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  #1  
Unread 05-03-2001, 06:43 AM
cgaver cgaver is offline
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Tim,

Congratulations on your book, your nomination and your upcoming radio interview. Two questions for you --

1) Hearing the voice of poetry seems like such an important and lacking aspect in our ironically very connectable world. I've read well-know poems on radio before on two Pacifica stations, and I enjoy Garrison Keillor's nod our way with the "Writer's Almanac," but otherwise, sadly, there seems to be a "disconnect" between the writing and radio communities in this regard.

How do you think we can begin again to introduce the idea of reading poetry and fiction to a radio audience? And do you think the Internet will eventually lend itself more to this end? There are, of course, the MP3 and Real Player downloads of the greats reading their stuff available through The Atlantic, for example. But these all feel like non-sequitur experiences. Maybe I just have this wild and unattainable dream of being able to have great poetry read to me 24 hours a day on a NetRadio program...or at least hear it "live" as I drive along a dark highway.

2)On another note, I responded to one of Nigel's poems this morning, a poem which introduces an Arabic word. In your experience, what languages (or language) have you encountered that are most easily and naturally lyrical?

Cheers,
Cynthia
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  #2  
Unread 05-03-2001, 03:43 PM
balogna balogna is offline
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I hear a lot of poetry and fiction read on the radio. "Fresh Air" on NPR frequently broadcasts interviews with poets and writers where poems or excerpts from novels are read aloud. "Morning Edition" will occasionally air Baxter Black, cowboy poet and large animal vetinarian, reading one of his shaggy poems. "Sound and Spirit" (also NPR) will occasionally throw in a poem as part of a program. "Selected Shorts" airs two to four readings of short stories by various actors. One of the smaller local public stations has a 30 minute daily program in which the host reads from a novel in sequential programs. Unfortunately,
I don't commute home at the same time every night, so I have difficulty listening to the whole book. Smaller local stations frequently air weekly poetry readings by local poets.
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  #3  
Unread 05-03-2001, 07:03 PM
Tim Murphy Tim Murphy is offline
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Dear C, The answer to Q 2 I don't know. The ancient languages and the Asian languages have produced spectacular poetry, and one would be hard pressed to find a modern European language of which that's not the case. You specify "lyrical." That would apply to all the Romance languages, and one could argue that the Germanic languages are more suited to the heroic, so why not let's single out the bastard child of both sides of the tree, English?

I've been doing a lot of radio and loving it. It's the natural place for poetry, and lord knows that if I could snap off Rush and Dr. Laura and Bruce Williams and just listen to Burton and Gielgud I would. Tomorrow is my local Public Television debut, which I dread. It is much more difficult to speak to a camera than a microphone, especially if you have, as they say, a face made for radio.
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Unread 05-06-2001, 07:57 AM
cgaver cgaver is offline
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Tim,

"A face made for radio..." I don't know what it is about that phrase, but it never fails to make me laugh.

I hope your television interview went well anyway, and thanks for your responses.

Balogna's right about "Fresh Air," though I'm not familiar with "Sound and Spirit" and "Selected Shorts."
For me, as you say, I'd sooner listen to Burton or Dench "reading the phone book" than ninety-nine percent of talk radio! And, again, I would just love to have access to a steady stream of poetry and literature well read....

The second question was more a curious inquiry. I like to listen to non-native speakers of English and hear what they do with our language. My Chinese friend, Mr. Wu, makes beautiful music of this, as you say, most imaginative hybrid of a language, and I hear new speakers annunciate stresses more clearly, often, than us for whom this stuff is old news!

Thanks again,
Cynthia









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  #5  
Unread 05-06-2001, 08:25 AM
Tim Murphy Tim Murphy is offline
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Dear Cynthia, It was ok. I refrained from picking my nose, but I was no threat to Burton. My first radio appearance was flat, and it's hard to look at a camera or a mike and see a live audience. On the adjacent memorization thread I posted a paper by a young guy who describes Murphy in the flesh, but oh how I miss that eye contact, the squirming and laughter. Nonetheless, we can read to thirty readers at a time and get nowhere in this vast country. So I think it behooves poets to learn how to use mass media. Alan tells me you're studying with Joe Harrison at Hopkins, and Greg Williamson is hoping to get me out there next year. If so, I look forward to pinning your ears back with my Anglo-Saxon.
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  #6  
Unread 05-06-2001, 11:17 AM
cgaver cgaver is offline
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Dear Tim,

You've made me laugh again... So Burton's ghost can sleep, but I've no doubt your show has made some gentle sweep over plain and grain in your vast land...and I agree - poets could stand to be more media savvy.

Well, my partner and I had better make ready and shine the dogs and shampoo our shoes (or is that shine our shoes and shampoo our dogs?) if you dare to venture to my fair (but not vast) land of merry...

I'm afraid a certain Dr. Su (not Mr. Wu) already's beaten you to the task of pinning back my "Dumbo" ears some thirty years ago!!!

Alas, perhaps, we'll talk and box (ears !) this summer at Sewanee??

Sweet Sunday dreams of Odysseus (and pigshit?) out there in Fargo, North Dakota. (No fair having a beautifully iambic city and state name!)

Cheers,
Cynthia
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  #7  
Unread 05-07-2001, 12:37 PM
balogna balogna is offline
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"Selected Shorts" is a weekly NPR program and broadcast by many public radio stations. It features outstanding actors reading outstanding stories. It's listed on the NPR website,
www.npr.org
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Unread 05-08-2001, 10:27 AM
Julie Julie is offline
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One of the poetry forums I frequent has sound archives, which make for some interesting hearing.

Also, the person who runs the site has included some links to poetry sites with sound.

If you're interested: http://www.aapcsite.plus.com/sound.htm

You can even hear my dulcet (ahem) tones!

Julie
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Unread 05-08-2001, 05:31 PM
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RCL RCL is offline
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Cortland Review online also has recorded and video-taped readings. Some are extremely good. Cortland also lists and links to about 15 other audio resources on the web.

http://www.cortlandreview.com/
------------------
Ralph



[This message has been edited by RCL (edited May 08, 2001).]
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  #10  
Unread 05-08-2001, 06:48 PM
Barbara Ann Smith Barbara Ann Smith is offline
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Tim - What an honor!! I'm so happy for you. Where
can I find your book? Regards, Barb.
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