Vita Poetica Journal

Two Poems by B.J. Buckley

February 18, 2022 14:00 - 5 minutes - 5.35 MB

B.J. Buckley reads her two poems, "Be as a ringing glass..." and "Funeral" from our Winter issue. B.J. Buckley is a Montana poet who has worked as a teaching artist in Arts-in-Schools and Communities programs throughout the West and Midwest for over four decades. She has recent/forthcoming work in Calyx, Grub Street, Sugar House Review, and Whitefish Review. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/vita-poetica/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters....

An Ode to an Ode about Hands by Rebecca Moon Ruark

February 15, 2022 14:00 - 7 minutes - 6.67 MB

Rebecca Moon Ruark reads her essay, "An Ode to an Ode about Hands." Rebecca Moon Ruark is a Catholic writer of nonfiction and fiction, a Mass cantor, and a kitchen dancer. She lives with her husband and twin sons in Maryland, where she is at work on a novel about the healing power of song. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/vita-poetica/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/vita-poetica/support

Two Poems by Alfonso Sito Sasieta

February 11, 2022 14:00 - 6 minutes - 5.9 MB

Alfonso Sito Sasieta reads his two poems, "Pa' Huele" and "A Toddler's Doubt." Alfonso “Sito” Sasieta is a caregiver, poet, dancer, and father. He lives in Maryland, outside of Washington DC, and he works in a L’Arche community where adults with and without intellectual disabilities share their lives together. Half Lutheran and half Chinese-Peruvian, he enjoys writing poems that explore the mixedness inherent in the musical, spiritual, linguistic backgrounds from each side of his family. -...

Living Locks by Stephen J. Wallace

February 08, 2022 14:07 - 33 minutes - 30.6 MB

Stephen J. Wallace reads his short story, "Living Locks," a piece of biblical historical fiction retelling the story of Sampson. Stephen J. Wallace is a speaker and author. He says he’s a “writer trapped in an engineer’s body, or vice versa.” He enjoys writing technical articles and short stories. He recently finished his first novel, Shelter In Place, which was a finalist in the Launch Pad Manuscript Competition. His short stories have appeared in the Schuylkill Valley Journal, the Mark L...

Season 3 Trailer: Winter 2022 Issue

January 31, 2022 15:04 - 2 minutes - 2.69 MB

Welcome to the Winter 2022 issue of Vita Poetica. Here's a preview of what we have in store for you this season! The individual audio recordings accompany each piece online and are also heard in a straight audio issue you can stream on our website, www.vitapoetica.org. Exclusive to the podcast are the contributors' own introductions to their pieces and glimpses into what inspired their work. If something speaks to you, would you take a moment to share a response either by sending a voice mes...

Poems by Susan Delaney Spear & Jeremy Szuder

November 19, 2021 13:00 - 9 minutes - 8.8 MB

Susan Delaney Spear reads "A Protestant Attends a Funeral Mass," and Jeremy Szuder reads "Find Yourself" and "Easter Fools." Susan Delaney Spear is an Associate Professor of English at Colorado Christian University. She is the author of Beyond All Bearing, a collection of poems, and co-author of Learning the Secrets of English Verse, a creative writing/poetry textbook. You can find her at susandelaneyspear.com. Jeremy Szuder has spent 15 years as a musician and graphic designer, 25 years s...

Moving Meditation by Emily Wright

November 16, 2021 13:00 - 5 minutes - 4.99 MB

Dancer Emily Wright introduces us to moving meditation as a contemplative practice. You can also join her in creative exploration through movement in the video from our Autumn 2021 issue (scroll all the way down to find the video at the bottom of the page linked). Based in Charlottesville, VA, Emily Wright is a dancer, movement educator, and author with a passion for the transformative power of dance. An experienced teacher of dance for all ages and a scholar with numerous publications, Emi...

Two Poems by Fiona Vigo Marshall

November 12, 2021 13:00 - 3 minutes - 3.67 MB

Fiona Vigo Marshall reads her poems, "Blue Orchids" and "The Sailors' Church." Fiona Vigo Marshall’s poems have been published in a variety of outlets including Aesthetica, Ambit, Orbis, and Theology Journal. Her short story “The Street of Baths” won the V.S. Pritchett Memorial Prize 2016, and her story “The Marvellous Book,” Phantom Drift 2017, was nominated for the Pushcart Prize. Her novel Find Me Falling is published by Fairlight Books, Oxford, 2019, and her second novel, The House of M...

A Conversation with Dancer Emily Wright

November 09, 2021 13:00 - 49 minutes - 45.5 MB

Our Interviews Editor, Emily Chambers Sharpe, speaks with dancer Emily Wright about dance as a heightened form of attention and a vehicle for making meaning together. A transcript of their conversation, as well as a Moving Meditation from Emily Wright, can be found in our Autumn 2021 issue. Based in Charlottesville, VA, Emily Wright is a dancer, movement educator, and author with a passion for the transformative power of dance. An experienced teacher of dance for all ages and a scholar with...

