Podcasts about anis mojgani

Welcome back to Snafu w/ Robin Zander.  In this episode, I'm joined by Simone Stolzoff – author of The Good Enough Job and the upcoming How to Not Know – and our opening keynote speaker at Responsive Conference 2025. We explore what it means to have an identity beyond your job title, why rest is essential for high performance, and how ritual and community offer grounding in an age of uncertainty. Simone shares how Judaism and Shabbat have shaped his views on balance, the role of “guardrails” over boundaries, and how we can build more durable lives – personally and professionally. We talk about the future of religion, the risks and opportunities of AI, and why books still matter even in a tech-saturated world. Simone also offers practical writing advice, previews his next book, and explains why embracing uncertainty may be the most valuable skill of all. Simone will be speaking live at Responsive Conference 2025, September 17–18, and I can't wait for you to hear more. If you haven't gotten your tickets yet, get them here.   Start (00:00) Identity Beyond Titles (01:07.414) What identities do you hold that aren't listed on your LinkedIn? Simone's Answer: Ultimate frisbee player – “the entirety of my adult life” Aspiring salsa dancer – taking intro classes with his wife Former spoken word poet – “It was the most important thing to me when I was 19 years old.” New father – navigating life with a five-month-old "I encourage people to ask: what do you like to do, as opposed to what do you do?" Shabbat as a Sanctuary in Time (01:58.831) Robin references Simone's TED Talk, focusing on Shabbat as a metaphor for boundary-setting and presence. Simone expands: Shabbat offers a weekly rhythm to separate work from rest. Emphasizes the idea of "sacred time" and intentional disconnection from screens. Shabbat is a “sanctuary in time,” paralleling physical sanctuaries like churches or synagogues. Relates this to work-life balance, noting that intentions alone aren't enough – infrastructure is needed. "We have intentions… but what actually leads to balance is structural barriers." Boundaries vs. Guardrails (04:44.32) Cites Anne Helen Petersen's metaphor: Boundaries = painted lane lines Guardrails = physical barriers that actually keep you on the road There are calls for more guardrails (structural protections) in modern life. Examples: Airplane mode during playtime with his kid Attending yoga or activities where work can't creep in "Individually imposed boundaries often break down when the pressures of capitalism creep in." Religion, Ritual & Community (06:48.57) Robin asks how Judaism has shaped Simone's thinking around work and life. Simone reflects: Religion offers a “container” with a different value system than capitalism. As organized religion declined, people turned to work for identity, meaning, and community. Religion can offer rituals to process uncertainty — e.g., mourning rituals like sitting shiva. Religious or community spaces offer contrast: they don't care about your career success. "Religion is sort of like a container… with a value system that isn't just about growth charts." "It can be refreshing to say: Day 1, do this. Day 7, go for a walk." Personal journey: Simone reconnected with Judaism in his 30s as he built his own family. Once, went out of obligation, then rejected it, and now see beauty in ritual and intergenerational wisdom. The Future of Religion & Community (09:12.454) Robin theorizes a future rise in spiritual and communal gatherings: Predicts new spiritual movements or evolutions of old ones Notes a hunger for meaningful in-person connection, especially post-AI and amid tech saturation "There's a hunger... as AI and screens define how we relate, people want to gather in person." "I don't tend to make predictions, but I think this one's inevitable." Simone agrees... but offers data as contrast: Cites the decline in religious affiliation in the U.S. 1950s: 3–4% unaffiliated Today: Nearly 1 in 3 identify as “Nones” (no religion) Notes reasons: Rising wealth tends to increase secularism The internet creates alternate identity spaces "I do believe there is inevitability in the growth [of spirituality]... But the data points the opposite way." Simone reflects on the factors behind declining religious affiliation: Doubt now builds community – the internet has enabled people to connect around leaving religion as much as practicing it. Political entanglement – many young Americans, especially, are alienated by the perceived overlap between right-wing politics and Christianity. Yet despite this secular trend, the need for meaning, ritual, and purpose remains universal. “There still is this fundamental need to find meaning, to find purpose, to find ritual… even if it's not in the forms we're used to.” A Church in the Mission (13:07.182) Robin shares a formative experience from 2016: That year, he launched both Robin's Café and the first Responsive Conference. When he walked into the theater space that would become his café, he encountered a young, diverse Christian revival group – live music, dancing, and energetic worship happening in a Mission District theater. This juxtaposition – a traditional spiritual gathering inside a modern, “hip” venue – left a lasting impression. “It felt like a revival meeting in the South… except it was full of people my age and younger, partying on a Saturday morning – and it just happened to be church.” You Are More Than Your Work (14:51.182) Robin segues into the idea of multiple identities: He recalls how reading The 4-Hour Work Week helped him embrace not defining himself solely by his entrepreneurial work. Even on tough days running a business, movement and fitness have been a grounding force – something he does daily, independent of career performance. Quotes from Simone's TED Talk: “Some people do what they love for work; others work so they can do what they love. Neither is more noble.” Robin asks Simone to share the origin of this line and how it connects to the poet Anis Mojgani. Simone recounts a pivotal conversation during college: As a poetry and economics double major, he was wrestling with career path anxiety. He interviewed his favorite poet, Anis Mojgani, asking: “Do you believe in the idea, ‘Do what you love and never work a day in your life'?” Mojgani's response: “Some people do what they love for work. Others do what they have to so they can do what they love when they're not working. Neither is more noble.” This countered Simone's expectations and left a deep impression. He highlights two cases for cultivating a broader identity beyond work: Business Case: High performance requires rest. People with “greater self-complexity” — more identities outside of work — are more creative, more resilient, and more emotionally stable. Moral Case: Investing in other parts of ourselves makes us better citizens, community members, and humans. Singular identity (especially career-based) is fragile and susceptible to collapse — e.g., pandemic layoffs. Solely work-based identity also sets unrealistically high expectations that can lead to disappointment. “You're balancing on a very narrow platform… You're susceptible to a large gust of wind.” Robin reflects on how the Responsive Manifesto intentionally avoids prescribing one path: It's not anti-work or anti-grind. Recognizes that sometimes hard work is necessary, especially in entrepreneurship. Shares how his friend's newsletter, Just Go Grind, embraces the idea that seasons of hustle are sometimes required. “Everyone figuring out their own boundaries is actually the goal.” Work Isn't Good or Bad – It's Complex (18:34.436) Simone adds that society tends to polarize the narrative around work: Some say “burn it all down”, that work is evil. Others say, “Do what you love, or it's not worth doing.” His book The Good Enough Job argues for a middle way: It's not hustle propaganda. It's not a slacker's manifesto. It's about recognizing that we spend a huge portion of our lives working, so it matters how we approach it, but