Poems For People Who Hate Poetry

Send us a textWould you drop everything, pack your bags, and head into a war zone to fight for freedom? That's exactly what our guest, Dan Hackney, a bonafide YouTube engineer did when he volunteered his skills and time to the Ukrainian military during the Russo-Ukrainian War. We dive deep into Dan's mind, understanding his reasons and the rollercoaster of emotions that came with his extraordinary decision, and explore his dedication to the objectivist community.From the surprising moment of finding a live grenade while building a drone to the outright defiance of curfew to experience the vibrant nightlife of Ukraine - Dan's experiences paint a chilling, yet authentic picture of the reality of war. The everyday mundane moments turn into acts of defiance and survival, and we get to hear about Dan's unexpected adventures. But it's not all guns and grenades - we also stumble upon a startup company creating military drones amidst this chaos.As we take a step back from Dan's personal

Send us a textStep into the enchanting world of romantic love as depicted by John Keats in his poignant ballad 'La Belle Dame Sans Merci' With us as your guides, you'll traverse the emotional landscape of love and loss, unearth the dual nature of love, and witness the power of romantic love that transcends even death itself. Can you imagine being so consumed by love that you find yourself in a state of bliss yet despair? Well, prepare to step into the shoes of a knight, as we dissect Keats' literary masterpiece, stanza by stanza, and unveil the paradox of love - its capacity to bring both joy and pain.Ever wondered what a psychological interpretation of romantic love looks like? We're going to dive deep into Keats' metaphorical portrayal of a knight's heart-wrenching love journey. We will discuss the nuances of the blissful state of two lovers, the spiritual and physical nourishment, and the inevitable turn of events that leads to a cold, desolate hillside. As we reflect on

Send us a textIn this episode of 'Surprised by Art', embark on a journey that intimately intertwines the worlds of art, poetry, passion, and pleasure. Discover how the subtle innuendos of a mysterious painting and evocative verse can profoundly amplify your appreciation of life's sensuous delights. Explore how flirting, foreplay, and secret desires are masterfully embodied in art, creating a rich tapestry of emotion and intrigue that deepens our understanding of desire, and ultimately, enhances our enjoyment of life and love. Dive in, and allow art to guide your senses to new heights of pleasure.For more see Luc Travers' upcoming four week course "Romantic Relationships in Art" at https://www.touchingtheart.com/

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Send us a textThis is a talk I gave at an event in Austin with a group of Ayn Rand Fans. I first read Homer when I was 9 years old. I understood none of it. After re-reading it many times, and later creating The Literary Canon Club, I have come to the conclusion that everyone should read Homer. In this talk I'll explain why and give you some insights from an amateur on how to approach the two epic poems of Homer. "The Iliad" and "The Odyssey."

Send us a textWith the call from some "futurists" like Elon Musk to pause development of AI, I explore two poems. One written by an Artificial Intelligence app, and another written by Robert Frost. The hypothesis: The chasm between Artificial Intelligence and the miraculous Human Consciousness is infinitely deep and unsurpassable. This does not diminish AI, but rather puts it in it's place as a tool of the human mind.Experiment: take three abstract human emotions "isolation, sorrow, despair" and implement the most basic universal English poetic forms "Sonnet Iambic Pentameter" and explore both poems as a poetry critic.

Send us a textA discussion of the Poem:Lines Composed a Few Miles above Tintern Abbey, On Revisiting the Banks of the Wye during a Tour. July 13, 1798By William Wordsworth

Send us a textOn this episode of Ted Lasso Luc Travers and Kirk Barbera are joined by Ted Lasso expert and creator of the biggest Ted Lasso fan group on Facebook, Joel Marquez.We discussed the show Ted Lasso and its relation to today's topics "Infectious Optimism" or "Infectious Benevolence." Luc then surprised both Kirk and Joel with a fascinating painting and Kirk surprised Luc and Joel with an inspiring poem. You won't want to miss the episode!Joel's facebook group is called "Ted Lasso Talk." If you have an optimists attitude, or you'd like one, join up!Joel's wife, Deanna, runs an etsy shop called Dlifeful, where she sells Ted Lasso inspired mugs, tshirts and more!

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Send us a textShortly after the recording of this episode, Luc Travers posted this to the facebook group: "Oh man, that episode recording was a wild, emotional ride!I went from warm nostalgia, to eager hope, to anxiety, to confused anger, to relief, to relative serenity in the space of 45 minutes!"Kirk agrees. This was an intense episode that dealt with a very heavy topic. What is social harmony? On this episode, you'll hear a variety of different answers, including two radically different approaches by two different artists.Special thanks to our voice recording volunteers: Alexandra HartlineHeather SchwarzMike Dartt

Send us a textThis week Luc and Kirk delve into the religious concept of revelation. Does revelation refer solely to the divine? How can revelation be brought down to earth? How is it relevant to our day-to-day lives? In painting, revelation is a very popular concept. The same is true in literature and poetry. What do you think? Does revelation have to be divine? Can we attain secular revelation? And what would that mean?Special thanks to our voice recordersKelly Bowers & Sean Doherty.

