The Slowdown: Poetry & Reflection Daily

Today’s poem is On a Spaceship Somewhere, Long After Empire's Collapse by Jesús I. Valles. The Slowdown is currently taking a break. We’ll be back soon with new episodes from a new host. This week, we’re going back into the archive to revisit Tracy K. Smith’s time as host. Today’s episode was originally released on August 20, 2020. In this episode, Tracy writes… “The message from the stars is simp...

Today’s poem is Say Thank You Say I'm Sorry by Jericho Brown. The Slowdown is currently taking a break. We’ll be back soon with new episodes from a new host. This week, we’re going back into the archive to revisit Tracy K. Smith’s time as host. Today’s episode was originally released on September 11, 2020. In this episode, Tracy writes… “I like it when I pass into the orbit of a stranger and, with...

Today’s poem is Song In Which We Yet Sidestep Disaster by Tess Taylor. The Slowdown is currently taking a break. We’ll be back soon with new episodes from a new host. This week, we’re going back into the archive to revisit Tracy K. Smith’s time as host. Today’s episode was originally released on May 27, 2020. In this episode, Tracy writes… “How can everything be? How is it possible? Maybe to be al...

Today’s poem is Hunger by Kelli Russell Agodon. Last spring, we asked our community to submit poems that have helped you slow down in your lives. This week we’re revisiting these selections. Today’s selection was submitted by Jeannine from Washington. In this episode, Major writes… “What is it about this stage of dating that has us turn off the radar, render us blind to the red flags, to what we h...

Today’s poem is Separation Wall by Naomi Shihab Nye. Last spring, we asked our community to submit poems that have helped you slow down in your lives. This week we’re revisiting these selections. Today’s selection was submitted by Meital from Washington, D.C. In this episode, Major writes… “Coexistence on the planet demands that we transcend reactionary treatment of each other. For this reason, we...

Today’s poem is Sono by Suji Kwock Kim. The Slowdown is currently taking a break. Last spring, we asked our community to submit poems that have helped you slow down in your lives. This week we’re revisiting these selections. In this episode, Major writes… “Today’s poem coordinates a masterful flow of language, simulating the journey of a child crossing into our time through another’s body. The poe...

Today’s poem is From Blossoms by Li-Young Lee. Last spring, we asked our community to submit poems that have helped you slow down in your lives. This week we’re revisiting these selections. Today’s selection was submitted by Candace from North Carolina. This week we’re featuring the team’s selections. In this episode, Major writes… “Today’s poem exults in that bounty of spiritual abundance and cel...

Today’s poem is One Art by Elizabeth Bishop. Last spring, we asked our community to submit poems that have helped you slow down in your lives. This week we’re revisiting these selections. Today’s selection was submitted by Doug from Minnesota. In this episode, Major writes… “Today’s iconic poem inflects so much psychological truth and honest emotion in the wake of a parting; the hard pain must be...

Today’s poem is Prayer Beginning with a Line by Czaykowski by Pablo Piñero Stillmann. The Slowdown is currently taking a break. We’ll be back soon with new episodes from a new host. This week, we’re going back into the archive to revisit Ada Limón’s time as host. Today’s episode was originally released on April 29, 2022. In this episode, former host Ada Limón writes… “Today’s poem is that kind of...

Today’s poem is Practicing by Ciona Rouse. The Slowdown is currently taking a break. We’ll be back soon with new episodes from a new host. This week, we’re going back into the archive to revisit Ada Limón’s time as host. Today’s episode was originally released on May 18, 2022. In this episode, former host Ada Limón writes… “I’ve always been interested in how we plan for the future. I try to put a...

Today’s poem is Little Grey Dreams by Angelina Weld Grimké. The Slowdown is currently taking a break. We’ll be back soon with new episodes from a new host. This week, we’re going back into the archive to revisit Ada Limón’s time as host. Today’s episode was originally released on November 9, 2021. In this episode, former host Ada Limón writes… “Today’s meaningful poem by early 20th century poet An...

Today’s poem is Places With Terrible Wi-Fi by J. Estanislao Lopez. The Slowdown is currently taking a break. We’ll be back soon with new episodes from a new host. This week, we’re going back into the archive to revisit Ada Limón’s time as host. Today’s episode was originally released on February 23, 2022. In this episode, former host Ada Limón writes… “Hiding has gotten so much harder these days....

Today’s poem is Acknowledgments by Nkosi Nkululeko. The Slowdown is currently taking a break. We’ll be back soon with new episodes from a new host. This week, we’re going back into the archive to revisit Ada Limón’s time as host. Today’s episode was originally released on July 4, 2022. In this episode, former host Ada Limón writes… “Today’s poem is an exploration of shouting out ourselves and our...

