Poet Louis Jenkins (03:02)

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Louis Jenkins reads "Appointed Rounds," a humorous poem about mail carriers.

Humorous Poetry About Snow (01:36)

A poet from Minnesota, Louis Jenkins writes poems about snow. He reads poetry to an audience at the Geraldine R. Dodge Poetry Festival.

Poet Hal Sirowitz (02:02)

Hal Sirowitz's sly, hilarious poems often adopt the distinctly New York Jewish voice of his mother to chronicle the nearly universal advice of mothers to sons. He recites "Chopped Off Arm," a serious/comedic poem about a mother's advice.

Poet Philip Levine (04:13)

Born and raised in Detroit, Philip Levine is a poet or visionary intensity who has spent much of his life writing poems for people for whom there are no poems. He reads "Monsieur Degas Teaches Art and Science at Durfee Intermediate School, Detroit, 1942."

Poem for a Brother (03:56)

Pulitzer Prize winning poet Philip Levine writes poetry out of psychological and spiritual need. Levine reads a poem about his twin brother entitled "You Can Have It."

When Writing Is Dangerous (03:01)

Poet Philip Levine discusses the dangerous places that writing can take him. The poet digs deeply into experiences that might never be resolved. He reads his poem "Coming Close."

Poetry and Work (06:23)

Poet Philip Levine discusses poetry as work, the poet as employer, controlling the means of production. He asserts that poetry is the hardest work he has ever done because it never ends. Poets discuss the "endless kind of work" that poetry is.

Poet Joy Harjo: Performance Poetry (05:39)

Born to a Creek father and a French-Cherokee mother, Joy Harjo says that When she writes she is sometimes graded by an old Creek Indian within her. She often performs her poems and plays saxophone with her "tribal jazz reggae band."

Poet Robert Creeley: Speech Rhythms (04:58)

Similar in feel and style to abstract expressionist paintings, Robert Creeley's poems reveal a passionate commitment to spontaneity and natural speech rhythms based on breath. He reads "I Know a Man" and "So There."

Poet Robert Hass and Poet Brenda Hillman: Shared Lives (06:59)

Poets Robert Hass and Brenda Hillman share the challenges and joys of being married and still maintaining their separate identities as poets. Hillman reads "Black Series."

Poet Brenda Hillman (04:44)

Brenda Hillman's poems address essential human questions in part through her interest in gnosticism and alchemy, feminist literary theory, and "science-for-normal-people."

Poet Jean Valentine and Young Poets (03:27)

A loyal friend to young poets, Jean Valentine writes intense poems that speak with the accuracy of dreams and the "audacity of revelation." Poets share advice about poetry and poetry writing with young poetry winners.

Advice to Young Poets (04:08)

Allen Ginsberg suggests that young poets learn some form of non-theistic meditation practice, listen to music, read classical poetry, especially William Blake and Walt Whitman. Louis Jenkins suggests that poets must be voracious readers.