Podcasts about poets laureate

Dr. Thomas Carr (Carthage College) , who is co-Poet Laureate for Racine, talks about the Poetry for Dinosaurs program he created in January. With him is Andrew Goebel, a volunteer assistant, and Nick Ramsey, who is part of the steering committee for the Poets Laureate project for Kenosha and Racine.

A Writer's World with Shaun Griffin invites you into the rich landscape of poetry and storytelling every other Sunday at 5 p.m. on KWNK. Shaun, a renowned poet and writer, shares his unique perspective, weaving words and ideas into a captivating audio experience. Whether you're a lover of literature or just curious about the art of writing, this series offers a thoughtful glimpse into the creative process and the power of language.In this episode, Shaun Griffin explores the work and impact of two newly appointed Poets Laureate—Lee Herrick of California and Ellen Waterston of Oregon. Herrick's deeply personal poetry reflects on his experience as a Korean adoptee, searching for meaning, identity, and connection through the written word. Waterston's prose and poetry paint an evocative portrait of the high desert, its people, and the shifting landscapes of rural life in the American West. Through their words, both poets illuminate the power of poetry as a tool for resilience, reflection, and transformation in their respective regions. Shaun weaves their journeys into a larger meditation on belonging, community, and the role of poetry in navigating an ever-changing world.Missed an episode? Listen back on Spotify or catch it on 97.7FM as part of KWNK's regularly scheduled programming.A Writer's World is made possible in part by a grant from Nevada Humanities and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

We introduce you to the new Poets Laureate of Kenosha and Racine ....... Nico Moore, poet laureate for Kenosha, and Mary Skillings and Thomas Carr, co-poets laureate for Racine. They will be meeting the public in an event coming up on February 22nd at Vintage & Modern Books in downtown Racine at 6:30 pm.

We talk about the poetry and the Poets Laureate program in Kenosha and Racine with Jean Preston and Jennifer Kozelou, who are members of the committee who will be selecting new poets laureate before the end of the year.

Today in the ArtZany Radio studio Paula Granquist welcomes the Northfield Poets Laureate Rob Hardy, D. E. Green and Becky Boling. We will explore the role of the poet laureate, celebrate poetry, and review the open appointment process for the next Northfield Poet Laureate. Northfield Poetry Open Mic Evening (POME), hosted by interim Northfield Co-Poets Laureate on […]

In a special summertime "minisode" of All Write in Sin City, we connect with our friend and poet Kevin Spenst to find out what can happen on a no-holds-barred poetic romp across Canada. When he visited Windsor, he performed at the City of Windsor's birthday celebrations with our Poets Laureate, at the Art Windsor-Essex Gallery, and at Biblioasis bookstore. He was recorded live by Kim Conklin and interviewed by Irene Moore Davis. Kim Conklin and Sarah Jarvis did the editing (Kim did most of the editing - sj). Kevin Spenst, a Pushcart Poetry nominee, is the author of Ignite, Jabbering with Bing Bong, and Hearts Amok: a Memoir in Verse (all with Anvil Press), and over a dozen chapbooks including Surrey Sonnets (JackPine Press), Upend (Frog Hollow Press) and a holm with the Alfred Gustav Press coming out at the end of 2022. In 2019, he was writer-in-residence at the Joy Kogawa House. His work has won the Lush Triumphant Award for Poetry, been nominated for both the Alfred G. Bailey Prize and the Robert Kroetsch Award for Innovative Poetry, and has appeared in dozens of publications including Event, the Malahat Review, Prairie Fire, CV2, the Rusty Toque, Lemon Hound, Poetry is Dead, and the anthologies Best Canadian Poetry 2019, Best Canadian Poetry 2020 and Sweet Water: Poems for the Watersheds. He co-organizes the Dead Poets Reading Series, writes a chapbook column in subTerrain magazine, is an occasional co-host with RC Weslowski on Wax Poetic on Co-op Radio, teaches Creative Writing at Vancouver Community College and is the 2022 Poetry Mentor at SFU's Writers Studio. He lives in Vancouver on unceded Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh territory.https://kevinspenst.com/about/

