Despite the lack of best-selling anthologies on the subject, "divorce poems," are everywhere. In life's most difficult times, we're particularly grateful that poetry is there for us. In this Date Nite episode, Katie and Tim read poems by Roberta Beary, Jack Gilbert, Sharon Olds, and others—including their own. 

Are villanelles really the villains of formal verse? What goes into crafting these 19-line poems? In this episode, special guest Anna M. Evans joins us to look at classic examples as well as contemporary villanelles that push the form to superhero level. At the Table:  Katie Dozier  Timothy Green Anna M. Evans Brian O’Sullivan Nate Jacob 

No short form deserves a longer discussion than haiku! In this episode, Katie and Tim begin by breaking down why haiku is not a (5-7-5) syllabic form. The conversation leaps from the realm of the denotative to the connotative, culminating with an exploration of what reading and writing contemporary haiku can do for you!  At the Table: Katie Dozier Timothy Green Nate Jacob Brian O’Sullivan Dick Westheimer Joe Barca

Without further ado, Katie, Tim, and the rest of the Squad say, “I do” to Wedding Poems! Spanning Shakespeare all the way to contemporary poetry, this episode has more poems than a champagne toast has bubbles (well, almost). Help choosing the most memorable poems to share at a wedding is also covered, as well as the best poems to recite should you find yourself unexpectedly at an enemy’s ceremony. Katie Dozier Timothy Green Joe Barca Brian O’Sullivan Dick Westheimer Nate Jacob

Who better to explore syllabic poetry with than the Oxford Professor of Poetry, A.E. Stallings?! In this episode, we edge the perimeter of formal verse and free verse to arrive at this all-too-often dismissed poetic genre. We discuss Fibonacci poems, haiku stanzas, Sylvia Plath, and Marianne Moore. Lucky for us, A.E. Stallings shares some of her latest syllabic verse. At the Table: Katie Dozier Timothy Green A.E. Stallings Joe Barca Brian O’Sullivan Dick Westheimer

Is Instagram poetry actually poetry? In the most controversial episode yet, Katie and Tim's date nite discussion is crashed by poet Erik Campbell. Listen as we drink whiskey and hit at what irks more traditional poets about this poetic genre, as well as look at what we can learn from InstaPoets like Rupi Kaur, Atticus, Pavana Reddy, Amanda Lovelace, Nikita Gill, and Kate Baer.  At the Table: Katie Dozier Timothy Green Erik Campbell

Is prose poetry poetry? This week, Katie, Tim, and friends tackle the trickiest of hybrid forms—the prose poem. Joined by prose poet Kathleen McGookey, we explore the absurdity of removing line breaks, sharing some great examples by T.S. Eliot, Charles Baudelaire, Russell Edson, Victoria Chang, and more. At the Table Katie Dozier Timothy Green Kathleen McGookey Brian O'Sullivan Dick Westheimer Nate Jacob

Tim likes to say that art is the opposite of propaganda—but what does that actually mean? Katie, Tim, and friends discuss the relationship between poetry and propaganda, including discussion of Amanda Gorman, Robert Frost, Wilfred Owen, Iain McGilchrist and more. At the Table: Katie Dozier Timothy Green Brian O'Sullivan Joe Barca Dick Westheimer Nate Jacob

Appalachia is home to over 25 million people with rich roots in storytelling and family lore. This week, Katie, Tim & friends explore the region, joined by special guests Kari Gunter-Seymour and Pauletta Hansel, who share their poetry and their their thoughts on being Appalachian Poets. At the Table: Katie Dozier Timothy Green Kari Gunter-Seymour Pauletta Hansel Dick Westheimer Nate Jacob Brian O'Sullivan Joe Barca

What makes certain poems more welcoming to a reader? Should poems be accessible? Katie, Tim, and friends discuss, joined by special guest George Bilgere, one of the most hospitable poets alive. At the Table: Katie Dozier Timothy Green George Bilgere Dick Westheimer Nate Jacob Joe Barca

