The Line Break

What an episode we have for you this month! Fresh off a weekend at AWP 2024 in Kansas City, Bob and Chris have recruited their most near-them-at-the-time friends to read LIVE POEMS on the show! That's right, we have Stephen J. Furlong, Teo Shannon, Chloe N. Clark, Diannely Antigua, Matt W. Miller, Todd Osborne, Amorak Huey, and Maya Williams! Forget NBA All-Star, this is Line Break All-Star! If yo...

It still counts as the New Year if it's January 30th! Bob and Chris limp into 2024 burdened by complicated schedules but buoyed by the power of poetry. This month, Bob reads “Community Check-In” by Sam Herschel Wein, Chris reads “John Wayne Niles … .--…--.- …/ - --- Ermias Joseph Asghedom” by Mahogany L. Browne, and then the guys talk about the surprisingly fun Los Angeles Clippers.

The end of the year is upon us! Reflection time. Having put three guests in a row to the test with this question, Bob and Chris turn the metaphorical camera to themselves and ask: who/what are the five people/things that influence you/your poetics the most? The question is catchier in the episode. Have a great holiday and we'll see you in 2024. Follow the show: Instagram: @linebreakpod Bluesky: @t...

On this month's episode, Bob and Chris are thrilled to welcome the author of 'It's not over once you figure it out,' Isaac Pickell! Fresh off of a book and pub day, Isaac reads "Nature Walk" by Basie Allen, as well as his own poem, "Uncommissioned Elegy For Joseph Paul Jernigan and The Body of Michael Brown." After that, the dudes talk Detroit Pistons basketball. Quick CW: from about the one-minut...

Poetry asks us not to be sentimental, but how can you not be sentimental about baseball? On this episode of The Line Break, Bob and Chris are thrilled to welcome poet and (this is for all our dads) Baseball Prospects writer Sandra Marchetti!. Poems and sports combine as they rarely have on this poetry podcast that already talks about sports too much. Sandra reads "Eating Alone" by Li-Young Lee as...

Who's ready for some long poems? Oh, it's a good month on The Line Break. This month, Bob and Chris welcome Alina Pleskova, author of 'Toska,' for a talk about the crossover between the poetry and punk scenes, the massive debt we all owe translators, and writing poems in your mid-30s. Alina reads "Without" by Stephane Bouqet (translated by Lindsay Turner) as well as her own poem, "Vulnerability En...

Climb aboard a clean, affordable public train and travel with Bob and Chris from the city to the shore. This week, it's all about short poems that take us places. Bob reads "Elegy For Soft Things" by Wendy Xu, Chris reads "If I Wanted A Boat" by Mary Oliver, and then the guys get wistful about—what else? The 1999 New York Knicks.

For the first time since before the show even started, Bob and Chris are recording in the same room! Bob came to Chicago to read "Dura" by Alina Pleskova, Chris's cat won't let him read "Up Nursing" by Hoa Nguyen in peace, and are the guys too old to follow sports?

Today, Bob and Chris are thrilled to welcome José Olivarez! Shockingly, this is not a Jimmy Butler podcast. Not entirely. Three discuss writing to procrastinate on writing, "nostalgia with rigor," and food and humor in poems. José reads "Family Portrait With Enchiladas and A Movie" by Analicia Sotelo and then his own poem, "Ode to Tortillas." Then, well, yeah, it becomes a Chicago Bulls podcast. J...

On today's episode, Bob and Chris are thrilled welcome Maya Williams! The three discuss the upcoming release of Maya's book, 'Judas & Suicide,' forthcoming from Game Over Books in May 2023. Then, Maya reads "Bashert" by Jeremy Radin, eir own poem "The Devil is Concerned with More Pressing Matters Than My Mental Health Issues," and then the three use basketball as an excuse to gush about Ross Gay....

Does poetry require form? Does poetry require basis in observable reality? These are question we'd try to address if we were a more boring podcast. Instead, Bob reads "Sestina" by Elizabeth Bishop, Chris reads "The Wine-Dark Sea" by Mathias Svalina, and the dudes mostly talk about how rad it all is. Plus: is Hakeem Olajuwon a formalist or a surrealist?

