Read Me A Poem Podcast - 03: Brown Penny

Brown Penny, a charming poem by William Butler Yeats, is a favorite of mine. In this poem Yeats contemplates love. My favorite part of this poem is the line, “I am looped in the loops of her hair.” I imagine someone ensnared much like Mowgli was ensnared by Kaa in the Jungle Book.

Read Me A Poem Podcast - 02: The Geranium

The Geranium by Theodore Roethke was published in 1966 in Roethke: Collected Poems bringing renewed interest to one of the great American writers of poetry. A friend brought this poem, and Roethke, to my attention one day when she quoted, “vitamins, water, and whatever.” The phrase stuck in my mind, and I have loved this poem ever since.

You can read more about Roethke at the Poetry Foundation.

Brought to you by... - 47: Drinking Buddies: Jack Daniel and Nearest Green

Jack Daniel’s is the top-selling whiskey in the world. For more than 150 years, it’s been made using time-honored methods that go back to when Jack Daniel made the whiskey himself. (Yes, he was a real person.) But who taught “Mr. Jack” how to make that whiskey? Nearest Green, a formerly enslaved man. Unlike Jack Daniel, though, most people don’t know his name, so one woman has made it her mission to tell the world his story one sip at a time.

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Read Me a Poem - “Dover Beach” by Matthew Arnold

Amanda Holmes reads Matthew Arnold’s poem, “Dover Beach.” Have a suggestion for a poem by a (dead) writer? Email us: podcast@theamericanscholar.org. If we select your entry, you’ll win a copy of a poetry collection edited by David Lehman. Explore more poetry at our website, https://theamericanscholar.org/


This episode was produced by Stephanie Bastek and features the song “Canvasback” by Chad Crouch.



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Brought to you by... - 46: Makin’ Whoopee Cushion

April Fools' pranks come and go, but one joke item that’s stood the test of time is the whoopee cushion. Today, we trace its history from ancient Rome to now. Where did it come from? Why is it funny? Will it stay popular? And if everyone knows its name, why does no one company get the credit for it?

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