Haibun might be the most exciting form being written today. It seems not too long ago that haibun was just journal entries that included haiku. Over the last decade, poets have begun pushing the form past those old bounds. Katie, Tim, and friends discuss, joined by two of the premiere haibun explorers, Kat Lehmann and Roberta Beary. At the Table Katie Dozier Timothy Green Kat Lehmann Roberta Beary Dick Westheimer Brian O'Sullivan

With Voltas in hand, Katie and Tim set out to re-explore bad poems. The first victims? Themselves! On this date night, no one is safe from honest criticism. At the Table: Katie Dozier Timothy Green

Let's think outside the literary box! It's a big world, and there's no reason to limit our poems to lit mags. Why not publish on billboards and sidewalks and bars of soap? There are thousands of other magazines newspapers with big circulations that might publish poems too. Katie, Tim, and friends explore, joined by Nate Jacob, who made a column for his poems in his local newspaper, Jennifer Reeser, who regularly publishes poems in the National Review, and Jeannine Hall Gailey, who has published widely in places like LA Weekly and the Journal of the American Medical Association. At the Table: Katie Dozier Timothy Green Nate Jacob Jennifer Reeser Jeannine Hall Gailey Dick Westheimer Brian O'Sullivan

What better way to spend a Friday night than on a date discussing how to write a poem? This week Timothy Green and Katie Dozier tackle what makes poems reach the top level of poetry submissions, while having almost too much fun in the process.

Poetry is the music of speech, and the original music of speech is meter. What is meter, anyway? How can you learn to dance with two left feet? Katie, Tim and friends discuss the art of the beat, joined by special guest Boris Dralyuk, formalist and author of My Hollywood.

Wisława Szymborska won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1996. Living through WWII and communist Poland, she was known for her use of irony and wit in deceptively simple poems detail domestic life against the backdrop of history. This week, Katie, Tim, and friend take a closer look at her life and poetry, joined by special guest Manuel Iris, whose own work is particularly informed by hers. At the table: Katie Dozier Timothy Green Manuel Iris Dick Westheimer Joe Barca

What do you think of when you think of summer? And how do poems capture that? This week, Katie, Tim, and friends find their summer vibe along with special guests Nate Jacob and Sharon Ferrante, sharing a cooler of poems along the way. At the picnic table: Katie Dozier Timothy Green Nate Jacob Sharon Ferrante Joe Barca Brian O'Sullivan Dick Westheimer

Writing poems is only half the battle—performing poems is still an important aspect of sharing the work (and selling books!). Katie, Tim, and friends are joined by slam legend Taylor Mali to discuss the art of presenting poems, reading a few of his own and sharing some hilarious stories along the way. At the table Katie Dozier Timothy Green Taylor Mali Brian O'Sullivan Dick Westheimer Joe Barca

There's a certain type of poem Tim calls the "Classic Rattle Poem." Even as the magazine has become more eclectic over the years, it's always stayed in touch with its accessible narrative roots. Katie, Tim, and friends discuss this style of "front porch poetry," with the authors of three great examples. At the table: Katie Dozier Timothy Green Tony Gloeggler Cindy Guentherman Joe Barca Dick Westheimer Brian O'Sullivan

They say imitation is the highest form of flattery—but it's also a learning tool and a lot of fun. Katie, Tim, and friends discuss the art of adopting another poets voice, joined by award-winning formalist and ventriloquist A.M. Juster, author of The Billy Collins Experience. Along the way, we share some other great poems mimicking Wallace Stevens, Kay Ryan, Bob Dylan, and more. At the table: Katie Dozier Timothy Green A.M. Juster Dick Westheimer Joe Barca

Billy Collins has long been called the most popular poet in America, which makes him a divisive figure among poets. Is it just envy? Katie, Tim, and friends take a deep dive into his trademark wit and renowned accessibility to see what makes his poems tick—joined by special guests Gwendolyn Soper and Attracta Fahy. Around the table: Katie Dozier Timothy Green Gwendolyn Soper Attracta Fahy Dick Westheimer Brian O'Sullivan Joe Barca

