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After two years, two seasons and 443 episodes, Major Jackson is stepping down from the host chair. 


A Farewell to Major Jackson

To find out more about how National Endowment for the Arts grants impact individuals and communities, visit www.arts.gov.


Supported in Part by National Endowment for the Arts

Raising poetry to a more visible and influential position in American culture.


Produced in Partnership With the Poetry Foundation

Announcements

1549: Thirst Trap by Caleb Curtiss

Today’s poem is Thirst Trap by Caleb Curtiss.


Today’s poem is Thirst Trap by Caleb Curtiss. 
The Slowdown is your daily poetry ritual. In this episode, Maggie writes… “People post seductive selfies for all kinds of reasons. They might want validation in the forms of likes and comments. They might be single and hoping to meet someone online. They might be trying to build a following, or promote a product. Someone’s face or body is going to grab a lot more eyes on social media than text on a plain background. Which means we’re often attaching our bodies to our labor or art. Regardless of how you feel about this, it is, in a way, deeply intimate.” 
This show is made possible by gifts from listeners. Support The Slowdown today. Slowdownshow.org/donate


The Slowdown

1548: You're Supposed to Enjoy Dying by Colin Pope

Today’s poem is You're Supposed to Enjoy Dying by Colin Pope.


Today’s poem is You're Supposed to Enjoy Dying by Colin Pope.
The Slowdown is your daily poetry ritual. In this episode, Maggie writes… “There are so many things to fear — spiders, snakes, heights, deep water, the dark. I have a friend who is so fearful of rats, you can’t even say the word in her presence. I’d say that most of these fears are rational. Snakes and spiders can bite, and some are venomous. You could drown in deep water or fall from a great height. The one thing that humans seem almost universally afraid of is also the only part of life that is certain: death.” 
This show is made possible by gifts from listeners. Support The Slowdown today. Slowdownshow.org/donate

1547: Northern Flicker Reconsidered by Susan Rich

Today’s poem is Northern Flicker Reconsidered by Susan Rich.


Today’s poem is Northern Flicker Reconsidered by Susan Rich. 
The Slowdown is your daily poetry ritual. In this episode, Maggie writes… “Once, during a Q&A after a reading, a woman raised her hand to ask, “What’s with all the birds in your poems?” I had to laugh. She was right: the hawks, grackles, and starlings of my neighborhood have called and swooped into many of my poems. I told her that birds are wildlife that we all have access to, no matter where we live. Birds are everywhere … in cities, in suburbs, in the country. They make cameo appearances in many of my poems, and sometimes they’re even the stars.” 
This show is made possible by gifts from listeners. Support The Slowdown today. Slowdownshow.org/donate


The Slowdown

Latest Episode

Recent Episodes

1549: Thirst Trap by Caleb Curtiss

1548: You're Supposed to Enjoy Dying by Colin Pope

1547: Northern Flicker Reconsidered by Susan Rich

Announcements

A Farewell to Major Jackson

Supported in Part by National Endowment for the Arts

Produced in Partnership With the Poetry Foundation

Other APM Podcasts

Truth Be Told

Ripple

The Splendid Table

The Slowdown

Latest Episode

Recent Episodes

1549: Thirst Trap by Caleb Curtiss

1548: You're Supposed to Enjoy Dying by Colin Pope

1547: Northern Flicker Reconsidered by Susan Rich

Get a poem handpicked by Maggie Smith every weekday. The email includes an abridged version of Maggie’s introduction.

Announcements

A Farewell to Major Jackson

Supported in Part by National Endowment for the Arts

Produced in Partnership With the Poetry Foundation

Other APM Podcasts

Truth Be Told

Ripple

The Splendid Table