Short and unhurried, Poetry Unbound is an immersive exploration of a single poem, hosted by Pádraig Ó Tuama. Pádraig Ó Tuama greets you... more
In Kinsale Drake’s poem “Put on that KTNN,” she writes about driving to a hometown as a familiar station crackles... more
Poetry Unbound with host Pádraig Ó Tuama is back on Monday, December 2. Featured poets in this season include Robert... more
In this concluding episode of "Poems as Teachers," our special miniseries on conflict and the human condition, host Pádraig Ó... more
Being right may feel good, but what human price do we pay for this feeling of rightness? Yehuda Amichai’s poem... more
In “Hebrews 13” by Jericho Brown, a narrator says: “my lover and my brother both knocked at my door.” The... more
In Mosab Abu Toha’s “Ibrahim Abu Lughod and brother in Yaffa,” two barefoot siblings on a beach sketch out a... more
We ask questions to find out the facts, but what if you can’t trust the answers, the questions, or the... more
As appealing as it may sound, is it really possible to live in a world completely free of conflict? No.... more
Host Pádraig Ó Tuama gives an overview of this Poetry Unbound mini season that's devoted to poems with wisdom to... more
If your home were a museum — and they all are, in a way — what would the contents of... more
The word “flush” is a verb, as in an activity that we do umpteen times a day. It’s also an... more
Bro — this is definitely not the “Beowulf” that you read back in school. Maria Dahvana Headley’s gutsy, swaggering translation... more
A horse race from the 1980s may not seem like the obvious inspiration for a poem that celebrates so many... more
What holds our bodies together? Yes, there are the biological components, such as the cells, fluids, fibers, but what about... more
While disputes over contested lands result in damage that can be seen and documented, they also create countless unseen ruptures... more
In “ROLL CALL: NEW TAROT NAMES FOR BLACK GIRLS,” Amber McBride treats us to a playful litany of language that... more
A fragile and wondrous technology that we all possess, the human breath powers any number of things in our lives... more
Our lives are filled with distances, the physical spans that we travel but also the stranger, vaster expanses between our... more
Most of us do our eavesdropping shyly and secretively, but Ofelia Zepeda’s poem “Deer Dance Exhibition” welcomes us to listen... more
Even in the most uneventful of human lives, uncertainty and doubts will inevitably intrude. When faced with those, what can... more
To be alive is to be in conversation with the dead. The ghosts of loved ones are always swirling around... more
It is an intimate thing, to watch a lover while they sleep. In Francisco Aragón’s translation of Francisco X. Alarcón’s... more
Conor Kerr’s “Winter Songs” depicts a future scene: coyotes roaming through a rewilded city, digging up the bones of Indigenous... more
Valencia Robin’s poem portrays a tense relationship between mother and daughter; perhaps each resembling the other too much. In desperation... more
In a poem about how a small moment can help you make a wise decision, Eugenia Leigh finds the strength... more
Poetry Unbound with host Pádraig Ó Tuama is back on Monday, January 1. Featured poets in this season include Amber... more
Friends, Pádraig here — we are awakening your Poetry Unbound feed to share this brilliant episode from the newest season... more
A central duality appears in the work of Henri Cole: the revelation of emotional truths in concert with a “symphony... more
Aimee Nezhukumatathil’s poems are filled with butchery and blood as she carves space for desire, motherhood, and an encyclopedic knowledge... more
Through her poetry, Patricia Smith generously, skillfully puts language around what can be seen both in the present and deliberately... more
So much of what was once deemed impossible was found — during Covid — to be possible. Here, a poet... more
How to remember a beloved who died tragically, violently? Remember the violence? Sometimes, yes. But also this: remember his love... more
What self-consciousnesses do artists carry? It can be difficult to know how to hold onto confidence in your work, especially... more
A poet reads to a room full of youths who seem to have some residual resentment to the poet. The... more
What do sandwiches, laundry, therapy, childhood homes, and forgiveness have to do with each other? Wo Chan weaves a poem... more
How can russet potatoes be made to taste of sugar and caramel? By dedication, love, and craft. Amanda Gunn places... more
Old stories — of mythology or religion — have sometimes been depicted as having one narrative and one interpretation. Here,... more
We are delighted to offer this extended conversation between host Pádraig Ó Tuama and the poet Sasha taqʷšəblu LaPointe. Together,... more
In a poem that explores a story of a name, a story of a color, a story of a sound,... more
On one particular day, a poem places events alongside each other, the ordinariness of each event casting the other events... more
Why do we do the things we do when we’re young? Brenda Cárdenas recalls nights sneaking out of the house... more
An item of clothing — the blouse of a grandmother — is praised for its artistry, is remembered for how... more
What might have been? A poet recalls flirtations and electric connections that could have led to a different life.
If you had to make a self portrait of your daily morning routine through language and sensation, what would you... more
A memory from childhood is viewed through the lens of the Malaysian poetic form of pantoum. New things emerge when... more
If you could put a lock of your hair under a microscope, what would it contain? DNA certainly, but here... more
Pádraig reflects on the transformative force of poetry, and Krista joins with an invitation to pay tribute to the ongoing... more
A social worker holds a group for teenagers at a school. They only half pay attention to him. Then something... more
Have you ever had a private moment — perhaps in the middle of the night — in a large city?... more
In a poem of strict rhymes and old forms, Alexander Posey (1873-1908), a poet of the Creek Nation, poses challenges... more
In a church there are liturgies and prayers and statues. But in José Olivarez’s poem, there are more urgent things... more
Friendships deserve praise songs and here’s a praise song — an ode — to friends that have crossed continents for... more
Poetry Unbound with host Pádraig Ó Tuama is back on Monday, May 22. Featured poets in this season include Selina... more
Friends, we are awakening your Poetry Unbound feed for a moment to share this episode from the big, beautiful new... more
As part of a celebratory launch party for the new Poetry Unbound book, Pádraig welcomed Lorna Goodison, former Poet Laureate... more
A younger woman looks at an older woman, admiring her beauty, skill, and freedom. Older now, she thinks of how... more
Who brings you to praise? Rumi’s great poem of praise to the “you” is to his great friend Shams, and... more
What’s it like to be owned by the world, to have populations claiming you, to have millions speaking on your... more
Quiet. Shhh. Softly. Don’t make a fuss. Don’t upset the authorities. Victoria Adukwei Bulley unquiets the quiet.
On the day you wake to a broken window in your car, what do you do? And what happens when... more
A younger woman looks at an older woman, admiring her beauty, skill, and freedom. Older now, she thinks of how hard-won such... more