SoundPages Podcast

Martha Kreiner‘s poetry is deeply intertwined with her work as a nurse. She sends herself poetic time surveys throughout her work day to give herself “the opportunity, just randomly, to look around the world and pay attention.” She talks with 2015 Writers Program Curator Kevin Craft about how her nursing influences her poetry and vice […] The post Shift – Martha Kreiner appeared first on Jac...

Ross McMeekin is fascinated by family relationships and constantly explores them in his writing. Writing, he says, allows you to explore different careers and to “slip into the skin of a bunch of different lives that you could never have done in your own real solid skin.” He can’t escape the pull, the magnetism, of […] The post Darling – Ross McMeekin appeared first on Jack Straw Cultural Ce...

Jeanine Walker, poet and musician, relates how her parents’ divorce when she was 10 has shaped her poetry. She explores family, bonding, separation, and escape in several poems containing her own experiences or imaginings of different lives. Poetry allows her to explore her own experiences and create deeper understanding of the changes in her and […] The post Divorce – Jeanine Walker appeare...

2015 Jack Straw Writers Program Curator Kevin Craft interviews poet Erin Malone about her choice of themes for her recent works about child abduction and death. The poems she reads at the Jack Straw May Reading Series share perspectives from varying experiences: the passage of time, exposure to death, fading memories, and grief. Music by […] The post Childhood – Erin Malone appeared first on...

Kristen Millares Young seeks to discover empathy through her characters. The different perspectives that appear in her writing unfold into a story that sheds light on the human condition. THIS PODCAST CONTAINS ADULT LANGUAGE. Music by Victor Noriega/2 Trios, produced as part of the Jack Straw Artist Support Program. The post Subduction – Kristen Millares Young appeared first on Jack Straw Cultural...

Raul Sanchez connects to his readers with his unreserved storytelling about his own background. With bright descriptions and mixed English and Spanish lines, Sanchez’s poems paint cultural scenes that open a world to his audience. Music by Victor Noriega/2 Trios and produced as part of the Jack Straw Artist Support Program. The post Excerpts from My Past My Way – Raul Sanchez appeared first on Jac...

Margot Kahn reflects on her cultural heritage through the lens of her teenage self. Her memories and observations reveal a warm innocence and resonate as a coming of age story. Music by Victor Noriega/2 Trios, produced as part of the Jack Straw Artist Support Program. The post Selected Work – Margot Kahn appeared first on Jack Straw Cultural Center .

Setting the scene with memories of a childhood border crossing, Susan V. Meyers examines the significance of geographic boundary lines. Drawing on her experience of the U.S./Mexico border as an adult and providing background and history on its institution, Meyers stitches together thoughtful ideas on a complex issue. Music by Victor Noriega/2 Trios, produced as […] The post Visits to the Bor...

Gigi Rosenberg constructs a personable and engaging account of her relationship with her mother and the complexities that emerge posthumously. Rosenberg’s current project is How I Lost My Inheritance: A Mother/Daughter Memoir. Music by Victor Noriega/2 Trios, produced as part of the Jack Straw Artist Support Program. The post Chapter 1: Will and Trust – Gigi Rosenberg appeared first on Jack Straw...

Loreen Lilyn Lee shares her island heritage in a smooth, heartfelt narrative that celebrates the unique blend of culture that is Hawaii. Music by Victor Noriega/2 Trios, produced as part of the Jack Straw Artist Support Program. The post Being Local – Loreen Lilyn Lee appeared first on Jack Straw Cultural Center .

Speaking with force and conviction, Laurel Albina examines cultural identity through her family’s experience settling in a new country. THIS PODCAST CONTAINS ADULT LANGUAGE. Music by Victor Noriega/2 Trios, produced as part of the Jack Straw Artist Support Program. The post Selected Poems – Laurel Albina appeared first on Jack Straw Cultural Center .

Jane Wong dares to write poetry, fighting through words to help express “the unknowable.” Music by Victor Noriega/2 Trios, produced as part of the Jack Straw Artist Support Program. The post Selected Poems – Jane Wong appeared first on Jack Straw Cultural Center .

