Happy Poetry Month!

April is the month in which the nation gathers to celebrate poetry – a literary genre most people are not really interested in. Being a poet myself, I am here to convince you that poetry is for everyone, especially radio lovers!

We’ve got the full playlist of goodies for Poetry Month, but here are a few that I think both poets and non-believers will enjoy.

• The godfather of Beat poetry, Allen Ginsberg also wrote and sang songs that he accompanied with his harmonium. Here’s a beautiful and quippy demonstration song against the Vietnam War.
• Barrett Golding uses old recordings on top of original music to create a stunning piece that tries to answer, “What is Poetry?“
• In WORDSHAKERS from Hearing Voices, there are entrancing recordings of Tennyson and Whitman, as well as the everyday poetics of cheerleaders and hot dog vendors.
• What can we come to know through poetry that we couldn’t through other forms of thinking and talking? Dive deeper with Philosophy Talk.
• This Land Press asks community members to read a poem by Joe Brainard and then discuss the topics within, like homosexuality and the struggle of being a minority.
• 99% Invisible is a show about design, but in this episode, producer (and poet) Sean Cole discovers the architecture of a 25-year-old plaza where the words of Walt Whitman and Frank O’Hara are embedded. Here’s the full O’Hara poem to read after you listen!
• Finally, enjoy some straight-up poetry from Boston-area poet John Mulrooney. A listener said of the recording of Mulrooney’s poem:

“If you are listening while doing the dishes, you will stop doing the dishes. It is poignant and moving. It is both political and intimately personal. It makes poetry on the radio feel like a natural fit.”

That’s right! A natural fit.

What do you think? Do poetry and radio have more in common than we think? Are you a radio producer AND a poet? As a radiomaker do you consider radio a poetic form? Let us know in the comments.