In this episode, three poets laureate — Lee Herrick, the first Asian American poet laureate of California; Kealoha, Hawai'i's first poet laureate; and Nadia Elbgal, the Oakland youth poet laureate — perform and read their works in celebration of National Poetry Month in April.Kealoha, a slam champion who has a degree in nuclear physics from MIT, began by performing a scene from his film, The Story of Everything, a creation story inspired by his son that tells 13.8 billion years worth of time, from the Big Bang to human life on Earth. Next, Elbgal, a Yemeni American activist and recent Berkeley High graduate, read three works of hers, including "Product of a Blended Culture" and "Spark." The event concluded with a reading by Herrick, who shared several pieces from his latest book of poetry, Scar and Flower.This April 20 event was presented by UC Berkeley's Arts Research Center in partnership with Engaging the Senses Foundation, and co-sponsored by the Center for Race and Gender and the English and ethnic studies departments at Berkeley.Listen to the episode and read the transcript on Berkeley News (news.berkeley.edu).Music by Blue Dot Sessions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tom Service assesses the history of the Masters of the King's (or Queen's) Music - a pantheon of 21 names, some brilliant, some average, some really rather forgettable. What have the incumbents done with their time in the post, and how has the role changed in recent years? And how do they compare with their equivalents in literature, the Poets Laureate? With literary historian Oliver Tearle.

Join Viewless Wings for an extraordinary day of poetry readings and book signings by celebrated current and former SF Bay Area Poets Laureate at the 2023 Bay Area Book Festival on Sunday, May 7 (11 am - 5 pm) in the Viewless Wings booth (#96). James Morehead (Poet Laureate - Dublin, CA and host of the Viewless Wings Poetry Podcast), Sarah Kobrinsky (former Poet Laureate - Emeryville, CA), Kathleen Moore (former Poet Laureate - San Ramon, CA), and Kimi Sugioka (Poet Laureate - Alameda, CA) will be on hand, including the debut of Morehead's newly released book, "The Plague Doctor." Selections from participating poets are featured on this weeks episode. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/viewlesswings/support

Drew Lavigne is one of Moncton's Poets Laureate.

Jennifer Kozelou from the Kenosha Public Library - and the current poets laureate for Racine and Kenosha Counties, respectively: Debra Hall and Joseph Engel.

Books, historic documents, and other artifacts do not just record the past; they can inspire us to create a better future. In this episode of The Rosenbach Podcast, Philadelphia Poets Laureate Yolanda Wisher and Trapeta Mayson tell us about what objects in The Rosenbach's collection they find particularly inspirational for their own literary work. Wisher and Mayson, both of whom also serve on The Rosenbach's Board of Directors, share their thoughts about The Rosenbach, and what listeners should expect when they visit in person or engage in a virtual program. Both Mayson and Wisher read poems they've written, and the episode also features music recorded by these two multitalented, interdisciplinary artists—including selections from Mayson's album “This Is How We Get Through,” a collaboration with distinguished jazz artist Monnette Sudler.