Send us a textToday Luc and Kirk are joined by sculptor Kelsy Landin. Make sure to follow her on Tiktok @landinart where she has become very popular creating videos of the sculpting process. Instagram she is @landinofficial and youtube Landin Art.Luc chose a spectacular statue to surprise us with. All three of us discussed various aspects of the sculpture as well as its artistic meaning. At first, it was not obvious how it fit into the topic of "Self-creation" but after exploring the work with Luc, we saw a very unique and important aspect of creating the self that many of us do not consider.The poem showed a contrary view to the idea of Self-creation, which gave the three of us much to contemplate.Enjoy this special episode of Surprised by Art, and visit https://www.troubadourmag.com/post/surprised-by-art-8-self-creation to view all the of artworks from different angles, and to read the poem.

Send us a textA reading and discussion of the poem "Easter, 1916" by WB Yeats. This poem is considered one of the most powerful political poems of the 20th century.Easter, 1916BY WILLIAM BUTLER YEATSI have met them at close of day   Coming with vivid facesFrom counter or desk among grey   Eighteenth-century houses.I have passed with a nod of the head   Or polite meaningless words,   Or have lingered awhile and said   Polite meaningless words,And thought before I had done   Of a mocking tale or a gibe   To please a companionAround the fire at the club,   Being certain that they and I   But lived where motley is worn:   All changed, changed utterly:   A terrible beauty is born.That woman's days were spent   In ignorant good-will,Her nights in argumentUntil her voice grew shrill.What voice more sweet than hers   When, young and beautiful,   She rode to harriers?This man had kept a school   And rode our wingèd horse;   This other his helper and friend   Was coming into his force;He might have won f

Send us a textis there a difference between aloneness and loneliness? What are the benefits and drawbacks to being alone? Our two artists today have very different things to say about being alone and loneliness. You may be listening to this alone. But are you alone with Luc and Kirk in your ears? There are times when it is important to break away from others and be by yourself. But there are times when connection is a strong desire. This and more is what we explore on this episode of Surprised by Art!*Note to parents. Kirk uses one swear word in this episode!

Send us a textIn this episode Luc and Kirk explored the idea of the role of a mentor in ones life. To what degree should we revere them? How personal does the relationship have to be? What value is there in a mentor? How can you be better mentor? What truly does a mentor do? How is a mentor different than a teacher?Luc shared a wonderful sculpture with all of us and Kirk chose a poem (stole might be a better word! From a talk by Lisa VanDamme, "Life Poetry and Keats.")This podcast is a conversation one that will certainly surprise you with the inherent truths in great works of art. You do not need to be a scholar to approach these podcasts. Luc and Kirk provide approachable ways to make art more meaningful in your life.Special thanks to: Lisa Vandamme for her reading of the poem. You can follow along with Lisa's literary readings and commentary on her Read with Me App. Painting Voice Recorders:Adriana Carlson - Author of the young adult novel Penelope and the Hob KingMolly Johnson - Esteemed me

Send us a textA discussion of the new show, Andor on Disney+

Send us a text*To view the full painting visit: https://www.troubadourmag.com/post/surprised-by-art-3-childhood-wildnessOn this episode you get to hear a fundamental disagreement between Luc and Kirk regarding the interpretation of the poem.This was a wild ride of a show. You'll get to experience a wonderful painting that most people pass by. It's a hidden gem rife with meaning, despite its minimalism. Luc and Kirk discussed the nature of wildness, bravery, thrill seeking and more with this painting.WIth the poem, Luc and Kirk got to experience a knight's tale, from a very unusual and unexpected location.We wanted to give a special thanks to our voice recording volunteers! They did a wonderful job describing the painting. Deanna Hekkinen of Piisan Academy, Rachael Rivera, and Jason Letman

Send us a textOn this episode both Kirk and Luc are quite surprised at what they find similar and different between the chosen painting and poem.Luc chose a wonderful painting to illustrate "Righteous Defiance," and Kirk chose a rousing poem to define the topic.The audio podcast is designed to help you visualize the painting without seeing it, but eventually you should explore the painting for yourself. We recommend exploring it after you hear the recordings of other people giving their first impressions.You can see the painting and some close ups of it here: https://www.troubadourmag.com/post/surprised-by-art-righteous-defianceSpecial thanks to our volunteers, who took one quick glance at the painting and described it: Jennifer Minjarez, Atul Kapur, Amy Chou, and Sean Doherty (in order of appearance).

Send us a textToday Luc Travers and Kirk cover the topic that you chose "Man's Loss of Faith."Luc picked a painting that really affected Kirk. And Kirk wowed Luc with his selection.Though paintings are of course visual, we have used audio descriptions of the painting to give you as clear an idea as possible of the painting. We do have a thumbnail that you can see as the artwork for this podcast episode.You can also go to https://www.troubadourmag.com/post/surprised-by-art-man-s-loss-of-faith to experience the painting in the way that Luc recommends.You can also read the poem there.*Note to parents this episode does have a few swear words in it.