Ekfa-what?! From the Greek word for "description," ekphrastic poetry was originally just that—poems that painted artwork into words. Over time, though, it's become it's own genre of using art as inspiration. Katie, Tim and friends discuss, joined by special guest and six-time winner of Rattle's Ekphrastic Challenge, Elizabeth McMunn-Tetangco. Around the table: Katie Dozier Timothy Green Elizabeth McMunn-Tetangco Dick Westheimer Joe Barca Brian O'Sullivan

Under the influence of Lemmys™, Katie and Tim go on a date, exploring the meaning of verse and what led them both to making space for poetry in their lives.

Wendy Videlock joins the space as Katie, Tim, and friends discuss the dance in the mouth that are the sounds of poetry. Wendy shares several poems and talks about rhyme and repetition in the process of creation. At the table: Katie Dozier Timothy Green Wendy Videlock Joe Barca Brian O'Sullivan Dick Westheimer

Bob Hicok joins the space as Katie, Tim, and friends discuss that trance-like hypnotic state of being in the zone while writing a poem. This is the meditative space we all seek as writers—what is it, and how do we get there? At the table: Katie Dozier Timothy Green Bob Hicok Erik Campbell Brian O'Sullivan Dick Westheimer Joe Barca

Dating back to the 12th century, the sestina is one of poetry's knottiest forms, repeating 6 words 7 times in 39 lines. Katie, Tim, and friends wrestle with repetition as they discuss the form with successful sestina wranglers Kathleen McClung and Rebecca Snow, sharing some great poems along the way.

Abby E. Murray won 2024 Neil Postman Award for Metaphor for her poem "Supermoon." But who was Neil Postman, and where did this award come from? Katie, Tim, and friends are joined by Abby Murray and Erik Campbell, who conceived of the award way back in 2004. At the table: Katie Dozier Timothy Green Erik Campbell Abby E. Murray Dick Westheimer Brian O'Sullivan Joe Barca

A poem is never finished, only abandoned, according to Paul Valéry—but how do we go about re-visioning a poem to make the most out of its potential? Katie, Tim, and friends discuss, along with special guests Christine Potter and Nicole Caruso Garcia. Today's table: Katie Dozier Timothy Green Christine Potter Dick Westheimer Nicole Caruso Garcia Brian O'Sullivan Joe Barca

A few episodes back, we looked at submissions from the editor's perspective—this week, we take a look at the other side of the aisle. Katie and Tim are joined by special guests Jeannine Hall Gailey, Bethany Jarmul, Joe Barca, Brian O'Sullivan, and Tom Barlow to talk about how to go about submitting poems for publication.

How do we classify different types of poems? What makes a form fit into a definition and does it matter? In response to some recent, minor controversies in the poetry world, Katie, Tim and friends discuss what makes a haiku a haiku and what makes a sonnet a sonnet—as always, sharing great examples along the way.

Just in time for Valentine's Day, Katie, Tim, and crew talk about love poems! What's the heart of a love poem and what makes it tick? The Poetry Space_ discussed this topic a year ago, but this time we dig a little deeper.

Hard or soft, accidental or intentional, plagiarism is always lurking in the shadows of the literary world. The recent exposure of a prolific plagiarist makes the topic timely. Katie, Tim, and friends discuss all with two of the victims, and then go deeper into anxiety of influence and deja-ku—sharing some poems along the way, as always.

Walt Whitman is the father of contemporary poetry, opening the door for a poetry of the self, the body, the ordinary. He had big ambitions and, for the most part, fulfilled them. Katie, Tim and friends discuss Uncle Walt. Do the poems live up to the legacy?

Let's talk about turns—shifts in the apparent direction of a poem. Sonnets formalize turns with the concept of the volta, but most of the best poems have turns of some kind … do they all? What is a turn, and how are they made? Katie, Tim, and friends discuss, and turn toward some great examples along the way!

