SoundPages Podcast

Blending nature themes and rustic imagery, Annette Spaulding-Convy has created a collection of poems that brings the past to life. Her work delves into family history and tells the story of a lost ancestor. With grace and force, Spaulding-Convy pays tribute to a forgotten individual. Music by Sean Osborn, produced as part of the Jack […] The post Forgotten Light – Annette Spaulding-Convy app...

Debra Jarvis‘s humorous and personable writing invites readers to pull up a chair. Her connection to both people and animals is felt in her fluid narrative. Meet her therapy dog Max and fall in love. Music by Jes Raymond, produced as part of the Jack Straw Artist Support Program. The post Canine Connection – Debra Jarvis appeared first on Jack Straw Cultural Center .

Louise Spiegler lets her imagination take the reins to lead readers through life in early Rome. In her novel, history is intermingled with an engaging plot that’s suitable for both young and adult readers. Her careful research and original characters make for entertaining reading. Music by Sean Osborn, produced as part of the Jack Straw […] The post Destination Rome, Circa 193 CE – Louise Sp...

Through her use of expressive language, Denise Calvetti Michaels creates poignant snapshots of her own experiences and those of others. Her writing takes different forms in order to capture the scene and the sentiment she’s depicting. Translating memories to poetry, Michaels gives voice to beautiful personal stories. Music by the St. Helen’s Quartet, produced as part […] The post Unwrapping...

Inspired by magical realism, Amber Flame ventures into new territory with her Jack Straw project, creating vignettes that take the reader into the heart of the desert. Her vibrant imagery and earthy tone, make her colorful stories tangible. THIS PODCAST CONTAINS ADULT LANGUAGE. Music by Johanna Kunin, produced as part of the Jack Straw Artist […] The post Desert Melody – Amber Flame appeared...

Roberto Ascalon writes instinctually. He reaches into the core of his subjects and exposes raw emotion. His poems, which flow like essays, reveal an unspoken history, surprising and powerful. THIS PODCAST CONTAINS ADULT LANGUAGE. Music by Seattle Experimental Opera, produced as part of the Jack Straw Artist Support Program. The post Hearing History – Roberto Ascalon appeared first on Jack Straw Cu...

Michael Dylan Welch explores haiku and longer poetry, as well as his own spirited take on the traditional Japanese haiku. He uses Allen Ginsberg’s haiku-derived form of American Sentences to record his family’s witticisms, and he’s written hundreds of haiku-like “neon buddha” poems as “a surreal sort of personal mythology.” Music by the St. Helens […] The post Meet Neon Buddha – Michael Dyla...

Through her writing, Marjorie Manwaring explores her fascination with the tiny. Keenly observant and uniquely funny, Manwaring creates a sense of nostalgia for gumball machines and tiny dolls. Her short poems lead listeners into the often overlooked world of miniscule things. Music by Matt Weiner and Del Rey, produced as part of the Jack Straw […] The post Something Tiny – Marjorie Manwaring...

Poignant and painful, Esther Altshul Helfgott documents the Alzheimer’s experience through poetry. Her writing fragments play a somber melody, both moving and beautiful. While her Jack Straw project focuses on illness, her writing covers a broad range of subject matter, with a penchant for history. Music by Tamara Friedman, produced as part of the Jack […] The post Documenting with Care – Es...

Martha Clarkson writes with humor and an element of surprise. Her unique ideas come to life in short, sharp pieces. Original subject matter and clever delivery make Clarkson’s work widely appealing. Music by Christopher Roberts, produced as part of the Jack Straw Artist Support Program. The post Punchy Shorts – Martha Clarkson appeared first on Jack Straw Cultural Center .

Tara Roth is an adept storyteller who turns to her Armenian family for material. The colorful characters and scenarios are imbued with humor and familiarity. Roth translates her appreciation for her heritage with a witty slant and a touch of nostalgia. Music by Grand Hallway, produced as part of the Jack Straw Artist Support Program. The post Family. Stories. Cookies. – Tara Roth appeared first on...

Rich in detail, including period vocabulary, Bill Carty‘s poems are authentic and engaging. The retelling of a duel in his hometown of Thomaston, Maine evokes the image of a painting from the era. His writing illustrates history with a timeless and gracious style. Music in this podcast is performed by Shulamit Kleinerman and was recorded […] The post History in Your Hometown – Bill Carty app...

