Off The Bricks

Welcome to Off The Bricks, poets and poetry lovers. Today we welcome Julie L. Moore to the show, she brings us an insightful and somber reflection on race and her experiences and lessons learned while teaching at Wilberforce University. "Moore confronts inherited cruelties, national hypocrisy, and personal responsibility with unflinching honesty, confessing that she is “more than / complicit”...

Welcome to Off The Bricks, poets and poetry lovers. Today we are doing a special program with Joyce Brinkman and her longtime poetry collaborating partner, Dr. Carolyn Kreiter-Foronda, on their newly released collaboration, Vanishing Life: A Poetic Warning. Find Vanishing Life: A Poetic Warning ⁠here!⁠ Carolyn is a former poet laureate of Virginia. She holds a BA from the University of Mary Washin...

Welcome to Off The Bricks poets and poetry lovers! This month, we have with us Jessica D. Thompson with her latest book, The Mood Ring Diaries. Jessica D. Thompson is the author of the poetry collection  Daybreak and Deep , Kelsay Books (2022). She was also the winner of the  James Baker Hall Memorial Prize in Poetry  and the  Kudzu Poetry Prize,  as well as a finalist in the following: the  Joy B...

Welcome to Off The Bricks, poets and poetry lovers! This month, Mary Sexson and I recount the latest Brick Street Poetry meeting at the Literary Arts Park in downtown Indy, in celebration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Mary reads a selection of her poetry that she featured at the event, and we discuss themes of the American experience in this summer bre...

Welcome to Off The Bricks poets and poetry lovers, our guest this week is Natalie Solmer. Solmer is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of  The Indianapolis Review  and is an Assistant Professor of English at Ivy Tech Community College. She grew up in South Bend, Indiana, went to Clemson University in South Carolina, and majored in horticulture. Before her return to grad school and career in teaching,...

Welcome to Off The Bricks, poets and poetry lovers! Today's show brings back Episode 8 guest, Matthew Graham, to discuss his latest work, The Indiana Series. Poetry of place is a big topic on this show, and that theme was largely inspired by Graham way back in 2020! Check out his work at the link here .

Welcome to Off The Bricks, poets and poetry lovers. This month, we welcome Louise Dupré. Today, she shares her book Up Close, translated by Karen McPherson. Dupré is a French Canadian poet who has published more than twenty books, which have received many awards, including the Governor General’s Award for poetry. Louise Dupré’s poetry and several of her novels have been translated into English or...

Welcome to Off The Bricks poets and Poetry lovers! This month, we have returning guest Robert Okaji, here to share his newest book of poems, His Windblown Self. You can find Okaji's poetry for purchase at Broadstone Books and 3 Taos Press, as well as more information about his work on his blog .

Welcome to Off The Bricks Poets and poetry lovers, today we have with us Frank X Walker, the first African American writer to be named Kentucky Poet Laureate. Walker unravels his historical poetry featuring York, party member of the Lewis and Clark expedition, and the Trilogy of poems that have sprung from his life as recorded in journals and museums. Go to ⁠https://frankxwalker.com to learn more...

Welcome to Off The Bricks, poets and poetry lovers! Today's show brings back our editors' series with Barry Harris of The Tipton Poetry Journal. Today, we discuss The TPJ's selection process and how you can get paid for your poetry! Barry gives us insight into your best chances for your submissions! https://tiptonpoetryjournal.submittable.com/submit

Welcome to Off the Bricks, poets and poetry lovers! This month, poet Donald Platt returns to share his newly released book of poetry, Tender Voyeur, published by Grid Books. Platt paints in poetry alongside the works of John Singer Sargent and other contemporaries in this 20 years in the making exploration of a Bisexual awakening. awakening. https://www.grid-books.org/donald-platt

Welcome to Off The Bricks, poets and poetry lovers. This month, Joyce Brinkman and Katherine Heiss discuss options for poets to submit their original poetry to be read on future episodes.

Welcome to Off The Bricks, poets and poetry lovers! Joining us today is poet Gilbert Allen with his new book, Stanzas in America, published through Measure Press. The work is an exploration of events and culture in America and shows a heartfelt and authentic look into everyday life. You can learn more at measurepress.com/ .