John D. Mullen is a master storyteller, openly describing scenes from his youth with frank hilarity and impeccable delivery. Music by Victor Noriega/2 Trios, produced as part of the Jack Straw Artist Support Program. The post The Lineup – John D. Mullen appeared first on Jack Straw Cultural Center .

Through the eyes of her 14-year-old self, Claudia Castro Luna recounts her family’s journey across the border and to a new life. Music by 2 Trios, produced as part of the Jack Straw Artist Support Program. The post To Say Goodbye – Claudia Castro Luna appeared first on Jack Straw Cultural Center .

Using textural images and striking word combinations, Anastacia Tolbert’s writing imbues the page with vivid sensations. THIS PODCAST CONTAINS ADULT LANGUAGE. Music by Victor Noriega/2 Trios, produced as part of the Jack Straw Artist Support Program. The post Memoir – Anastacia Tolbert appeared first on Jack Straw Cultural Center .

Self-deprecating and honest, Kate Carroll de Gutes serves her own brand of personal essay, much of which is uproariously funny. A stickler for the serial comma, Kate Carroll de Gutes believes that there should always be two spaces between a period and the beginning of the next sentence. Music by the Seattle Jazz Composers Ensemble, […] The post What Does a Lesbian Bring on a Second Date – Ka...

Chelsea Werner-Jatzke recycles an old Pixies’ song, transforming song lyrics into living characters. Music by the Seattle Jazz Composers Ensemble, produced as part of the Jack Straw Artist Support Program. The post Tony’s Theme – Chelsea Werner-Jatzke appeared first on Jack Straw Cultural Center .

Using physical language to convey universal emotions, Daemond Arrindell’s writing commands a visceral response. Music by the Seattle Jazz Composers Ensemble, produced as part of the Jack Straw Artist Support Program. The post The Angel and Other Poems – Daemond Arrindell appeared first on Jack Straw Cultural Center .

Michelle Penaloza reaches deep into her writing to pull out words that will touch her readers. She boldly tackles sentimental subject matter and presents feelings with a flair. Music by Victor Noriega/2 Trios, produced as part of the Jack Straw Artist Support Program. The post Selected Poems – Michelle Penaloza appeared first on Jack Straw Cultural Center .

Dennis Caswell brings a bit of whimsy to some of life’s unanswered questions. Music by the Seattle Jazz Composers Ensemble, produced as part of the Jack Straw Artist Support Program. The post Epiphanette and Other Poems – Dennis Caswell appeared first on Jack Straw Cultural Center .

Larry Crist’s colorful poems reflect intimate scenes, taken from ordinary moments. Music by the Seattle Jazz Composers Ensemble, produced as part of the Jack Straw Artist Support Program. The post The Frenzy of the Red Berry and Other Work – Larry Crist appeared first on Jack Straw Cultural Center .

Drawing from his experience with an ailing parent, Peter Munro describes the delicate and painful reality of the human condition. THIS PODCAST CONTAINS ADULT LANGUAGE. Music by the Seattle Jazz Composers Ensemble, produced as part of the Jack Straw Artist Support Program. The post Ketogenesis Apocalypse – Peter Munro appeared first on Jack Straw Cultural Center .

Judith Skillman experiments with form in her new work, shedding light on a personal history. Music by the Seattle Jazz Composers Ensemble, produced as part of the Jack Straw Artist Support Program. The post In This Case – Judith Skillman appeared first on Jack Straw Cultural Center .

Josephine Ensign examines her own desire to work with homeless people and the value of narrative advocacy work. Music by the Seattle Jazz Composers Ensemble, produced as part of the Jack Straw Artist Support Program. The post Soul Story – Josephine Ensign appeared first on Jack Straw Cultural Center .

Blending cultural content with personal experience, Emily Pérez infuses her poetry with musicality. Music by the Seattle Jazz Composers Ensemble, produced as part of the Jack Straw Artist Support Program. The post Reflections from a Border Town in South Texas – Emily Perez appeared first on Jack Straw Cultural Center .