Don Wooten and Rebecca Wee discuss Poets Laureate

This is the last day of April. The month of April has been National Poetry Month. It is interesting that a dear friend in Florida sent me in the mail, an original poem she wrote on her birthday. It is such a joy to be able to share with the readers of this warm thoughts column, the gems of thought and poetry. So thanks to Sarah Gray for her precious thoughts. Little pleasures. Oh, the joy of little pleasures tucked away in memory's treasures. Hummingbirds and butterflies, the clear blue of summer skies. Fragrant flowers wet with dew, prism colors of rainbow hue. Baby's breath and baby soft skin, little drools on baby's chin. Baby smiles and baby's coos, the things that make baby book news. A pretty car with words that rhyme, the distant peel of church bells chime. Quiet time, a good book, heads that turn for a second look. Time spent together, small talk, an afternoon nap or an afternoon walk. A smile exchanged over a cup of tea, a confidence confided just to me. A box of chocolate, a compliment, when most needed, heaven sent. The peaceful calm of a gentle breeze, I sense God's touch in all of these. A phone call or visit from a friend, little pleasures, just never end. This past week, poetry took precedence over politics at the White House. President Clinton and First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton, hosted the present and two past Poets Laureate. The trio read from the legacy of American poetry. The event is the third in a series of Presidential Millennium evenings, designed to showcase the views of scholars and artists as the century closes. Thanks again dear readers, for sharing your warm thoughts. More Warm Thoughts: How beautiful a day can be when kindness touches it. Remember the first Thursday in May is National Day of Prayer. May you have many warm thoughts in this post Easter season. Warm Thoughts from the Little Home on the Prairie Over a Cup of Tea by Luetta G. Werner.Published in the Marion Record April, 30 1998.Download the Found Photo Freebie and cherish your memories of the past.Enjoy flipping through the Vintage Photo Book on your coffee table.I hope you enjoyed this podcast episode! Please follow along on this journey by going to visualbenedictions.com or following me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. You can listen to the podcast on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Stitcher, and Overcast. And don’t forget to rate and review so more people can tune in! I’d greatly appreciate it.Till next time,Trina

In January, shortly after poet Amanda Gorman inspired the nation with her reading at President Joseph Biden’s inauguration, St. Louis' outgoing youth poet laureate, Sarah Abbas, and the city’s next poet laureate, Grace Ruo, shared their hopes for bringing written and spoken words to bear on society.

Sarah Abbas and Grace Ruo, both 17, discuss Amanda Gorman's inaugural poem. They also share their hopes for bringing written and spoken words to bear on society, and read poems of their own.

Today we welcome Carolyn Kreiter Foronda as she joins us for the fifth episode of Off The Bricks! Listen in as Carolyn discusses the world of Poets Laureate, and shares her nature-driven poetry! Be sure to check out Carolyn's website at www.carolynforonda.com to find her wonderful selection of poetry including her newest title, River Country: A Poem-PLay.

The second part in our series covering US Poets Laureate, one poem per laureate per day.

Dave visits with two dear friends, both Poets Laureate of Texas: Karla K. Morton and Alan Birkelbach. When we last visited with the pair of traveling poets in 2018, they were about half way through their quest to visit every U.S. National Park.

Dave visits with two dear friends, both Poets Laureate of Texas: Karla K. Morton and Alan Birkelbach. When we last visited with the pair of traveling poets in 2018, they were about half way through their quest to visit every U.S. National Park. Beginning with Yellowstone and ending with their 62nd park, White Sands in New Mexico, karla and Alan documented their journeys with poems and photographs that were just published by TCU Press, The National Parks A Century of Grace. It's a lush and epic volume filled with anecdotes, stunning pictures and of course, poems!

This week features poems by the current poet laureates of the states where the US presidential election hangs in the balance - Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin (note that putting the word state in quotes is less about the states themselves than the poets, listen to the episode and it should make sense).

This week is the first of what will be a few (non-consecutive) weeks of poems by people who have served as the Poet Laureate of the US (or, if you want to use the official title, Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress). You can go here to read more about the position and its current holder, Joy Harjo.

This is Jon's full interview with Robe Rolfe and Larry Jensen, former Owen Wound Poets Laureate. They just released a new album and book called Late Nights on Irish Mountain. This interview explores their latest release, time as Poets Laureate, and Larry's memories of the very first Summerfolk.