also recognizing we're more than just our jobs. He introduces the concept of temporal balance: “There's a natural seasonality to work.” Sometimes, long hours are necessary (e.g., startup mode, sales targets). But it should be a season, not a permanent lifestyle. What's the Role of Books in the Age of AI? (22:41.507) Robin poses a forward-looking question: In an age when AI can summarize, synthesize, and generate information rapidly, what's the role of books? Especially nonfiction, where facts are easier to reproduce. Simone responds with both uncertainty and hope: Human storytelling as a moat: His work relies on reporting, profiling, and character studies — something LLMs can't yet replicate with nuance. He doesn't know how long this will remain defensible, but will continue to lean into it. Books are more than information: Books have utility beyond facts: they are entertainment, physical objects, and cultural symbols. Quotes the vibe of being surrounded by books: there's even an untranslatable word (possibly German or Japanese) about the comfort of unread books. A vinyl-record future: Books may become more niche, collectible, or artisanal, similar to vinyl. But they still hold society's most well-formed, deeply considered ideas. The human touch still matters: A typed note that looks handwritten isn't the same as a note that is handwritten. People will crave authenticity and human creation, especially in a tech-saturated world. “You can appreciate when something has a level of human touch, especially in an increasingly tech-powered world.” He closes with a self-aware reflection: “I don't claim to know whether my career will still exist in five years… which is why I picked this topic for my second book.” “Created by Humans” (25:49.549) Robin references a conversation with Bree Groff, who imagined a world where creative work carries a “Created by Human” tag, like organic food labeling. “I think we'll see that [kind of labeling] in the next few decades – maybe even in the next few years.” As AI-generated content floods the market, human-made work may soon carry new cultural cachet. Simone shares a turning point: after submitting an op-ed to The New York Times, his editor flagged a bad metaphor. En route to a bachelor party, he opened ChatGPT, asked for new metaphors, chose one, and it made the print edition the next day. “Maybe I've broken some law about journalism ethics... but that was the moment where I was like: whoa. This sh*t is crazy.” The Home-Buying Crash Course Powered by AI (27:57) Robin's breakthrough came while navigating the chaos of buying a house. He used ChatGPT to upskill rapidly: Structural questions (e.g., redwood roots and foundation risk) Zoning and legal research Negotiation tactics “The rate of learning I was able to create because of these tools was 10 to 100 times faster than what I could've done previously.” How to Live Without Knowing (29:41.498) Simone previews his next book, How to Not Know, a field guide for navigating uncertainty. In an age of instant answers, our tolerance for the unknown is shrinking, while uncertainty itself is growing. “We're trying to find clarity where there is none. My hope is that the book offers tools to live in that space.” The “Three Horsemen of Delusion”: Comfort – we crave the ease of certainty. Hubris – we assume we know more than we do. Control – we believe certainty gives us power over the future. Robin asks how Simone finds his stories. His answer: chase change. Whether internal (doubt, transformation) or external (leaving a cult, facing rising seas), he seeks tension and evolution. Examples: A couple questioning their marriage An employee leading dissent at work A man leaving his religious identity behind A nation (Tuvalu) confronting its own disappearance “The story you find is always better than the one you seek.” Want to Be a Writer? Start Writing. (36:50.554) Robin asks for writing advice. Simone offers two pillars: Ask These Four Questions: What's the story? Why should people care? Why now? Why you? “Only you can tell the story of buying a café and selling it on Craigslist.” Build the Practice: Writing is not just inspiration—it's routine. Schedule it. Join a group. Set deadlines. “Writing is the act of putting your ass in the chair.” Robin applauds Simone's book title, How to Not Know, for its playfulness and relevance. He asks how Simone's own relationship with uncertainty has evolved through his research. Simone reflects on how writing his first book, The Good Enough Job, softened his stance, from a hot take to a more nuanced view of work's role in life. Similarly, with his new book, his thinking on uncertainty has shifted. “Uncertainty is uncomfortable by design. That discomfort is what makes us pay attention.” Simone once championed uncertainty for its spontaneity and freedom. But now, he sees a more complex dance between certainty and uncertainty. “Certainty begets the ability to become more comfortable with uncertainty.” He gives the example of a younger self traveling with no plan, and the maturity of seeing how some people use uncertainty to avoid depth and commitment. Durable Skills for an Unstable Future (43:57.613) Robin shifts to the practical: In a world where stability is fading, what should we teach future generations? Simone shares three core “durable skills”: Learn how to learn – Adaptability beats certainty. Tell compelling stories – Human connection never goes out of style. Discern control from chaos – Use a mental decision tree: What can I control? If I can't control it, can I prepare? If I can't prepare, can I accept? “Often we're more uncomfortable with uncertainty than with a certain bad outcome.” He cites research showing people are stressed more by maybe getting shocked than actually getting shocked. AI as Editor, Not Author (47:23.765) Robin circles back to AI. Simone explains how his relationship with it has evolved: He never uses it for first drafts or ideation. Instead, AI serves as a “sparring partner” in editing – great at spotting drag, less useful at solving it. “People are often right about something being wrong, but not about the solution. I treat AI the same way.” Simone defends creative friction as essential to craft: rewriting, deleting, struggling – that's the work. The Chinese Farmer & the Fallacy of Forecasts (50:27.215) Robin expresses cautious optimism – but also fears AI will widen inequality and erode entry-level jobs. He asks what gives Simone hope. Simone counters with the “Parable of the Chinese Farmer,” where events can't be judged good or bad in real time. His conclusion: we don't know enough to be either pessimistic or optimistic. “Maybe AI ushers in civil unrest. Maybe a golden age. Maybe yes, maybe no.” He's most hopeful about the growing value of human touch – gifts of time, love, and effort in an increasingly automated world. Where to Find Simone (53:44.845) Website: thegoodenoughjob.com Newsletter: The Article Book Club (monthly articles not written by him, thousands of subscribers) Robin reminds listeners that Simone will be the opening speaker at Responsive Conference 2025, September 17–18.   People Mentioned: M'Gilvry Allen Anne Helen Petersen Anis Mojgani  Bree Groff  Tim Ferriss Steven Pressfield Ernest Hemingway Justin Gordon   Organizations Mentioned:   Responsive Conference Zander Media Asana, Inc X, The Moonshot Factory (formerly Google X)  Waymo,  Jewish Community Centers (Boulder & Denver)  Robin's Cafe Amazon Google / Alphabet    Books & Newsletters The Good Enough Job  How to Not Know (upcoming book) The 4‑Hour Workweek Just Go Grind  Article Book Club   

This special edition of Live Wire celebrates National Poetry Month, with performances by renowned poets Hanif Abdurraqib, Anis Mojgani, and Kaveh Akbar. Plus, former Poet Laureate of Utah Paisley Rekdal chats about demystifying poetry; singer-songwriter Kasey Anderson performs a tune inspired by a poem from his friend Hanif; and host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello share some original haikus penned by our listeners.