Submissions are the heart of the traditional poetry world. What's it like to read them? What's the best way to submit them? Why do we call them submissions in the first place? Katie and Tim are joined by Mark Danowski of One Art, Roberta Beary of Modern Haiku, and other friends to talk about it all.

What the heck is a chapbook? How do you make them? Why would you? And what makes a Rattle Chapbook Prize winner? Katie, Tim and friends answer all your question, along with a special guest appearance by Michael Mark, who shared poems from his award-winning chapbook, Visiting Her in Queens Is More Enlightening than a Month in a Monastery in Tibet.

Weddings, funerals, inaugurations—public events are the places most people encounter poems. This week, Katie, Tim, and friends take a look occasional poems, reading some by Ada Limon, W.H. Auden, and more along the way. How do they work, and how are they different from what we usually write and share?

After last week's discussion about the need for more poetry criticism, we tried to practice what we preach, taking a careful look at contemporary poems. What is it that makes a good poem great? Katie, Tim and friends discuss, and read four poems in the process: Dick Westheimer's "In Kherson …," Maggie Smith's "Good Bones," Dorianne Laux's "Moon Ghazal," and Noor Hindi's "F- Your Lecture on Craft …."

Poetry criticism: Is there even such a thing, anymore? It seems like William Logan is the last poetry critic willing to take his gloves off and entertain us with strong opinions. But some call him a "serial skewer" and a "pompous ass." Is this kind of criticism harmful or good for poetry? On the other end of the spectrum is the book blurb review, in which friends and colleagues heap on the praise like frosting on cherpumple. Unfortunately there isn't much in between. Why is that? Katie, Tim, and friends discuss!

Just in time for Thanksgiving, this episode features an open mic for poems on gratitude. Katie, Tim and friends share their favorite thankful poems and some of their own, including poems by Mary Oliver, George Bilgere, and more.

The ghazal is one of the most powerful forms of poetry, but also one of the most misunderstood, and it's history and adoption into English feels surprisingly similar to that of haiku. Katie, Tim, and friends discuss form that's been flourishing in Arabic, Persian, and Urdu for almost a thousand years—joined by special guests Shannan Mann and Karan Kapoor.

As Sharon Olds says, "There's not a bad poet in the first grade." Whether the poems are light or heavy, the heart of poetry is a sense of play. Katie, Tim, and friends discuss what it takes to write like a child, sharing some great poems along the way, and joined by especially playful poets Katie Kemple and Doodleslice.

Edgar Allan Poe was a master of the macabre, but also a brilliant metricist, critic, and thinker. Katie, Tim, and friends, including scholar Omer Faruk Karasahan, discuss the legend and the legacy of Poe and his moment in literary history.

As the saying goes, you never get a second chance to make a first impression. This week, Katie, Tim, and friends discuss the crucial beginnings of poems, sharing many examples in the process. Attention is the currency of the information age—there are so many other places we could be spending our time than even a short poem. The first line needs to let a reader know the ride will be worth it.

Is it possible to write a bad poem? What would it mean for a poem to be good? Should we even talk this way? Katie, Tim, and friends discuss passing judgment on poems, and read some of the worst poems in history in the process.

I’m Nobody. Who are you? This week we take a close look at the loaded gun that is Emily Dickinson, one of the most influential poets in history. Gwendolyn Soper joins Katie, Tim, and friends to talk about queen of the em-dash and the way she changed the poetry world. As always, great poems abound!

From the big twist to the soft landing, there are 1,000 ways to end a poem. This week, Katie, Tim, and Friends talk about all the things that make a last line sing—sharing a rich selection of favorites along the way.

We meant to talk about poetry contests in general, but ended up spending almost the entire time on the Rattle Poetry Prize. It's behind the scenes with the editor! Katie, Tim, and friends discuss the ethics of poetry contests.