Windsor, Ontario is one of several Canadian cities that boasts a Poet Laureate program. In this podcast, we talk with the two current Poets Laureate of Windsor, Poet Laureate Mary Ann Mulhern and Youth Poet Laureate Samantha Badaoa.Mary Ann Mulhern, Poet Laureate of Windsor, was a well-respected teacher before she embarked on a second career as a poet. Mulhern’s first book of narrative poetry, The Red Dress, which focused on her experiences living in a convent for eight years in the sixties, was published by Black Moss Press in 2003. Her next book, Touch the Dead, was published in 2006 and focused on her life experiences growing up in a "cemetery house," located at the edge of a cemetery in St. Thomas, Ontario, where her father was grave-digger and caretaker. She has published countless poems, and seven books to date, including When Angels Weep (2008), Brides in Black (2010), How We Fare (2016), and All the Words Between (2018.)Samantha Badaoa is Windsor’s inaugural Youth Poet Laureate. As a poet and spoken word artist, she has developed a reputation for excellence at open mic events and, in particular, Windsor Poetry Slam events. She has served as a contributor and editor for publications including The Windsor Salt (Poetry and Prose, 2014); The South Detroit Chapbook Series (Water Damage, 2015); Sundays with the Tigers: Eleven Ways to Watch a Game (2015, Black Moss Press); The Voodoo Journals: Dispatches from a Haitian Grave (2016, Black Moss Press); and The Spitfire’s Embers: A Windsor Poetry Slam Collection (2018). You can find out more about the Windsor Poet Laureate program here: https://www.citywindsor.ca/residents/Culture/Pages/Poet-Laureate.aspx

Gwendoline Christie, famous for playing warrior Brienne of Tarth in Game of Thrones, discusses her new stage role as the fairy queen Titania in Nicholas Hytner’s immersive new production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Works by Steve McQueen, Lubaina Himid and Yinka Shonibare feature in a new exhibition Get Up, Stand Up Now at Somerset House in London, which explores the impact of 50 years of Black creativity in Britain and beyond. Curator and artist Zak Ové and artist Zoe Bedeaux discuss the themes and goals of the exhibition. The Youth Poet Laureate of the United States, Kara Jackson, and Aisling Fahey, who was London’s Youth Poet Laureate in 2014, discuss what they’ve discovered about each others' cities and the poetry being created there, on an exchange between young Poets Laureate in Chicago and London. Presenter Kirsty Lang Producer Jerome Weatherald

Focusing on contemporary issues, this text showcases a large collection of regional poets laureate writing on subjects critical to understanding social justice as it relates to the Great Lakes region. Undocumented: Great Lakes Poets Laureate on Social Justice includes writing by seventy-eight poets who truly represent the diversity of the Great Lakes region, including Rita Dove, Marvin Bell, Crystal Valentine, Kimberly Blaeser, Mary Weems, Karen Kovacik, Wendy Vardaman, Zora Howard, Carla Christopher, Meredith Holmes, Karla Huston, Joyce Sutphen, and Laren McClung, among others. City, state, and national poets laureate with ties to Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Ontario, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin appear in these pages, organized around themes from the Southern Poverty Law Center’s “Ten Ways to Fight Hate: A Community Response Guide,” calling on readers to act on behalf of victims of social injustice.

First hour featuring, from an April 30th City of Kingston and KFPL organized poetry event to celebrate National Poetry month called “An Evening with Kingston’s Poets Laureate” and as emceed by Danika Lochead, you’ll hear readings by outgoing Poet Laureate Helen Humphreys, Ashley-Elizabeth Best, Kingston’s first Poet Laureate Eric Folsom, Ky Pearce, with piano interludes Continue Reading

Kentucky Writers' Day is just around the corner, 10 a.m. April 24 at the Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives, and to get stoked for it we brough two Kentucky Poets Laureate into Studio B for a chat about Kentucky poetry, literature and the poet laureate position. Tamara Coffey, Kentucky Arts Council organization support and individual artists director, takes the interview microphone for a lively chat with incoming Kentucky Poet Laureate Jeff Worley and former poet laureate Richard Taylor (1999-2000), who nominated Jeff for the important post of Kentucky's literary ambassador. Jeff will be inducted as poet laureate during the morning ceremony at KDLA, and will read his work that same day, along with five other Kentucky Poets Laureate, at Paul Sawyier Public Library in Frankfort beginning at 2 p.m. By the way, the deer theme that seems to run through the podcast was completely unplanned. As the late American painter and teaching artist Bob Ross would say, "it was just a happy accident."

From “The Poet and the Poem from the Library of Congress": During July, on iTunes, we honor Poets Laureate of the United States who keep language from the evils of persuasion …who rinse off words, making them fresh and new.