Join us as we share our favorite winter solstice poems. Kateri reads “Shab-e Yalda” by Anis Mojgani and Kathy reads "Shortest Day" by Susan Cooper. Happy Yule, Winter Solstice, and New Year!

Hi! It’s Jenn Chávez, host of The Evergreen. When I’m walking around, I often wonder about the lives of people I see at work, in different professions. What made them want to have that job in the first place? Is it hard? Do they see themselves doing that forever?   Lucky for me, I have the perfect job to ask people those questions. For our latest “At Work With” episode, where we talk to a Pacific Northwesterners with cool jobs and ask them your questions about what it’s like to do what they do, we bring you along as we go to work with a poet, a rural mail carrier and a family of taffy makers.  For our “At Work With” series, let us know who you want to hear from next! You can also send us questions you have for our next “At Work With” interview. Email us at theevergreen@opb.org or visit our web page to submit questions. At Work With poet Anis Mojgani social media reel. At Work With rural mail carrier Connie Gunn social media reel.  For more Evergreen episodes and to share your voice with us, visit our showpage. Follow OPB on Instagram, and follow host Jenn Chávez too. You can sign up for OPB’s newsletters to get what you need in your inbox regularly.   Don’t forget to check out our many podcasts, which can be found on any of your favorite podcast apps: Timber Wars Season 2: Salmon Wars Politics Now Think Out Loud And many more! Check out our full show list here.

Get ready for a deep dive on bookstores and how to enjoy your trips to your favorite bookstore. Later in the episode, Derrick shares the ecomonics of the relationship between author, bookstores, distributors, and publishers. Also, Derrick reads a poem by Anis Mojgani.Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Comedian Gary Gulman (The Great Depresh) discusses his memoir Misfit: Growing Up Awkward in the '80s, his struggles with mental health, and the awkwardness of being recognized in the psyche ward; Oregon Poet Laureate Anis Mojgani reads from his newest collection The Tigers, They Let Me and makes the case for why poetry exists all around us; singer-songwriter Olive Klug touches on the TikTok generation of songwriting, before performing her song "Raining in June." Plus, host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello share the ways in which our listeners have been unexpectedly cheered up by others.

Have you ever walked by someone doing an interesting job and wondered: What does their day look like? Who do they meet throughout the day? What made them want to have that job in the first place?    This curiosity sparked a new series we’re calling “At Work With.” Every month, we’ll talk to a Pacific Northwesterner who does something cool – and ask them your questions about what it’s like to do what they do. Today, we bring you along as we spend time “At Work With” folks who operate bridges, video stores and the iconic Powell’s City of Books.    —---    For our “At Wok With” series, let us know who you want to hear from next! You can also send us questions you have for our next “At Work With”  interview. We’re finding out what it’s like to be a poet from Oregon’s poet laureate, Anis Mojgani. Email us at theevergreen@opb.org or visit our website.    Links to our “At Work With” series:  8-hour shifts, 8-minute bridge lifts: At work with Portland bridge tenders:  https://www.opb.org/article/2024/03/02/8-hour-shifts-8-minute-bridge-lifts-at-work-with-portland-bridge-tenders/ Not sure what to watch on movie night? Ask an Oregon video store clerk: https://www.opb.org/article/2024/02/03/theater-movies-film-blockbuster-video-store-cinema-movie-madness/  

Oregon Poet Laureate Anis Mojgani leads a conversation between 2020 Oregon Book Award winners Kesha Ajose Fisher and Ashley Toliver.

Comedian Gary Gulman (The Great Depresh) discusses his memoir Misfit: Growing Up Awkward in the '80s, his struggles with mental health, and the awkwardness of being recognized in the psyche ward; Oregon Poet Laureate Anis Mojgani reads from his newest collection The Tigers, They Let Me and makes the case for why poetry exists all around us; singer-songwriter Olive Klug touches on the TikTok generation of songwriting, before performing her song "Raining in June." Plus, host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello share the ways in which our listeners have been unexpectedly cheered up by others.

Jon Raymond and Dao Strom discuss multidisciplinary writing and artistry with Oregon Poet Laureate Anis Mojgani at Pickathon music festival.

On this special episode, we're joined by poet Maya Williams to discuss depression, Black girlhood, and creating our own eden in The Secret Life of Bees (2008) directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood and starring Dakota Fanning, Queen Latifah, Jennifer Hudson, Sophie Okenedo, and Alicia Keys. Our recommendations: In the Pockets of Small Gods by Anis Mojgani, The Woman King (2022) Judas & Suicide, Maya's debut collection of poetry, is out now on Game Over Books: https://www.gameoverbooks.com/product-page/judas-suicide Visit Maya's website: https://www.mayawilliamspoet.com/ Follow Maya on Twitter: @emmdubb16

Simone Stolzoff has worn many hats. He's worked as a writer, designer, and now, Author. He grew up with "four parents", each having a unique influence on him,  He grew up being told he could do whatever he wanted but realized there were assumptions behind that. Over the last couple of years, he's contemplated how we can design a life not centered around work (which obviously interests me as well) and has come to some interesting conclusions.

Recorded by Anis Mojgani for Poem-a-Day, a series produced by the Academy of American Poets. Published on May 18, 2023. www.poets.org

Anis Mojgani is the poet laureate of Oregon and the creator of the Tele-poem Hotline, a phone line that through April, delivered a new poem each day through the phone lines. Anis and several Canadian poet laureates discuss that feeling of receiving and finding poetry in the real world — and what we lose when we ignore poetry.