Today’s poem is To be of use by Marge Piercy. The Slowdown is currently taking a break. We’ll be back soon with new episodes from a new host. This week, we’re going back into the archive to revisit Tracy K. Smith’s time as host. Today’s episode was originally released on September 2, 2020. In this episode, Tracy writes… “I am alive in 21st Century America. I have a voice. Let it serve as a correct...

Today’s poem is The Book of Genesis by Morgan Parker. The Slowdown is currently taking a break. We’ll be back soon with new episodes from a new host. This week, we’re going back into the archive to revisit Tracy K. Smith’s time as host. Today’s episode was originally released on June 10, 2020. In this episode, Tracy writes…”Today's poem is by Morgan Parker. Parker's poems fill me with joy for the...

Today’s poem is Stop Looking At My Last Name Like That by Michael Torres. The Slowdown is currently taking a break. We’ll be back soon with new episodes from a new host. This week, we’re going back into the archive to revisit Tracy K. Smith’s time as host. Today’s episode was originally released on May 19, 2020. In this episode, Tracy writes… “Rationally speaking, I know that another person’s bigo...

Today’s poem is Telephone of the Wind by Eddie Kim. The Slowdown is currently taking a break. We’ll be back soon with new episodes from a new host. This week, we’re going back into the archive to revisit Tracy K. Smith’s time as host. Today’s episode was originally released on August 12, 2020. In this episode, Tracy writes… “Today’s poem takes me back to the time when telephones and the distances...

Today’s poem is Moon Pull by Carlina Duan. The Slowdown is currently taking a break. We’ll be back soon with new episodes from a new host. This week, we’re going back into the archive to revisit Tracy K. Smith’s time as host. Today’s episode was originally released on May 5, 2020. In this episode, Tracy writes… “I love the way today's poem lays claim to the moon and all it represents.” Celebrate t...

Today’s poem is Flesh (“You in your ecstasy of coffee”) by Deborah Landau. The Slowdown is currently taking a break. We’ll be back soon with new episodes from a new host. This week, we’re revisiting some favorites from Major Jackson’s time as host. Today’s episode was originally released on May 5 2023. The Slowdown is your daily poetry ritual. In this episode, Major writes… “When summer arrives, I...

Today’s poem is Black Book of Creation by Shanta Lee Gander. The Slowdown is currently taking a break. We’ll be back soon with new episodes from a new host. This week, we’re revisiting some favorites from Major Jackson’s time as host. Today’s episode was originally released on April 25 2024. The Slowdown is your daily poetry ritual. In this episode, Major writes… “Today’s poem builds on the belief...

Today we’re bringing you the recording from Slow Take, our live event in Nashville this past April, featuring Major Jackson in conversation with Jad Abumrad and special guest poets Kate Daniels, Mark Jarman, Ciona Rouse and Didi Jackson, as well as singer-songwriter Tia Sillers. Our hosts and guests employed the attention of The Slowdown to explore the daily noise we interact with -- how sharing p...

Today’s poem is Us by Zaffar Kunial. The Slowdown is currently taking a break. We’ll be back soon with new episodes from a new host. This week, we’re revisiting some favorites from Major Jackson’s time as host. Today’s episode was originally released on September 27 2023. The Slowdown is your daily poetry ritual. In this episode, Major writes… “Since moving to the quaint village of Rochester, I co...

Today’s poem is from "The Crystal Text" by Clark Coolidge. The Slowdown is currently taking a break. We’ll be back soon with new episodes from a new host. This week, we’re revisiting some favorites from Major Jackson’s time as host. Today’s episode was originally released on July 2 2024. The Slowdown is your daily poetry ritual. In this episode, Major writes… “Poetry negotiates that space between...

Today’s poem is I Would Do Anything For Love, But I Won't by Traci Brimhall. The Slowdown is currently taking a break. We’ll be back soon with new episodes from a new host. This week, we’re going back into the archive to revisit Ada Limón’s time as host. Today’s episode was originally released on May 27 2022. In this episode, former host Ada Limón writes… “I am often laughing with my husband about...

Today’s poem is anti-immigration by Evie Shockley. The Slowdown is currently taking a break. We’ll be back soon with new episodes from a new host. This week, we’re going back into the archive to revisit Ada Limón’s time as host. Today’s episode was originally released on October 26 2021. In this episode, former host Ada Limón writes… “In today’s complex poem, we see what hateful stereotypes might...