From “The Poet and the Poem from the Library of Congress": During July, on iTunes, we honor Poets Laureate of the United States who keep language from the evils of persuasion …who rinse off words, making them fresh and new.

From “The Poet and the Poem from the Library of Congress": During July, on iTunes, we honor Poets Laureate of the United States who keep language from the evils of persuasion …who rinse off words, making them fresh and new.

From “The Poet and the Poem from the Library of Congress": During July, on iTunes, we honor Poets Laureate of the United States who keep language from the evils of persuasion …who rinse off words, making them fresh and new.

From “The Poet and the Poem from the Library of Congress": During July, on iTunes, we honor Poets Laureate of the United States who keep language from the evils of persuasion …who rinse off words, making them fresh and new.

From “The Poet and the Poem from the Library of Congress": During July, on iTunes, we honor Poets Laureate of the United States who keep language from the evils of persuasion …who rinse off words, making them fresh and new.

From “The Poet and the Poem from the Library of Congress": During July, on iTunes, we honor Poets Laureate of the United States who keep language from the evils of persuasion …who rinse off words, making them fresh and new.

From “The Poet and the Poem from the Library of Congress": During July, on iTunes, we honor Poets Laureate of the United States who keep language from the evils of persuasion …who rinse off words, making them fresh and new.

From “The Poet and the Poem from the Library of Congress": During July, on iTunes, we honor Poets Laureate of the United States who keep language from the evils of persuasion …who rinse off words, making them fresh and new.

Episode Sixteen Show Notes CW = Chris Wolak EF = Emily Fine Follow up: Kathleen Rooney’s Poems While You Wait – proceeds go to her imprint Rose Metal Press – Just Read – Schadenfreude, A Love Story: Me, the Germans, and 20 Years of Attempted Transformations, Unfortunate Miscommunications, and Humiliating Situations That Only They Have Words For – Rebecca Schuman (CW) Anything is Possible – Elizabeth Strout (EF) Women Crime Writers: Eight Suspense Novels of the 1940’s & 50’s: A Library of America Boxed Set edited by Sarah Weinman. In A Lonely Place – Dorothy B. Hughes (CW) Saints for All Occasions – J. Courtney Sullivan (EF) Red Car – Marcy Dermansky (EF) books we Just Couldn’t Read (or DNF’d) Into the Water – Paula Hawkins (CW) One in a Million Boy – Monica Wood (EF) Americanah – Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (CW) Blue Light Yokohama – Nicolás Obregón (EF) – Currently Reading/Listening – History of Wolves – Emily Fridlund (EF) Connecticut Valley Tobacco – Brianna Dunlap (CW) The Gypsy Moth Summer – Julia Fierro (CW) – Biblio Adventures – Chris, Emily and their friend Russell had a trifecta visiting Breakwater Books, RJ Julia Bookseller and the Book Barn all in one day! Chris, Emily and their friend Julia visited the Emily Dickinson Museum while Russell visited Amherst Books. Emily went to Powell’s Books in Portland, OR both the main store and the store on Hawthorne to see David Callahan author of The Givers: Wealth, Power, and Philanthropy in a New Gilded Age. Emily saw the outside of the bookstore Another Read Through but didn’t get to visit so there is a reason to go back to Portland! Emily went to RJ Julia Booksellers to see Cathryn Jakobson Ramin discuss her book Crooked: Outwitting the Back Industry and Getting on the Road to Recovery. Emily went to RJ Julia Booksellers to see the Connecticut Coalition of Poets Laureate. They performed readings from Laureates of Connecticut: An Anthology of Contemporary Poetry. – Upcoming Jaunts – Emily and Chris are planning a joint jaunt to Yale’s Beinecke Library to see an exhibit. May 24 – Chris is headed to Bookclub Bookstore & More to see Brianna Dunlap author of Connecticut Valley Tobacco. May 23 – Girls Write Now Awards May 31-June 2 – Book Expo America – Upcoming Reads – Queer, There and Everywhere: 23 People Who Changed the World – Sarah Prager (CW) The Givers: Wealth, Power, and Philanthropy in a New Guilded Age – David Callahan (EF) It’s Okay to Laugh (Crying is Cool Too) – Nora McInerny (EF) – Also Mentioned – Half of a Yellow Sun – Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (CW) Maine – J. Courtney Sullivan (EF) Inside Philanthropy is an online resource to learn Who’s Funding What, and Why Terrible, Thanks for Asking podcast