Welcome to Off The Bricks, poets and poetry lovers! This month, we feature Stephanie L. Harper. Harper is a neurodivergent (autistic & ADHD) poet, mother, and transplant from Oregon now living in Indiana with the world's most adorable husband, poet, Robert Okaji; cat, Lyra and puppy, Eleanor Rigby (Elly). In a former life, she earned her BA in English & German from Grinnell College, IA...

Welcome to Off The Bricks, poets and poetry lovers! Today's guest is Karen Kovacik, Poet, Translator, and Professor Emerita at Indiana University Indianapolis. Kovacik's latest work Portable City is a layered exploration of her experience with nationality as a concept of self and a feature of travel. You can find her poetry for purchase at itascabooks.com Please join us next month, Septemb...

Welcome to Off the Bricks, poets and poetry lovers. This month, we remember our dear colleague and treasured community member, Kevin McKelvey, who passed in late June. We have included his obituary in the link below. https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/indianapolis-in/kevin-mckelvey-12437780 You can hear more of Kevin's work in episode 19 of Off The Bricks.

Welcome to Off The Bricks, poets and poetry lovers! Our guest this month is John Cardwell. John has had a long and complicated career that included public policy advocacy, research and writing, non-profit management, farming, construction, and academic assignments in Indiana and Nigeria.  His poetry has been greatly affected by those experiences and contemporary events.  He began writing poetry in...

Welcome to Off the Bricks, poets and poetry lovers! This week, part two of our guest poet Donald Plat,t as interviewed by Joyce Brinkman. Donald Platt’s ninth book of poetry, Tender Voyeur, will be published by Grid Books in the fall. https://www.grid-books.org/donald-platt

Welcome to Off the Bricks poets and poetry lovers! This week, Donald Platt as interviewed by Joyce Brinkman. Keep an ear out for part two next month! Donald Platt’s ninth book of poetry, Tender Voyeur, will be published by Grid Books in the fall.

Welcome to Off The Bricks Poets and Poetry Lovers. This week, we have Dr. Lucy Park and Dale Ho Kim, who are featured in the Polaris Trilogy: Poems for the Moon . Join us for an episode of translation and Sijo/ Sejong poetic form , a Korean style of poetry. The Firefly Blue Ghost lander is now on the moon!

Welcome to Off the Bricks, poets and poetry lovers. Today we welcome back to the program Norbert Krapf who, in honor of black history month, is reading from his 2024 project, Ida Hagan of the Pinnkston Freedom Settlement . 14 years in the making Krapf, details in narrative poetry the bilingual, trailblazing life of Indianapolis local Ida Hagan. You can find more information about the project as we...

Welcome to Off The Bricks poets and Poetry lovers, today's episode features Robert "Bob" Okaji and his new chapbook In The Garden of Wind's Delight. Learn about the Japanese bamboo flute - Shakuhachi which offers both challenge and inspiration through the path of learning Suizen, the practice of playing the Shakuhachi. As published by Illuminated Press, available for preorder now...

Welcome to Off The Bricks poets and poetry lovers! Today we have an interview with Alessandra Lynch regarding her fifth book of poetry, Wish Ave , published by Alice James Books in 2024. She is the author of four other poetry collections: Pretty Tripwire , Daylily Called It a Dangerous Moment , It was a terrible cloud at twilight , and Sails the Wind Left Behind . Her work has appeared in the Amer...

Welcome to Off The Bricks Poets and Poetry Lovers. This week, we have PART 2 of our interview with George Kalamaras. The poet laureate of Indiana from 2014 to 2016 and professor emeritus at Purdue University Fort Wayne shares with us today his newest book, To Sleep in the Horse's Belly . You can find further information about Kalamaras's work at the ⁠Dos Madres website.⁠

Welcome to Off The Bricks Poets and Poetry lovers. This week we have PART 1 of our interview with George Kalamaras. The poet laureate of Indiana from 2014 to 2016 and professor emeritus at Purdue University Fort Wayne shares with us today his newest book, To Sleep in the Horse's Belly . You can find further information about Kalamaras's work at the Dos Madres website.