Poems For People Who Hate Poetry

Send us a textRobert Frost and Donald Trump would have been great friends. They have so much in common: They were both born in big American cities, both have wide appeal in rural America and both speak with poetic fervor about walls. “I will build a great wall — and nobody builds walls better than me, believe me… I will build a great, great wall on our southern border…mark my words,” said President Trump. Indeed, Robert Frost, too, has marked some words about walls in his poem, Mending Wall, which tells the story of two neighbors fixing the gaps in the walls which separate their property.Trump and Frost are truly kindred spirits, for both also have a love of proverbs. Many of Frost’s’ phrases have made it into the American vernacular, and Trump is more than happy to use the phrases passed down to him. In his love poem about walls, Frost coined the saying: “Good Fences Make Good Neighbors;” recently Trump eloquently quoted his father’s saying: “a nation without borders is not a nation.” Indeed, Mr. Trump and M

Send us a textShar Lemond (sharlemond.com) is the author of the new novel "Travel Secrets Book One: Rio De Janeiro.We had a great conversation about the differences between women's lit and "mens lit" (which doesn't really exist exactly).  We also discussed the nature of femininity and masculinity and how to portray valuable themes in great works of literature.

Send us a textIn part 3 of our 4 part series we explore "Rappaccini's Daughter," one of Hawthorne's most famous short stories.Whether we understand it or not, our American culture is heavily shaped by Science Fiction. It is arguably the closest we get to a literary genre. It's power is so immense that our views of things like the lone-billionaire scientist (think Musk) and the doting old intellectual (think Bernie) still follow us around today. When we look to scientists to solve all of our ecological, biological, earthly "problems" we are acknowledging the impact of sci-fi. Science today resembles a religion of old with its leaders and secretive language and gatekeepers.This of course is most assuredly NOT science. It is, instead, the by-product of the evolution of science in a literary artform.In this four part series we are exploring the original conception of this genre. How it was envisioned and some of the original solutions to this primary character: the scientist. Wh

Send us a textThis one may be better in video since I watched two trailers. But the audio is good too. https://www.facebook.com/kbarbera/videos/10157073720104781/

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Send us a textJeremiah is a poet living in Souther California, who writes what I would call Romantic literature. On this show we discussed the nature of poetry, spoken word and wrap, and his forthcoming book, which is in the genre called "slave-narrative."I also have a book recommendation for him and for you in this conversation. A Victor Hugo book that is often overlooked.Enjoy this conversation with Poet Jeremiah Cobra.Get Jeremiah's book of poetry and short stories "Beauty and Perspective" www.bookofadriel.com

Send us a textThis marks Stacey's second time on the podcast and this time we chatted about the first of John Keats' "Ode" Poems, Ode to Psyche.One of the keys to using this poem in our real life is to ask ourselves if it is possible to maintain a passionate love affair throughout our entire lives? Does passion have to fade? Can it remain eternal? What role does the imagination play in this process? Stacey Reay is a popular youtuber who teaches literature and poetry across the pond. Not only did she add valuable insights into the poem but she brought her considerable knowledge of rhyme, meter and prosody to our conversation.  Subscribe to her youtube channel for much more: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJhuqpyhE8NzYZFkwTzi_7g

Send us a textPatrick came back to talk more about literature and art. This time we focused on Homer's The Iliad and The Odyssey. 

Send us a textHave you ever thought this about a romantic partner: "Is she or he The One?"Likely, if you're over 25, this is a question you've seriously contemplated. But how do we get a sense of The One? Where does it come from? What shapes our unique individual desire for The One?The One is an ideal. it's why so many mates seem to "fall short." They are actual, temporal, real, while The One is ephemeral, unreal, imaginary.Should we give up The One for the actual? Do we have to?Explore this poem by John keats where he brings you on a journey into the realm between the eternal perfect ideal and the world we inhabit in the here and now.For full show notes and literary terms:https://www.troubadourmag.com/home/odeonagrecianurn

Send us a textOn this wide ranging conversation, Tal and I chatted about the role of art in cognition, The Romantic Manifesto and a special ARI announcement for this summer's event! 

Send us a textPatrick is partner at Just Add Firewater https://justaddfirewater.com/ and co-founder/president of Taliesun Nexus http://talnexus.com/Patrick is working to change the culture. Today we talked about how to do that and why literary art is essential to that end.