Jan. 20, 2016. Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera continues his Library-wide tour as part of the La Casa de Colores, El Jardin project with Library curator Mark Manivong, who displays a rare glimpse of a Sylvester & Orphanos Publishers Archives and a comprehensive collection of the works of U.S. Poets Laureate. Speaker Biography: Juan Felipe Herrera is the 2015-2016 Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry at the Library of Congress. In 2012, he was named poet laureate of California. Herrera is a winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award for "Half the World in Light" and has received fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Guggenheim Foundation. In 1990, Herrera was a distinguished teaching fellow at the University of Iowa Writers' Workshop and he has taught elsewhere, including in prisons. He is the author of more than 25 books of poetry, novels for young adults and collections for children, most recently "Portraits of Hispanic American Heroes," a picture book showcasing inspirational Hispanic and Latino Americans. Herrera's most recent collection of poems is "Senegal Taxi." Speaker Biography: Mark Manivong is a digital library specialist in the Library's Rare Book and Special Collections Division. For transcript, captions, and more information, visit http://www.loc.gov/today/cyberlc/feature_wdesc.php?rec=7172

April 30, 2015. Don Share moderates a discussion with Charles Wright and Charles Simic to conclude Wright's term as Poet Laureate. Speaker Biography: Charles Wright was 20th Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry at the Library of Congress. Speaker Biography: Charles Simic was 15th Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry at the Library of Congress. Speaker Biography: Don Share is managing editor of Poetry magazine. For transcript, captions, and more information, visit http://www.loc.gov/today/cyberlc/feature_wdesc.php?rec=6803

Sir Neville Marriner, who turned 90 this year, is the most recorded living conductor. He talks to Kirsty Lang about his long and varied career, and his return to the BBC Proms. The Inbetweeners is a rare example of a television sitcom which made a successful transfer to the big screen. Co-creators Damon Beesley and Iain Morris discuss their second Inbetweeners film in which the four friends take their teenage antics on a gap year to Australia. The words of Poets Laureate across three and a half centuries feature in a new exhibition opening this week. From the first poet appointed to the post, John Dryden, to the current one, Carol Ann Duffy - original manuscripts and rare editions of their works are on display. In addition, historic recordings of Alfred, Lord Tennyson, Ted Hughes and Sir John Betjeman, as well as readings by actors Timothy West, Sir Daniel Day-Lewis and Dame Judi Dench can be heard, bringing new resonance to the poems themselves. Curator Deborah Clarke tells Kirsty about the start and development of the post of Poet Laureate, and about bringing their words to life. Kirsty is joined by critic David Benedict to review a new production of My Night With Reg, a 1994 gay comedy set during the AIDS crisis. Image: Sir Neville Marriner (c) Mark Allan.

With John Wilson. The poets laureate of the UK, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and Ireland will share a stage for the first time this Friday. All the poets laureate are women - and this has never happened before in the history of the laureateships. Carol Ann Duffy, Gillian Clarke and Liz Lochhead discuss their roles as national poets and talk about reflecting a nation in verse. Reece Shearsmith (Psychoville, The League Of Gentlemen) swaps surreal dark comedy for factual drama in The Widower. Based on the crimes of convicted murderer, Malcolm Webster, the three part series charts the events that led to a charming male nurse systematically attempting to murder more than one wife. Chris Dunkley reviews. Elizabeth McGovern discusses performing with her band, Sadie And The Hotheads. Best-known for playing Cora, the Countess of Grantham, on Downton Abbey, McGovern currently switches between filming Downton Abbey in the day, and performing on stage with The Hotheads at night. She talks about song-writing and how everyday experiences have inspired her songs. Director Jamie Lloyd talks to John on the set of his latest musical. With The Commitments already in London's West End, Jamie discusses taking on the oddly titled and unexpected Broadway hit, Urinetown. He also talks about his fast-paced and sometimes bloody style, working with Harold Pinter, and plans to bring the film Back To The Future to the stage. Producer: Rebecca Nicholson.