Oregon's Poet Laureate, Anis Mojgani. So he did something about it, and the something--the Tele-Poem Telephone Line--returns for the month of April.

In this week's episode of the Get Lit Minute, your weekly poetry podcast, we spotlight the life and work of poet, Anis Mojgani. He is the author of five books of poetry. His work has appeared on HBO, NPR, and in journals Bat City Review, Rattle, Buzzfeed Reader, Thrush, and Forklift Ohio, amongst others. His latest book is In the Pockets of Small Gods. SourceThis episode includes a reading of his poem, "Hon or We have both traveled from the other side of some hill, one side of which we may wish we could forget,"  featured in our 2021/23 Get Lit Anthology."Hon or We have both traveled from the other side of some hill, one side of which we may wish we could forget."Love me stupid.Love me terrible.And when I am nomountain but rathera monsoon of imperfectthunder love me. WhenI am blue in my facefrom swallowing myselfyet wearing my best hearteven if my best heartis a century of hungeran angry mule breathinghard or perhaps evenhopeful. A small sun.Little & bright.Support the show

Jon Raymond and Dao Strom discuss multidisciplinary writing and artistry with Oregon Poet Laureate Anis Mojgani at Pickathon music festival.

Host Luke Burbank and Elena Passarello unpack some dating red flags; comedian and satirist Ginny Hogan explains the terms and conditions of being her undetermined partner; Oregon Poet Laureate Anis Mojgani describes a surprising encounter with an unlikely poetry fan; and jazz vocalist and Pink Martini member Jimmie Herrod recounts his successful run on America's Got Talent before performing his new song, "I Love You."

In this episode of the Climate Changed podcast you will experience: A centering practice led by poet, Maya Williams.  You will hear Maya read Emily Dickinson's Hope followed by one of Maya's original poems, Religious Imposters.  Nicole Diroff has a deep and incredibly honest conversation with Corina Newsome Ben and Nicole's deep and moving discussion about those remarks Next Steps for Engaged Hope About Corina Newsome Corina Newsome is the Associate Conservation Scientist at the National Wildlife Federation and a recent graduate from Georgia Southern University with a Master of Science in Biology. Corina, who began in the field of wildlife science as an animal care professional, specializes in avian conservation and passionately connects people with the natural world through birds. Having experienced the hurdles faced by marginalized communities in wildlife conservation, Corina's mission is to center the perspectives and leadership of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color in wildlife conservation, environmental education, and exploration of the natural world. Corina is also one of the co-organizers of the inaugural #BlackBirdersWeek    About Maya Williams and Their poem, Religious Imposters From Mayawilliamspoet.com: Maya Williams (she/hers, they/them, and ey/em) is a religious nonbinary Black multiracial suicide survivor constantly writing poems. Maya is the seventh Poet Laureate of Portland, Maine.  Maya's content covers suicide awareness, mental health, the prison industrial complex, faith, entertainment media, grief, and healing. About the poem, Religious Imposters, Maya writes: It is inspired by Baháʼí poet Anis Mojgani's poem "Shake the Dust." His poem is a call for so many different types of human beings to "shake the dust" and come into their own because of how there's so much to admire about them. I created this poem as an expression of love towards religious and non-religious people to let go of imposter syndrome (shake that dust, if you will). There's so much to admire about folks coming into their own worldview. As a Christian writer, I cannot separate my writing process from my faith (especially when I write my prayers in my private journal). There is a sense of sacredness and desire for a community when I engage in writing a poem similar to this one.  Religious Imposters was published in Frost Meadow Review and then shared on the Interfaith Youth Core.  The Conversation “Faith journeys are not soundbites” -Nicole Diroff Corina reveals how taking on racial injustice directly through activism has challenged the straight-forward faith she developed as a child at her church in Philadelphia. The outrage she has felt along with her commitment to engage in the struggle causes her to ask questions about her faith. She is wondering about Jesus as the great community organizer, as Dr. Heber Brown, has preached. To address the overwhelming anger along Corina chooses to engage in the process of deconstructing and reconstructing her faith. Through the process, she feels like a new person—back in touch with God and experiencing a new type of freedom.  She and Nicole talk about this messy and essential process.  “I decided to I would make a career out of my desire to look closely. -Corina Newsome from A Thing with Feathers Nicole first learned about Corina through the essay, The Thing with Feathers. Corina shared the essay in Rooted and Rising: Voices of Courage in a Time of Climate Crisis, an anthology edited by  Rev. Dr. Leah D. Schade and Rev. Dr. Margaret Bullitt-Jonas. In the essay Corina stresses the vial importance of looking closely.  Nicole and Corina talk about the process of paying attention. Coming from a low-wealth background, Corina Newsome, discovered the power of connecting to our life source. Resource deprivation opened her up to the rich resources in nature, even in the city of Philadelphia. She says, “You can feel the difference it makes in your body as far as the stress levels and the constant tension that exists from not knowing and having to ration constantly. That is just such a taxing way to live. The moment you stop for 30 seconds and watch a living thing, something lifts inside of you…life just feels lighter somehow…Looking closely is very much a necessary opportunity that everyone needs to do, but you don't know if it is there unless you've been taught.” You can hear Corina read the essay in the podcast The Art House, a project of Citizens Climate Radio and Artists and Climate Change. Corina also talks about how Black faith communities are now addressing resource inequity and depletion in relation to food sovereignty including  the Black Church Food Security Network. These efforts not only address some of the injustice issues faced in food deserts, they also help people connect to nature right in their neighborhoods through the foods they grow.  They also talk about hope, and the near obsession that many church communities have around the source of hope. Many are asking, Where do we find hope? It was in studying birds, Corina finds hope in these birds. Corina says, “There's nowhere just about where you can go where there aren't birds.” Even in the most polluted spaces, you still find birds, ways for life to exist and even thrive. In places where the environment is clearer and birds have a richer habitat, that is where you see them benefit from diversity.  Birds, with hollow bones and delicate bodies, like many marginalized people oppressed by injustices, may appear fragile, but they prove to be much stronger than many people can imagine. “They think we are fragile…” Nicole and Corina spoke with each other for nearly an hour.  Click here to hear longer version of the conversation. Next Steps for Engaged Hope If you want to make your home more bird friendly, Corina links to an article from American Bird Conservancy. Glass collisions kill up to 1 billion birds in the U.S. each year, and almost half happen at home windows. And there is something we can do today to address this! Learn How to Keep Birds from Hitting Your Windows.  You can make a difference by making a donation to Freedom Birders. Freedom Birders is a racial justice education project built on inspiration from the Civil Rights Movement, the Black Lives Matter Movement, and #BlackBirdersWeek.  If you're looking for an organization to help out with, I'd actually suggest the one that Corinna mentioned, which is the Black Church Food Security Network. Their national organizer, Rev. Heber Brown co-led a presentation for us on imagination back in 2021. Another great place is The Boston Food Forest Coalition, which starts and tends urban food forests throughout Boston.  On-line Trailside Practices facilitated by Aram Mitchell. Wherever you are—looking out the window, strolling through the woods, sitting on a bench in the park—here are some brief invitations to spiritual practice that you can integrate into your day.  