Using a frank and earnest approach, Katherine Grace Bond offers readers insight into her own adolescence. The difficulties she faced during her teen years become fodder for the fictional character Alice, who works as a docent at the Seattle Art Museum. Her poems capture the fear and angst she once experienced during family struggles. Bond […] The post To Write Is to Heal – Katherine Grace Bo...

Deftly weaving together people and scenes, Brian James Barr presents rich commentary on adult relationships. Barr’s characters speak with an open and true voice, creating genuine intimacy in his writing. His vernacular, subject matter, and style, all work to make Barr’s writing distinctly contemporary. THIS PODCAST CONTAINS ADULT LANGUAGE. Music by Cynthia Mullis and was […] The post Getting...

With her diverse ancestry, Storme Webber brings a unique perspective to the literary world. Her writing allows her to give voice to those who are marginalized due to poverty, race, and sexual orientation. As a multi-disciplinary artist, Storme enlivens her readings with sonorous vocals, deepening the impact of her words. Music by Dan Blunck and […] The post Bluesy Verse – Storme Webber appea...

For his Jack Straw residency, Kevin Simmonds brings to life historic figures in his lilting and revealing poetry. His background as a musician and his roots in New Orleans, lend a rhythmic, melancholic sensibility to his work. Among the themes he touches on are rights issues, loss, and sexuality. Music  by The Black Cat Orchestra, […] The post Deliberate Rhythm – Kevin Simmonds appeared firs...

Madeline Ostrander works global politics into a flowing narrative that hinges on personal stories. Her experiences abroad fill her writing with distinct, tangible scenes with genuine characters. Readers and listeners are forced to contemplate war and responsibility. Music by Amy Rubin and Dawn Clement, produced as part of the Jack Straw Artist Support Program. The post Politics and Place – Madelin...

In her rhythmic storytelling, Angela Martinez Dy sketches a snapshot of the social and cultural fabric of her time. Her art, which starts with poetry on the page, becomes a gripping, powerful force in her delivery. She says her writing helps her express who she is and leads to deeper self-understanding. Music by Bob Rees, […] The post Poetry off the Page – Angela Martinez Dy appeared first o...

Kim-An Lieberman‘s writing is a study on how the media shapes contemporary culture. She uses stories and characters featured in the media in her work. Through poetry, Lieberman is able to create unique, playful portraits of her subjects and continue a long tradition of storytelling. Music by Matt Weiner and Del Rey, produced as part […] The post Cultural Storytelling – Kim-An Lieberman appea...

In her writing, Laura Hirschfield explores what’s not said, or what’s missing. She works with the concept of haunting; expressing in words an idea or a voice that inhabits her. Her examination of haunting is revelatory, personal, and poignant. Music by the Bella Musica Woodwind Trio, produced as part of the Jack Straw Artist Support […] The post Haunting in Words – Laura Hirschfield appeared...

In Alma García’s quest to portray the human side of a story, she reaches into the center of her characters to share a delicate intimacy with the reader. Her blend of voices and scenes has a natural rhythm which she attributes to her training as a musician. In her words, she understood how a story […] The post A Story’s Sound – Alma García appeared first on Jack Straw Cultural Center .

In her writing, poet Rachel Dilworth seeks to illuminate new perspectives and understanding through the exploration of voice. Her focus on voice as connected to self, loss of voice, and regaining voice, allows her subjects to be heard in new ways. Permission to use portions of The Wild Rose Asylum by Rachel Dilworth has been […] The post Exploring Voice – Rachel Dilworth appeared first on Ja...

Years of living and traveling in Europe and a profound interest in the visual arts, inform Michael Magee’s work. His writing, which crosses many disciplines, is full of wit, color, and panache. His dynamic range of subjects and artful turn of phrase are both fresh and entertaining. Music by Matt Weiner and Del Rey, produced […] The post A Writer’s Palette – Michael Magee appeared first on Ja...

In her far-reaching poem Rhapsody in Red, Priscilla Long weaves cultural, political, and scientific threads together in a lyrical statement featuring the color red. Full of historic references and bright imagery, Long’s writing draws the reader through memory and experience. Music by Amy Rubin and Dawn Clement, produced as part of the Jack Straw Artist […] The post Poetry as Visual Art – Pri...

In her second Jack Straw Writers Residency, Anna Balint explores themes of war, motherhood, ethnic identity, and family legacy. She draws upon her diverse experiences, as an activist, mother and grandmother, in her writing. Music by Christopher Roberts, produced as part of the Jack Straw Artist Support Program. The post From Poetry to Prose – Anna Balint appeared first on Jack Straw Cultural Cente...