Poems by Jacqueline Wallen & Kate Maxwell

November 05, 2021 12:00 - 5 minutes - 4.97 MB

Jacqueline Wallen reads "Naaman Hits Bottom," and Kate Maxwell reads "Her Abundance," both poems from our Autumn 2021 issue. Jacqueline Wallen is a clinical social worker with a practice of psychotherapy and an Associate Professor Emerita in the Department of Family Science, School of Public Health, University of Maryland, College Park. Kate Maxwell has been published in Australian and International literary magazines. Kate’s interests include film, wine, and sleeping. Her first poetry ant...

The Children of the Sun Begin to Wake by Chad Holley

November 02, 2021 12:00 - 14 minutes - 13.2 MB

Chad Holley reads his short story, "The Children of the Sun Begin to Wake." Chad Holley lives in Los Angeles, where he is completing a novel and a collection of stories. His work has appeared in, among other places, Shenandoah, storySouth, Greensboro Review, and Houghton Mifflin's Best American Mystery Stories. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/vita-poetica/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/vita-poetica/support

Two Poems by Ed Meek

October 29, 2021 12:00 - 3 minutes - 3.42 MB

Ed Meek reads his poems "Passing Away" and "In the Forest" from our Autumn 2021 issue. Ed Meek has had poems in The Baltimore Review, The Sun, and The Paris Review. His new book, High Tide, came out last September. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/vita-poetica/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/vita-poetica/support

Wood Heat by Basira Harpster

October 26, 2021 12:00 - 9 minutes - 8.54 MB

Basira Harpster reads her personal essay, "Wood Heat," from our Autumn 2021 issue. Basira Harpster is a speech therapist, writer, and gardener in the foothills of Virginia’s Blue Ridge mountains. Her poetry appears in Sows’ Ear Poetry Review. She’s currently working on short personal essays and has a memoir in progress. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/vita-poetica/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/vita-poetica/support

Season 2 Trailer (Autumn 2021 Issue)

October 18, 2021 14:07 - 2 minutes - 3.07 MB

The Vita Poetica Journal's Autumn 2021 issue is out! Here's a preview of what we have in store for you this season. You can also head to our website to see the full issue, including visual art and videos, and to stream the straight audio issue. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/vita-poetica/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/vita-poetica/support

The Visual Art of Jennifer Anne Moses & "Jonah" by Jeff Burt

August 31, 2021 12:00 - 5 minutes - 5.23 MB

We introduce the visual art of Jennifer Anne Moses, who has three paintings featured in our Summer issue. And hear Jeff Burt read his poem, "Jonah." This is our last episode of this podcast season. We'll be back in October with our Fall issue and a new season of the Journal podcast. If you'd like to submit work to the journal, please visit our website, where you can find submission guidelines and read past issues. Jennifer Anne Moses is a writer and self-taught artist. Both her visual an...

Poems by L. Ward Abel & Kathleen Gunton

August 27, 2021 13:32 - 7 minutes - 2.96 MB

L. Ward Abel reads "Cradle the Easter Wind," and Kathleen Gunton reads two centos: "Love's Radiant Play" and "Putting Words Next to Silence." All of the poems can be found in our Summer issue. L. Ward Abel’s work has appeared in Rattle, The Reader, The Istanbul Review, The Worcester Review, The Honest Ulsterman, hundreds of others, and he is the author of three full collections and ten chapbooks of poetry, including Jonesing For Byzantium (UKA Press, 2006), American Bruise (Parallel Press, ...

Two Poems by Jeannine Pitas

August 24, 2021 12:00 - 7 minutes - 6.57 MB

Jeannine Marie Pitas reads her poems, "The river that cuts a country in two" and "During the Sixth Extinction," from the Summer issue of our journal. Jeannine Marie Pitas is a teacher, writer, and Spanish-English literary translator living in Iowa, where she teaches at the University of Dubuque. Her first poetry collection, Things Seen and Unseen, was published by Mosaic Press in 2019. Her favorite poets include Wislawa Szymborska, Zbigniew Herbert, and Delmira Agustini. --- Send in a vo...

Poems by Karen Neuberg & Mark J. Mitchell

August 20, 2021 12:00 - 5 minutes - 4.92 MB

Karen Neuberg reads her poem "The Beginning in My Hands," and Mark J. Mitchell reads his poems "Secular Comedy" and "He Attempts to Explain His Religion." All poems can be found in the Summer issue of our journal. Karen Neuberg is a Brooklyn, NY,-based poet. She is the author of the full-length poetry collection, PURSUIT (Kelsay Press, 2019) and the chapbook, the elephants are asking (Glass Lyre, 2017). She holds an MFA from the New School and is associate editor of the online poetry journa...

A Daily Examen for Living as an Anti-Racist Person

August 17, 2021 12:00 - 13 minutes - 17.1 MB

This episode features a contemplative prayer practice known as the "daily examen." Written by Vernée Wilkinson and Ted Wueste, and led by Rev. Mary Amendolia Gardner, "The Daily Examen for Living as an Anti-Racist Person" is published in the Contemplative Practice section of our Summer issue. This guided meditation lasts 10-15 minutes, with silences between steps. It is best listened to in a quiet place, perhaps with a journal to record your thoughts. Vernée Wilkinson is a spiritual directo...