Dutch Bros stock plummets amid inflation concerns. Love letters are legal in Oregon's housing market, judge says. Anis Mojgani will continue as Oregon's poet laureate. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Notes:The Verbivore references a Ted Talk video by poet Pages Matam. That video is titled “Pages Matam | Looking for Your Voice? A Poetry Slam Champ Shows You How | TEDxZumbroRiver.”Here are some of the Slam Poetry videos we touch on:Pages Matam, Elizabeth Acevedo & G. Yamazawa – “Unforgettable” Elizabeth Acevedo - "Afro-Latina"Darius Simpson & Scout Bostley - “Lost Voices” Grand Slam Poetry Champion | Harry Baker | TEDxExeter Fable talks about poet Anis Mojgani's spoken word poetry performances. His most recent Ted Talk is titled “The music of growing up down south | Anis Mojgani | TEDxEmory.”The Verbivore talks about Nikita Gil's fairytale and Greek goddess retellings. She performs two of them in a Ted Talk video titled “Why I'd rather be the Wicked Witch than Snow White | Nikita Gill | TEDxLondonWomen.” Her poetry is also shared on Instagram @nikita_gillThe Verbivore discusses Morgan Harper Nichols' poetry, art, and spoken word performance. Her poetry and art are also shared on Instagram @morganharpernichols. Fable reads two of Rainer Maria Rilke's poems from The Book of Hours. They are as follows:I love you, gentlest of Wayswho ripened us as we wrestled with you.You, the great homesickness we could never shakeoff,you, the forest that always surrounded us,you, the song we sang in every silence, you dark net threading through us,on the day you made us you created yourself,and we grew sturdy in your sunlight…Let your hand rest on the rim of Heaven nowAnd mutely bear the darkness we bring over youI am, you anxious one.Don't you sense me, ready to breakinto being at your touch?My murmurings surround you like shadowy wings.Can't you see me standing before youcloaked in stillness?Hasn't my longing ripened in youfrom the beginningas fruit ripens on a branch?I am the dream you are dreaming.When you want to awaken, I am waiting.I grow strong in the beauty you behold.And with the silence of stars I enfoldyour cities made by time.The Verbivore references a Ted Talk video by Amanda Gorman. That video is titled “Amanda Gorman: Using your voice is a political choice | TED.” She is on Instagram @amandascgorman. The spoken word poem performance we reference can be found here: Amanda Gorman's “Earthrise”We referenced several of our previous episodes as part of our conversation. Here are those episodes:Episode 22: Imitation as a way to find your voiceEpisode 134: Poetry OverviewMasterclasses Mentioned:Billy Collins Teaches Reading and Writing PoetryBooks & Movies Mentioned:The Poet X by Elizabeth AcevedoWild Embers: Poems of Rebellion Fire and Beauty by Nikita Gil The Complete Poems: Anne Sexton Transformations by Anne SextonTo Bedlam and Part Way Back by Anne Sexton The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows by John KoenigHow to Fly (In Ten Thousand Easy Lessons) by Barbara KingsolverAnimal Dreams by Barbara KingsolverThe Poems of Emily Dickinson: Reading Edition by Emily DickinsonAllegiant by Veronica RothAll Along You Were Blooming: Thoughts for Boundless Living by Morgan Harper NicholsRilke's Book of Hours: Love Poems to God by Rainer Maria RilkeLetters to a Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke Call Us What We Carry: Poems by Amanda GormanMusic from: https://filmmusic.io 'Friendly day' by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com) Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

To celebrate National Poetry Month, host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello share listener-penned haikus and some of Live Wire's most memorable poet appearances: Roger Reeves explains why poetry is the harbinger of the future; Oregon Poet Laureate Anis Mojgani performs "Today's Love is Brought to You by the Letter John Sands;" Franny Choi discusses how she incorporated Google Translate into her latest collection Soft Science; and Derrick C. Brown teams up with indie band The Helio Sequence for a rhythmically-moving poetic experience. 

Dawn Dacquisto and Matt Pickett welcome a very special guest, Kate; host of the TailKate podcast and a super fan of the Green Bay Packers. Kate, Dawn and Matt provide their signature superlatives from the week along with their unique observations across NFL and Packers' podcasting, Twitter, YouTube and beyond. You'll want to hear about what content they found this week - so YOU can uplevel your own football experience (and have a little more fun). Listen in and get excited with Kate, Dawn and Matt because there's only 24 more weekends 'til the pre-season, or . DM Dawn to download your FREE game day BINGO games while you're here.  THANKS FOR SUBSCRIBING and SHARING!  Dawn and Matt LISTEN TO OUR PODCAST, SUBSCRIBE & RATE US (wherever you listen):► https://heywlyp.buzzsprout.com►►►Full Video - https://bit.ly/3vjcdWZ FOLLOW ON  YOUR FAVE SOCIALS FOR VIDS AND MORE:► Twitter - https://twitter.com/heywlyp► YouTube - Hey!  Welcome to our channel.► Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/heywlyp► Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/heywlyp►►►Full Video - https://bit.ly/3vjcdWZThis Week's Show Mentions (Signature Superlatives) (clickable):Matt'sMost revealing: Pack-a-Day, episode 1306, Andy HermanFunniest reaction: Tweet from Feb 22, 2022, Matt Mamba Most helpful: How Will the Packers Approach the Draft?, Brian MaafiDawn and Kate'sTail Kate's latest podcast, A Conversation Doesn't Have To Be Scary MonteJasminePoem, Anis Mojgani performs Shake the Dust at HEAVY AND LIGHT.

