The inaugural series of People Read Poems, launched April 25th, 2020.
I invited my friends to pick a poem they love, and to read it outside their house. My requests for the poem to be read outdoors and for each reader to complete the sentence “April…” are likely the reasons why many picked poems of springtime. Well, Spring poem and beyond, together the readers presented old and new verses with introspection, honesty, tenderness and hope. The result of all of this is a wonderful sweeping of voices and geographies, birds songs and engine laments. Happy National Poetry Month.
Below, click the reader’s name to be directed to each recording’s individual post. [Click here for full album on Bandcamp]
Tahmeed reads “I Have Not Lingered in European Monasteries” by Leonard Cohen
Claire reads “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost
Felicia reads “is she radiant?” by Drew Dellinger
Antonia reads “Luke” by Mary Oliver
Jonathan reads his poem “Marble Coma”
Sana reads “Boundary Issues” by John Ashbery
Anna reads “blessing the boats” by Lucille Clifton
Mahaila reads “What Is A Body If Not” by John Elizabeth Stintzi
Rachel reads “After the Winter” by Claude McKay
Natalie reads “Come, Rest Awhile” by L. M. Montgomery
Grace reads a poem by Juan Ramón Jiménez
Natalia reads “Żuraw i Czapla” by Jan Brzechwa
Anvesh reads “The Trees” by Philip Larkin
Sanna reads “Unit of Measure” by Sandra Beasley
People Read Poems 