Poems by Rachel Grandey & James Owens

August 13, 2021 15:00 - 4 minutes - 3.86 MB

Rachel Grandey reads "Morning Anointing," and James Owens reads "The Desert Prophets" and "Father to Son" -- all available in our journal's Summer issue. Rachel, originally from Northeast England, studied literature, linguistics, and anthropology before moving to Southeast Asia to teach English. She enjoys sea-gazing, bird-watching, tea-drinking, and early morning forest-exploring. Her proudest literary achievement to date is winning a signed Manchester United football in a poetry competiti...

A Conversation with Poet Edward A. Dougherty

August 10, 2021 13:00 - 38 minutes - 27.1 MB

Interviews Editor Emily Chambers Sharpe speaks with Edward A. Dougherty about the role of the imagination in the work of social justice; moral engagement as both a spiritual and a creative practice; and his most recent book, a collection of essays titled Journey Work: Crafting a Life of Poetry and Spirit (Apprentice House Press, March 2021). A transcript of this interview can also be found in our Summer issue online. Edward A. Dougherty earned his MFA from Bowling Green State University. In...

Poems by Rose Knapp and Gerard Sarnat

August 06, 2021 14:51 - 4 minutes - 3.77 MB

Poetry Editor Maggie Swofford reads "Rave Haiku" by Rose Knapp, and Gerard Sarnat reads his two poems, "Far Out Space Capsule Hygiene to Avoid Primal Screams" and "Mudita." All of these poems can be found in our Summer issue. Rose Knapp (she/they) is a poet and electronic producer. She has publications in Lotus-Eater, Bombay Gin, BlazeVOX, Hotel Amerika, Fence Books, Obsidian, Gargoyle, and others. She has poetry collections published with Hesterglock Press and Dostoyevsky Wannabe. She live...

A "Slackness of the Soul" by Nicole M. Roccas

August 03, 2021 12:55 - 12 minutes - 11.5 MB

Nicole M. Roccas reads her essay, "A 'Slackness of the Soul': Finding Hope in the Existential Time Warp of Acedia." Nicole M. Roccas is an author and communications professional who writes on matters of faith and spiritual struggle. She lives in the Toronto area and has a PhD in History. Find her on Instagram (@nicoleroccas) and her website (www.nicoleroccas.com). --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/vita-poetica/message Support this podcast: https://podc...

Poems by Laurie Klein and Matthew J. Andrews

July 29, 2021 13:09 - 6 minutes - 5.67 MB

Laurie Klein reads "Eavesdropping on Absence," and Matthew J. Andrews reads "Whole and Entire" from our Summer issue. Laurie Klein is the author of Where the Sky Opens (Poeima/Cascade). A multiple Pushcart nominee and Merton Prize-winner, she lives in the Pacific Northwest. You can see photos of the bowl that inspired Laurie's poem on Vita Poetica's Instagram account or Facebook page, and read more about the bowl on Laurie's blog. Matthew J. Andrews is a private investigator and writer who...

On Temporal Tranquility by Cheryl Sadowski

July 27, 2021 02:30 - 9 minutes - 9.15 MB

Our Reviews Editor, Lila Stiff, reads Cheryl Sadowski's piece, "On Temporal Tranquility," a review of the book Breaking Bread with the Dead: A Reader's Guide to a More Tranquil Mind by Alan Jacobs. Cheryl Sadowski writes creative nonfiction from Northern Virginia, where she works in nonprofit management. Her writing explores memory, time, natural and cultural landscapes. Cheryl's work has appeared in The Broadkill Review, EcoTheo Review, After the Art, and the 2020 Bay to Ocean Anthology. F...

Two Poems by Lauren K. Carlson

July 23, 2021 12:00 - 4 minutes - 3.87 MB

Lauren K. Carlson reads two poems: "Prayer" and "God Not Only Did I Walk." Lauren lives in northern lower Michigan and is the author of the chapbook Animals I Have Killed. A graduate of the Warren Wilson Program for Writers, you can find more of her work in Fatal Flaw Literary Magazine, Amethyst Review, Pirene's Fountain, and Pleiades: Literature in Context (among others). For more see www.laurenkcarlson.com. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/vita-poetic...

History Lessons by Jeannine Marie Pitas

July 20, 2021 12:21 - 11 minutes - 10.7 MB

Jeannine Marie Pitas reads her nonfiction piece, "History Lessons." Jeannine is a teacher, writer, and Spanish-English literary translator living in Iowa, where she teaches at the University of Dubuque. Her first poetry collection, Things Seen and Unseen, was published by Mosaic Press in 2019. Her favorite poets include Wislawa Szymborska, Zbigniew Herbert, and Delmira Agustini. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/vita-poetica/message Support this podcast:...

1.1 History Lessons - Jeannine Marie Pitas