Episode 70 and Wendi and Dfernando's guest interview is award winning novelist, comedian, poet, and storyteller Derrick C. Brown.Derrick first discovered poetry as a young man enlisted in the United States Army. He often found himself spending hours in foxholes needing to pass the time. He began rewriting psalms from his military-issue Bible in a more relatable language and, after serving in the 82nd Airborne, continued to explore poetry. He became involved with the Long Beach and Orange County Poetry Slam community, competing at his first National Poetry Slam in 1998, where he placed second in the individual championship. He began touring with his poetry shortly thereafter. Early in his career, Brown often toured solo. However, he has since become known for touring and collaborating with other artists. To date, Brown has written four children's books, a musical, and eight books of poetry, including the 2013 Texas Book of the Year, STRANGE LIGHT.In October 2006, Brown teamed up with poet, TV and film actress, and activist Amber Tamblyn for several poetry performances in California called THE LAZERS OF SEXCELLANCE.  Brown also collaborated with painter Blaine Fontana for a live reading and gallery opening of new paintings based on Brown's work. In 2007, Brown toured Europe opening for the band Cold War Kids, chronicled in the documentary film about him, YOU BELONG EVERYWHERE.  That same year, Brown performed as a poet on THE TONIGHT SHOW with Jay Leno. In 2011, Brown was commissioned to write a 40-minute-long poem for the prestigious Noord Nederlands Dans Collective. The work, titled INSTRUMENTAL, received rave reviews in the Netherlands and Canada.In 2014, he was commissioned to write poems about soldiers for the Los Angeles Craft and Folk Art Museum. These poems were later performed by Oscar-nominated actor Jake Gyllenhaal.  The following year, Brown was again commissioned, this time by the Getty Museum in Los Angeles, to create a new work for the J.M.W. Turner Exhibit.In 2016, Brown toured as the opening act for Greg Dulli of The Afghan Whigs. On his most recent tour in 2017, Brown toured the United States and Europe, opening for rock band Rival Sons. He also often tours and performs with comedians, including David Cross, Kristen Schaal, Jon Glaser, H. Jon Benjamin and Eugene Mirman.In 2017, Brown wrote, directed, and produced his original musical 300 BONES. Later that year, he performed an original piece called “If You Were God...” in Israel, reading alongside the Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company members, Martin and Shani who choreographed their dance program based on Brown's poetry. Brown is known for being an innovator in curating unique and creative poetry adventures like the DOUBLE DECKER POETRY BUS PARTY and poetry shows at sea for POETRY CRUISE, which he started in Long Beach, CA. He is also the creator of THE LIGHTBULB MOUTH RADIO HOUR, a literary variety show. PARTY WITH HONOR is his latest literary variety show in Los Angeles, CA.Perhaps his biggest accomplishment to date is his creation of Write Bloody Publishing in 2004, which FORBES and FILTER Magazine call “…one of the best independent poetry pressed in the country.”   The press is known for utilizing a rock & roll, indie record label model, uncommon for a poetry press.At the center of Write Bloody is the philosophy that to create a lasting career and engage with your audience, you can't simply publish a book and hope for the best. Every author on the press is required to tour and perform their works to build a lasting fan base. This has proved incredibly successful for the press. To date, Write Bloody Publishing has released 134 volumes of poetry, including books by Sarah Kay, Clint Smith, Andrea Gibson, Anis Mojgani, Cristin O'Keefe Aptowicz and Taylor Mali. Also on Episode 70, Wendi and Dfernando discuss his newly trimmed white beard and her manicurist's assessment of her dressed-down, casual appearance.  On THE RIPE REPORT, Dfernando shares his love for Magnolia Bakery's Banana Pudding and Apple Crisp Pudding, and Wendi shares 23andMe genetic testing, which helped reunite her and her family with a cousin.  Watch Wendi and Dfernando and their TEAM GENERATION RIPE: Greg Covey, Shelley McLendon and Ponciana Badia on Season 7 Episode 2 of CELEBRITY FAMILY FEUD - now on ABC OnDemand and Hulu and on the GENERATION RIPE website.  Follow us on our Instagram:Wendi McLendon-CoveyDfernando ZarembaGENERATION RIPE... and our guest Derrick C. Brown, and for just about everything else: Click Here!Remember to subscribe, rate & leave a review for GENERATION RIPEVisit Dfernando Zaremba's website: dfernandozaremba.com

Joy Harjo discusses her recent projects as US Poet Laureate, plus crafting poetry and the importance of art, in this talk and conversation with Anis Mojgani.

Get more Anis Mojgani via: https://www.thepianofarm.com/And orgs Anis thinks are worth connecting to & supporting…To Write Love On Her Arms: https://twloha.com/ Literary Arts in Portland: https://literary-arts.org/ Don't Shoot Portland: https://www.dontshootpdx.org/ The National Bailout: https://www.nationalbailout.org/ Critical Resistance: http://criticalresistance.org/ Produced by Nick JainaSoundscaping by Nick Jaina“Anis' Backyard” Captured by Anis Mojgani”Contextual Encyclopedia of Gales” by Anis Mojgani”YG2D Podcast Theme Song” Produced by Scott Ferreter & eO w/vocals by Jordan Edelheit, Morgan Bolender, Chelsea Coleman & Ned BuskirkHIS PODCAST IS MADE POSSIBLEWITH SUPPORT FROM THE LOST CHURCH [https://www.thelostchurch.com/] & BECAUSE OF LISTENERS LIKE YOU.Become a podcast patron now at https://www.patreon.com/YG2D.And find out more at www.yg2d.com

Joy Harjo discusses her recent projects as US Poet Laureate, plus crafting poetry and the importance of art, in this talk and conversation with Anis Mojgani.

Oregon Poet Laureate Anis Mojgani leads a conversation between poets Hanif Abdurraqib and Clint Smith, who discuss their recent nonfiction works.

Night Light - an oasis for the mind. A creative circuit breaker with some of the world's most beautiful stories told by creatives, for you.  Australian actor Kassandra Clementi performing Anis Mojgani's 'Come Closer'- remote from Los Angeles.  Night Light is made with the support of Current Mood Films and Northern Beaches Council. Created by Catherine Mack. Please subscribe and review this independent, limited podcast. 

In celebration of Valentine's Day, host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello give some love to the inanimate objects that get us through life; comedian Naomi Ekperigin, who co-hosts the podcast Couples Therapy with her partner, riffs on her reluctance towards motherhood; Poet Laureate of Oregon Anis Mojgani rewrites a love poem to reflect his post-divorce reality; and husband and wife duo The War and Treaty perform their heart-wrenching song "Five More Minutes."