[This episode first aired May 23, 2009.]For 341 years, the poets laureate of Britain have all been male. That just changed with the appointment of Britain's new poet laureate, Carol Ann Duffy. Her work has been described as 'dealing with the darkest turmoil and the lightest minutiae of everyday life.' The hosts discuss Duffy's oddly jarring and sensuous poetry. Also this week, they talk about whether it's ever correct to use the word 'troop' to mean an individual person, and whether the word 'literally' is too often used figuratively, as in 'He literally glowed'?Martha reads Carol Ann Duffy's poem, 'Glad,' which can be found here along with several others.'You look like the wreck of the Hesperus!' It means you look 'disheveled, ragged, dirty, hung over, or otherwise less than your best.' It may sound like an odd phrase, but it made perfect sense to generations of schoolchildren familiar with this Henry Wadsworth Longfellow poem about a ship in a storm-tossed sea. Here's an early edition of the poem, along with some splendid old-fashioned illustrations.If a Scotsman says he 'takes a scunner' to something, he means it gives him a feeling of loathing or revulsion. Grant and Martha discuss this term's possible origins. For more about the word scunner, check out the 'Dictionary of the Scots Language' .Grant reads another poem by Carol Ann Duffy, 'Valentine' .Quiz Guy John Chaneski has a quiz called 'States of MIND,' in which the answers are words formed by combining the postal abbreviations of states. Try this clue: 'A word that refers to your knowledge or intellectual ability. The seat of your faculty of reason.' The answer? Michigan and North Dakota, the abbreviations for which spell out the word MIND.A recent PBS special about 'Appalachia' has a caller wondering how to pronounce that region's name.Why do we say that someone is inexperienced is 'wet behind the ears'? The hosts tackle that question, and discuss whether Barack Obama misspoke during the 2008 presidential campaign when he used a similar expression, 'green behind the ears.''To go on the lam' means 'to flee' or 'attempt to elude capture.' But why 'lam'? In an earlier episode , Martha explained the origin of the expression 'to boot,' meaning 'in addition' or 'besides.' That prompted an email from a listener wanting to know why we speak of 'booting a computer.' Grant has the answer.Martha shares listeners' responses to an earlier minicast about the Italian-American expression 'macaroni and gravy.'Many people are irritated by using the word 'troops to refer to a small number of soldiers,' as in 'Two troops were wounded.' Is it ever correct to use the word troop to mean an individual person? The hosts explain that in the military, it's actually quite common to use the word troop to refer to just one person.Does the expression 'call a spade a spade' have racist roots? Martha explains that it derives from an ancient Greek phrase, but cautions against its use nevertheless.When you hear the 'F-word' in a modern Hollywood movie about life in an earlier century, you may wonder if this expletive is an anachronism. Is the 'F-word' of recent vintage, or did Hollywood actually get right this time?'I 'literally' exploded with rage!' Using the word 'literally' in this way grates on many a stickler's ear. Moreover, if it's okay to 'use the word 'literally' figuratively, then what do you say when you actually do mean 'literally'? The hosts discuss a related article in 'Slate' called 'The Word We Love to Hate' .--Get your language question answered on the air! Call or write with your questions at any time:Email: words@waywordradio.orgPhone: United States toll-free (877) WAY-WORD/(877) 929-9673London +44 20 7193 2113Mexico City +52 55 8421 9771Site: http://waywordradio.org.Podcast: http://waywordradio.org/podcast/Forums: http://waywordradio.org/discussion/Newsletter: http://waywordradio.org/newsletter/Twitter: http://twitter.com/wayword/Skype: skype://waywordradio Copyright 2009, Wayword LLC.