Is there such thing as a perfect poem? If there is, will it unsettle us on purpose? This week, Bob reads an untitled letter to Lorca by Jack Spicer, Chris reads "Mansion" by Julie Doxsee, and everyone has a brief chuckle about the word "alas."

It's the All-Star Break here at The Line Break! Two banger poems this month: Bob reads "Remembrance" by A. Van Jordan, "Chris reads an excerpt from Claudia Rankine's 'Citizen,' and then the guys talk about NBA memories they wish they had.

On this week's episode, Bob and Chris are talking about what poetry does, the joys of discovering poetry around the world, and just what in the heck we get out it this stuff, anyway. Bob reads "The Way To Keep Going In Antarctica" by Bernadette Mayer, Chris reads "Jiikimaadizi / A Joyful Life" by Margaret Noodin, and then the dudes talk about just what in the heck we get out of basketball, anyway.

The end of the year leads the dudes to do some reflecting on life, death, authorial legacy, and what the future should look like. Bob reads from Diane Seuss's 'frank: sonnets,' Chris reads "Leah Gilliam, 'Sapphire and the Slave Girl,' 1995, 18:20" by Anaïs Duplan, and the lads wonder what 6'9" NBA players are supposed to do. Note: for further reading on the "what are we all doing here" question of...

After too long away, Bob and Chris are BACK reading poetry. Bob reads "Broken Light Bulb Flickering Away" by Noor Hindi, Chris reads an excerpt from Joshua Marie Wilkinson's book length poem "Meadow Slasher," and then the guys ask who's having a better NBA season: Ezra Pound or Billy Collins?

On today's episode, what begins as a gentle "what have you been reading lately" morphs into Bob and Chris gushing about how rad poetry is even when the world is difficult. Bob reads "Snow Theory" by Ocean Vuong, Chris reads "Ethos, Pathos" by Sebastian Castillo, and then Bob says nice things about the Boston Celtics.

Guest time! Today, Bob and Chris welcome Hannah Cohen to the show! The three talk about everything from manuscript length to wrestling with abstractions to Tommy Wiseau. Hannah reads "Under One Small Star" by Wislawa Szymborska, as well as her poem "Some Covenant." Then the three plot to become Poet Laureate of Waffle House. Hannah Cohen bio and publications: https://hannahcohen.carrd.co/

If poems are made of music, metaphor, and image, well, we're certainly talking about one of those today. What makes an image in a poem *just* the right one? Bob reads "Quabban Reservoir" James Tate, Chris reads "revaluation" by MJ Santiago, and then the guys talk about how basketball looks cool.

If brevity is the soul of wit, what's an hourlong podcast? Today, Bob and Chris are exploring short poems. Bob reads "Invisible Fish" by Joy Harjo, Chris reads "Ghosting" by Andrea Cohen, and then the guys celebrate NBA players under six feet tall.

The poets are back! This week, Bob and Chris discuss poets they just haven't gotten around to yet. Bob reads "Rodedendrons" by Larry Levins, then Chris reads "MOTHERFUCKER I'M ILL" by Beyza Ozer.

The poets are back, and they need coats, hats, and gloves. It's cold outside, and we're breaking lines over it. Bob reads "Those Winter Sundays" by Robert Hayden, Chris reads "In Winter" by Michael Ryan, and then the guys discuss watching full days of basketball.

Family! Everyone has one, everyone feels differently about them. So let's do some poetry! Bob reads "enough food and a mom" by francine j. harris, Chris reads "In The Hospital" by Chen Chen, and then the guys talk about familial duos in basketball.

At long last, Bob and Chris are back for Season 3! The guys have returned to catch up read a few words. Bob reads "Miss You" by Gabrielle Calvocoressi, Chris reads an excerpt from "Scarliotti and the Sinkhole" by Padget Powell, and then they talk about how the Bulls are winning the NBA championship this year.

In this week's episode, Bob and Chris read poems dealing with sleep. Bob talks anxiety while reading "Dream Song #17" by Daniel Borzutzky, Chris talks childcare while reading "Chicago is a chorus of barking dogs" by Eve Ewing. Then the two reminiscence on NBA teams worth staying up for.