Anis Mojgani, Oregon’s tenth Poet Laureate and a two-time National Poetry Slam champion, shares about his Baháʼí faith and practice, the purpose of poetry and a Poet Laureate, poetry during a pandemic, living in Portland, and the juxtaposition of the recent protests and riots in Portland, OR and Washington D.C. FREE Virtual Event Featuring Anis MojganiOregon State University's Contemplative Studies Initiative and The School of Writing, Literature and Film, is hosting "Interrogating the Spirit" a free, virtual lecture and performance by Anis Mojgani available to the public, on Friday, January 15, 2021 from 7-8pm PST. Register at https://beav.es/Jw6

Oregon Poet Laureate Anis Mojgani leads a conversation between 2020 Oregon Book Award winners Kesha Ajose Fisher and Ashley Toliver.

An interview with Drew Taylor as part of Youth Theatre Arts Scotland's Spotlight on the Sector series. This interview was recorded on 1 July 2020. The poems that Drew refers to are 'Shake the Dust' by Anis Mojgani and 'Things To Do Before You Leave Town' by Ross Sutherland. The full text transcription of this interview is available as a PDF document which you can view and download here: https://www.ytas.org.uk/2020/07/spotlight-on-the-sector-podcast-drew-taylor/ Find out more information on Youth Theatre Arts Scotland at www.ytas.org.uk Music Credits: Chad Crouch 'Algorithms' / Blue Dot Sessions ' Vienna' / Chad Crouch 'Life & Times' / Ketsa 'Need Change' / Blue Dot Sessions 'Our Only Lark' / Chad Crouch 'Fuzzy Caterpillar' / Blue Dot Sessions 'Ferus Cut' (all music sourced from www.freemusicarchive.org and used under Creative Commons licenses).

Mary and Wyatt put on some power suits and talk about the music industry. Mary talks about her experiences in the business, from performing at coffee shops as a 13-year-old to being signed to a a major label. Also on the agenda: phone phreaking, MySpace songs and AOL Instant Messenger screen names, a new segment in which Mary and Wyatt confess their sins, and poems by Anis Mojgani and Zoë Hitzig. 

Oregon has a new poet laureate, who started his term this week. Poet Anis Mojgani is the state’s 10th to serve in the role, taking the position after Kim Stafford. He’s won many accolades, including several for national poetry slam competitions. He’s published five books of poetry and toured nationally and internationally. Mojgani joins us to share some of his poetry and how he’s thinking about his new role in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

In this podcast, I chat about the Poetry Reading Challenge that I have begun. The challenge is to read one hundred poetry books this year, with the aim of gaining a deeper insight into the craft, itself. On these monthly episodes, I will be reading poems from the particular poets work that I have read in the previous months. In January, I read collections from Seamus Heaney, Paula Meehan, John Sheahan, Anis Mojgani, Andrea Gibson, Eavan Boland and Ocean Voung. This podcast is a relaxed listen for all the poetry heads and non-poetry heads, alike. Poetry is cool, promise.

Notes:Fable states that she believes the idea for the exercise of reading a poem and then attempting to recreate the work from memory came from Mary Oliver. This is correct, and the recommendation came from her book The Poetry Handbook.Fable uses poetry from Anis Mojgani’s book, In the Pockets of Small Gods as inspiration for the style behind her second poem.The Verbivore references a sentence from Naomi Novik’s Uprooted where all the words worked together to support an overarching feeling of solitude and emotional isolation. Here is that quote:“The bed was small and narrow, canopied and curtained in with red velvet; a single chair stood before the fireplace, beautifully carved, alone; a single book on the small table beside it with a single cup of wine, half-drunk”.The Verbivore mentions Jasper Fforde as a favorite (and absurdist) author that she may want to try to emulate in a future Prose imitation excercise. If you have not yet had a chance to read this author and would like to, The Eyre Affair is a good representation of his unique style and borrows from Jane Eyre with entertaining results.Poems mentioned:Today by Mary OliverThe Lady of Shalott by Alfred, Lord TennysonThe Red Wheelbarrow by William Carlos WilliamsBooks mentioned:A Poetry Handbook by Mary OliverLight Filters In: Poems by Caroline KaufmanA Thousand Mornings by Mary OliverUprooted by Naomi NovikIn the Pockets of Small Gods by Anis MojganiMusic from: https://filmmusic.io’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com) Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

https://kit.com/NickBobay/poet-of-the-day-show-books

Students who participated in the 2018 Verselandia! City-wide Youth Poetry Competition share their original pieces in front of a live audience, emceed by poet Anis Mojgani.

Today we have Anis Mojgani with his poem Orders (Rock Out).You can purchase his books In the POD Book Store hereHere is his website http://thepianofarm.com/ he is also on twitter @mojganiYou can find out more about the show at nickbobay.com

Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello discuss doing away with minor annoyances in the “Not Too Distant Future;” U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon describes how partisan politics have gotten personal; poet Anis Mojgani laments his love-hate relationship with the possum; Sharon Ross, aka Afrovivalist, tells us how she prepares for eminent disaster; comedian Joe Zimmerman explains why his credit card purchases are the perfect alibi; and Hawaiian soul group Ron Artis II & The Truth perform “Carry Me Along” from their album from "Soul Street."

Students who participated in the 2018 Verselandia! City-wide Youth Poetry Competition share their original pieces in front of a live audience, emceed by poet Anis Mojgani.