Send us a textOn this episode I have the world famous doctor of all things comedy and Youtube star Rucka Rucka ALI! His parody videos get millions of views on youtube. Make sure to watch his video on The History of Philosophy! https://youtu.be/39Em6t0G7FcSubscribe on Youtube or visit him at ruckasworld.comWe began our conversation on the nature of Comedy and Tragedy and quickly moved into how our minds work, what is naturally innate in humans, how to think about literature and philosophy and much much more.We discussed:Jordan PetersonThe IDWTragedyObjectivismHow to Change the WorldColumbine KillersPostmodernismThe French RevolutionAnd much much moreEnjoy this fascinating and wide ranging conversation with Rucka Rucka ALLLIIIII

Send us a textOn this episode I'll be reading the short story "The Birthmark" by Nathaniel Hawthorne.A scientists deepest desire and motivation is to master nature in the same way that the artist represents nature.In this episode we will explore the deeper motivations of Hawthorne's character creation: The Mad Scientist.We will explore the nature of art and science, literature as an artform, science fiction as a genre, and how all of these ideas converge within Hawthornes short story.The four short stories we are covering are:1) Dr. Heidegger's Experiment2) The Birthmark3) Rappaccini's Daughter4) The Artist of the BeautifulThis is science fiction not as it is, but as it should be!

Send us a textA reading of the poem by Keats.I STOOD tip-toe upon a little hill, | The air was cooling, and so very still, | That the sweet buds which with a modest pride | Pull droopingly, in slanting curve aside, | Their scantly leaved, and finely tapering stems, |         5Had not yet lost those starry diadems | Caught from the early sobbing of the morn. | The clouds were pure and white as flocks new shorn, | And fresh from the clear brook; sweetly they slept | On the blue fields of heaven, and then there crept |         10A little noiseless noise among the leaves, | Born of the very sigh that silence heaves: | For not the faintest motion could be seen | Of all the shades that slanted o’er the green. | There was wide wand’ring for the greediest eye, |         15To peer about upon variety; | Far round the horizon’s crystal air to skim, | And trace the dwindled edgings of its brim; | To picture out the quaint, and curious bending | Of a fresh woodland alley, never ending; |         20Or by the bowery clefts,

Send us a textOn this episode we take a detour from the four Hawthorne Sci-Fi stories to explore a critical symbol in literature and science fiction: the Butterfly. That's right, the butterfly.I'll be telling you the myth of Cupid and Psyche and reading the poem "Ode to Psyche" By John Keats.By the end of this episode you will have a better understanding of how symbols can be used by a master storyteller to add to a story, the similarities between symbols, allegories, metaphor, simile and analogy, and where specific symbols originated. This may sound like a boring discussion about an academic subject. I hope, however, that I have taken examples from literature and poetry and shown you how these can improve you life, enrich your readings, and shape your consciousness. For, no art more than literature can do all of these, and in so short a span as a few power lines of prose.

Send us a textDo you really know what a scientist is? A literary genre brings up new and important questions. Questions critical for a society and for your own individual life.What are your limits? Can you go too far? Should you strive boldly or react tamely?These are a few questions Hawthorne and others addressed in the 19th century.In this episode (one of four) I will show you why it's important not to take words like scientist for granted and how our current society is still grappling continuously with these ideas. This is part 1 of 4. We'll be exploring 4 short stories, one for each episode. In each episode I will do a reading of the story, but I recommend reading it for yourself if possible.Dr. Heidegger's ExperimentThe BirthmarkRappaccinni's DaughtersThe Artist of the Beautiful

Send us a textThis episode is best watched on youtube: https://youtu.be/pWwjMHGNu6w

Send us a textOften to understand poetry, it helps to compare two poems of a similar subject. On this episode I will be comparing a new poet to an old one. The new: Jeremiah Cobra is a writer and poet living in Souther California. He recently published his first book of short stories and poems in a compilation, "Beauty and Perspective." I'll be reading and discussing his poem A Flower's Bloom. The old: William Blake (1757-1827). Blake is one of the great Romantic poets of the 18th and 19th century. Considered a visionary in his own time, his series Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience commonly portray a deceptively simplistic scene, but hide a beautifully dark vision of the world.I'll be reading and discussing his poem The Blossom.Read these poems here: https://www.kirkbarbera.com/single-post/2018/10/31/BLOOM-poetry

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