. What constitutes a braid? This episode may inspire you to plait your own pigtails!

At the Table:

Katie Dozier

Timothy Green

David Kirby

Joe Barca

Dick Westheimer

What better way to kick off a poetry reading road trip than by firing one up for this week's episode of The Poetry Space_?! We go behind the scenes of our new chapbook, "Hot Pink Moon: A Crown of Haibun," and also read many of the poems. Watchout--it just may inspire you to collaborate on a book of your own poetry next!

Find the book here:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1961694018

Despite the lack of best-selling anthologies on the subject, "divorce poems," are everywhere. In life's most difficult times, we're particularly grateful that poetry is there for us. In this Date Nite episode, Katie and Tim read poems by Roberta Beary, Jack Gilbert, Sharon Olds, and others—including their own.

Are villanelles really the villains of formal verse? What goes into crafting these 19-line poems? In this episode, special guest Anna M. Evans joins us to look at classic examples as well as contemporary villanelles that push the form to superhero level.

At the Table:

Katie Dozier

Timothy Green

Anna M. Evans

Brian O’Sullivan

Nate Jacob

No short form deserves a longer discussion than haiku! In this episode, Katie and Tim begin by breaking down why haiku is not a (5-7-5) syllabic form. The conversation leaps from the realm of the denotative to the connotative, culminating with an exploration of what reading and writing contemporary haiku can do for you!

At the Table:

Katie Dozier

Timothy Green

Nate Jacob

Brian O’Sullivan

Dick Westheimer

Joe Barca

Without further ado, Katie, Tim, and the rest of the Squad say, “I do” to Wedding Poems! Spanning Shakespeare all the way to contemporary poetry, this episode has more poems than a champagne toast has bubbles (well, almost). Help choosing the most memorable poems to share at a wedding is also covered, as well as the best poems to recite should you find yourself unexpectedly at an enemy’s ceremony.

Katie Dozier

Timothy Green

Joe Barca

Brian O’Sullivan

Dick Westheimer

Nate Jacob

Who better to explore syllabic poetry with than the Oxford Professor of Poetry, A.E. Stallings?! In this episode, we edge the perimeter of formal verse and free verse to arrive at this all-too-often dismissed poetic genre. We discuss Fibonacci poems, haiku stanzas, Sylvia Plath, and Marianne Moore. Lucky for us, A.E. Stallings shares some of her latest syllabic verse.

At the Table:

Katie Dozier

Timothy Green

A.E. Stallings

Joe Barca

Brian O’Sullivan

Dick Westheimer

Is Instagram poetry actually poetry? In the most controversial episode yet, Katie and Tim's date nite discussion is crashed by poet Erik Campbell. Listen as we drink whiskey and hit at what irks more traditional poets about this poetic genre, as well as look at what we can learn from InstaPoets like Rupi Kaur, Atticus, Pavana Reddy, Amanda Lovelace, Nikita Gill, and Kate Baer.

At the Table:

Katie Dozier

Timothy Green

Erik Campbell