Today on "State of Wonder," we talk finalists for the Oregon Book Awards in fiction, poetry, graphic literature, and more."Strange the Dreamer" with Laini Taylor — 1:42Laini Taylor possesses an epic imagination. In her best-selling “Daughter of Smoke and Bone” series, she dreamed up a world where a girl who has a monster as a foster parent gets caught up in an epic war with not-so-benevolent angels. And now she is starting a new series with “Strange the Dreamer,” the story of a day-dreaming librarian who journeys to a fabled land living in the shadow of a war it has yet to recover from. The book received Michael L. Printz Honors for Young Adult lit and is a finalist for the YA Oregon Book Award."American War" with Omar El Akkad — 11:46Journalist Omar El Akkad has spent his career covering the Arab Spring in Egypt, military trials at Guantanamo Bay, refugee camps in Afghanistan and the Black Lives Matter movement in Ferguson, MO. Now he’s poured all of his experiences into his new novel “American War,” a story about a second American civil war over fought over fossil fuels and set in a Louisiana that is underwater from rising sea levels."Field Theories" with Samiya Bashir — 19:36In her newest book, Samiya Bashir has named her poems after scientific principles like “Plancks Constant” and “Synchronous Rotation.” Their verse plumbs the space where theory collides with real life: from the back seat of a taxi cab to jazz clubs, early morning cigarettes, gun violence, and tall tales. Bashir is a creative writing professor at Reed College and a consummate artist who can’t be contained by the page. "Field Theories” is a finalist for the Stafford/Hall Award for Poetry."Fetch" With Nicole Georges — 30:45What do we owe the pets in our lives when they don’t make our lives easy? And what can we gain from taking care of these animal companions despite their foibles? These are some of the questions illustrator and comic book artist Nicole Georges asked when writing her graphic memoir “Fetch: How a Bad Dog Brought Me Home.” The book focuses on Georges’ symbiotic relationship with a spirited, neurotic and sometimes fearfully aggressive dog named Beija, and it's a contender for the Oregon Book Award for Graphic Literature. “In the Pocket of Small Gods” with Anis Mojgani — 38:34The poet Anis Mojgani isn’t up for one of Literary Arts' Oregon Book Awards — at least not this year — but he is a Literary Arts favorite. He regularly emcees Verselandia, the annual high school poetry slam organized by Literary Arts, and he is himself a two-time National Poetry Slam Champion who tours the country reading and performing.Mojgani’s work is known for its optimism and joy, but his newest book,“In the Pockets of Small Gods,” is all about vulnerability, particularly as it relates to grief.

Students who participated in the 2017 Verselandia! Poetry Slam Competition share their original pieces in front of a live audience.

Anis Mojgani is a two time National Poetry Slam Champion, winner of the International World Cup Poetry Slam, and multiple-time TEDx Speaker. His work has appeared on HBO, NPR, and in the pages of such journals as Rattle, Forklift Ohio, Paper Darts,Thrush, and Bat City Review.  Anis is the author of three poetry collections, all published by Write Bloody Publishing: Songs From Under the River, The Feather Room, Over the Anvil We Stretch. His latest book, The Pocketknife Bible, is a fully illustrated poetry-memoir. You can find all his works and tour info at thepianofarm.com. Poems featured in this episode: 1. Closer; 2. Shake The Dust; 3. For those who can still ride an aeroplane for the first time.

Anis Mojgani is a two time National Poetry Slam Champion, winner of the International World Cup Poetry Slam, and multiple-time TEDx Speaker. His work has appeared on HBO, NPR, and in the pages of such journals as Rattle, Forklift Ohio, Paper Darts,Thrush, and Bat City Review.  Anis is the author of three poetry collections, all published by Write Bloody Publishing: Songs From Under the River, The Feather Room, Over the Anvil We Stretch. His latest book, The Pocketknife Bible, is a fully illustrated poetry-memoir. You can find all his works and tour info at thepianofarm.com. Poems featured in this episode: 1. Closer; 2. Shake The Dust; 3. For those who can still ride an aeroplane for the first time.

Anis Mojgani has been said to be a poet who gleefully spurns the boundaries of poet. He is not only a two-time National Poetry Slam Champion, winner of the International World Cup Poetry Slam, and multiple-time TEDx Speaker, but he’s also an Iranian American living in Oregon with a passion for processing the human interior. Notable to mention: he is one of Branden Harvey’s favorite poets. Anis has performed his slam poetry around the globe and has performed for audiences as varied as the House of Blues and the United Nations. He is also the author of three poetry collections — Songs From Under the River, The Feather Room, Over the Anvil We Stretch. In this conversation, Branden and Anis (while eating doughnuts) take an in-depth look at how poetry can be a tool for creative exploration through the tremendous grief and joy that life holds for humanity. More: http://soundsgoodpodcast.com/anis

“Rick and Morty” co-creator Dan Harmon talks about his creative process and the impending stalemate with his therapist, actor and playwright Lauren Weedman discusses the merits and perils of revealing personal (and often painful) stories to the world, poet Anis Mojgani leaves us hanging on every word, and Fruit Bats frontman Eric D. Johnson sings of unrequited love.

Students who participated in the 2016 Verselandia! Poetry Slam Competition share their original pieces in front of a live audience.

Anis Mojgani: Shake The Dust by TP Current

The 2016 Verselandia! Poetry Slam Competition brought 20 students from 12 high schools together to compete for the title of Portland's high school grand slam champion.

Live Wire celebrates Earth Day! Survivalist and Alone reality show contestant Dr. Nicole Apelian reveals her packing list for living solo in the wilderness, two teen activists explain why they are suing the U.S. government, wildlife photographer Gerrit Vyn attempts to identify some very... uh... unique bird calls, Anis Mojgani poeticizes his memories of growing up in New Orleans, and Fruition’s strings and harmonies take us out of this world and back again.

Marjorie Agosin introduces poets Anis Mojgani and Marilyn Nelson. Anis Mojgani is a two time National Poetry Slam Champion and winner of the International World Cup Poetry Slam.   Anis has performed at numerous universities, festivals, and venues around the globe. He has performed for audiences as varied as the House of Blues and the United Nations, and his work has appeared on HBO, NPR, and in the pages of such journals asRattle, Used Furniture Review, Muzzle, and The Lumberyard. A founding member of the touring Poetry Revival, Anis is also the author of two poetry collections, both published by Write Bloody Publishing: Over the Anvil We Stretch (2008) and The Feather Room (2011).  Marilyn Nelson is a poet, translator and children's book author.  Her poetry collections include The Homeplace, which won the 1992 Anisfield-Wolf Award, and was a finalist for the 1991 National Book Award, and The Fields of Praise:  New and Selected Poems, which won the 1998 Poets' Prize and was a finalist for the 1997 National Book Award.  Her honors include two NEA creative writing fellowships, the 1990 Connecticut Arts Award, a Fulbright Teaching Fellowship, and a 2001 Guggenheim Fellowship.  In 2012, the Poetry Society of America awarded her the Frost Medal.  Nelson is a professor emeritus of English at the University of Connecticut and the founder and director of Soul Mountain Retreat.  She was poet laureate of the State of Connecticut from 2001-2006.