Author Archives: Don Yorty

Catullus 11

… Catullus 11 was written toward the end of the poet’s life circa 54 BCE, around the time Caesar, a friend of his, invaded Britain. It begins with Catullus asking two acquaintances to accompany him on a trip around the … Continue reading →

Bill Kushner reads When I Was Five

5 Aug ’15

… On Saturday, September 4, 2010, at Saint Mark’s Church, Bill read “When I was Five.” It would be published the following year by Sputyen Duyvil in his last book, Walking After Midnight. Bill reads it with all the noise … Continue reading →

Wallace Stevens reads The Idea of Order at Key West

26 Jul ’15

… … … The Idea of Order at Key West She sang beyond the genius of the sea. The water never formed to mind or voice, Like a body wholly body, fluttering Its empty sleeves; and yet its mimic motion … Continue reading →

Uncle

26 Jul ’15

… I’ve an uncle who builds houses and he tells me I don’t write poems that what I write is vile and useless not good for anyone. There was a time I believed him his words allowed crippling all mine … Continue reading →

May Swenson reads The DNA Molecule

22 Jul ’15

… I hope you enjoy this Caedmon recording of the poet’s exact reading of her poem as much as I do. THE DNA MOLECULE is The Nude Descending a Staircasea circular one. See the undersurfaces of … Continue reading →

Muriel Rukeyser reads The Speed of Darkness

20 Jul ’15

… I had never heard Muriel Rukeyser’s voice before I began to make a Vimeo of her reading her poem “The Speed of Darkness,” a Caedmon recording. I had heard Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor’s voice, however, and while I … Continue reading →

Catullus 51

12 Jul ’15

… Catullus’s famous Lesbia poem, 51, imitates Sappho, the Greek poet whose work was almost completely destroyed by the early Christians who thought she was perverse. Scholars imagine that the real woman Catullus was addressing would have known Sappho’s poem, … Continue reading →

Michael Lally reads Sports Heroes, Cops and Lace

11 Jul ’15

… On a late day in June I took a train to Maplewood, New Jersey, a lovely little town where Michael Lally lives not too far from the tracks, a simple walk to his home. I wanted to record him … Continue reading →

Fireflies

6 Jul ’15

… … https://vimeo.com/49529998 … … Fireflies Like the tips of smoldering sticks or coals they glow in the grass. The light over all begins to go. Night like a swooping bat or bats comes down from clouds and the white … Continue reading →

Michael Lally reads Love Never Dies

3 Jul ’15

… I had the luck of recording Michael Lally reading “Love Never Dies” when his new book, Swing Theory, was published by Hanging Loose Press in May of 2015, on the 10th of May to be exact. Love of course … Continue reading →

Michael Lally reads Swing Theory

1 Jul ’15

Swing Theory: 5 When I first read about string theory I thoughtWhat about swing theory? The ways the uni-verse is secretly governed by the same lawsthat sparked The Big Band Swing Era, parkswings and taking a swing at something orsomeone. … Continue reading →

Bernadette Mayer reads Sonnet written with Philip Good

30 Jun ’15

… At her home in East Nassau, New York, Bernadette Mayer reads a sonnet that she wrote with Philip Good. … … … … … Sonnets is published by Tender Buttons Press. You can check them out here: https://www.tenderbuttonspress.com/ … Continue reading →