All Of It: Closing Out Poetry Month with Morning Edition
Host: Alison Stewart
Producers: Amanda Razon & Veronica Duvallier
Release Date: April 30, 2025
Introduction to Poetry Month Recap
In the final episode of April, Alison Stewart hosts a special edition of All Of It on WNYC, marking the conclusion of National Poetry Month. This episode serves as a retrospective of the Morning Edition team's ambitious poetry series, which encouraged listeners to submit their own poems aligned with changing weekly themes. With an overwhelming response, the producers navigated through an impressive volume of submissions, selecting standout pieces to feature on air.
Overview of Submissions
Producers Amanda Razon and Veronica Duvallier discuss the scale and diversity of submissions received during Poetry Month.
Veronica Duvallier (02:31): "We received somewhere between 400 and 450 submissions this year."
The submissions predominantly hailed from New York City's five boroughs, extending to neighboring areas like Long Island, Westchester, and even reaching international participants from Ireland and Japan. This geographic diversity underscored the widespread engagement and passion for poetry within and beyond the city.
Selection Process and Weekly Themes
Amanda and Veronica elucidate the thoughtful selection process, balancing aesthetic appeal with content diversity.
Veronica Duvallier (03:24): "We are always looking for poems that sound good. We want folks to have great sounding poem, great voices..."
The Poetry Month series was structured around four distinct weekly themes:
- Literary Memoir
- History
- Sci-Fi and Fantasy
- Mystery
Each theme provided a flexible framework, allowing poets of all ages and backgrounds to explore and express their creativity without restrictive boundaries.
Exploring the Themes
1. Literary Memoir
The memoir theme encouraged personal reflection and storytelling, enabling poets to delve into their lives or those of loved ones.
Amanda Razon (07:28): "People are always looking for opportunities to be reflective, I think, and to talk a little bit about themselves."
Featured Poem: Infinite Rounds by Tamara Plotnick (06:04)
Tamara recounts nostalgic memories of family and personal growth, weaving vivid imagery and emotional depth.
Tamara Plotnick (08:43): "...playing at standing precariously on the raft, bare chested, his freckles reflected in the Hudson..."
2. History
Listeners explored historical events and personal histories, blending past and present narratives.
Veronica Duvallier (10:06): "We got a lot of Poems about fires and specifically people using these local history events like fires."
Featured Poem: Landscape Landscape by Barbara Novak (11:26)
Barbara reflects on the interplay between personal loss and historical calamities, creating a contemplative atmosphere through precise language.
Barbara Novak (11:26): "I seek a bridge between the thens, the nows being hard to find..."
3. Sci-Fi and Fantasy
This theme emerged as a popular choice, with poets using speculative elements to comment on contemporary issues.
Veronica Duvallier (18:31): "People really kind of took it into one of two directions... dragons... robots and flying cars and AI..."
Featured Poem: Photosynthesis by Alaia Don Johnson (19:40)
Alaia merges scientific concepts with poetic imagery, crafting a narrative that bridges human existence with the cosmos.
Alaia Don Johnson (19:40): "We are four billion evenings, a hundred trillion deaths... It came from the stars eons away and is for us the ever present."
4. Mystery
Poets tackled the enigmatic, often bending the definition of mystery to explore personal and societal questions.
Amanda Razon (21:52): "People really kind of like stretch the boundaries of what a mystery is."
Featured Poem: It's a Mystery to Me by Sandhya Nankhani (22:46)
Sandhya intertwines childhood curiosities with broader reflections on censorship and the enduring quest for knowledge.
Sandhya Nankhani (22:46): "Those who are afraid know this truth too... curiosity is the only thing that keeps us alive..."
Listener Engagement and Insights
The episode features a heartfelt listener call from Lisa of Newark, New Jersey, who shares her admiration for local poet Jasmine Manns. Lisa highlights Jasmine's conversational tonality and her ability to mirror everyday conversations and pop culture phenomena in her work.
Lisa (14:56): "Jasmine's poetry speaks to me so deeply because of its tonality, and it's written in a way in which I would speak like I would naturally speak..."
Producers Amanda and Veronica reflect on lessons learned throughout the series, emphasizing the importance of specificity in poetry—a concept reiterated by a guest poet, Kimiko Han.
Veronica Duvallier (16:43): "The clearer and the more precise of an image you can create for your listeners, the more likely they are to connect with the poem."
Trends and Observations
Amanda and Veronica note distinct trends within each theme. The sci-fi and fantasy submissions were notably assertive and personal, while memoir and history pieces often provided introspective and reflective narratives. The mystery theme showcased a playful expansion of the genre, allowing poets to incorporate humor and abstract concepts.
Amanda Razon (21:28): "The sci fi ones were very like very strong... very confident and almost like very authoritative..."
Accessing Submitted Poems
For listeners eager to explore the full collection of submitted poems, Alison Stewart directs them to WNYC's dedicated poetry page.
Veronica Duvallier (24:22): "WNYC.org Poetry. Nice and easy."
Conclusion
As National Poetry Month draws to a close, this episode of All Of It celebrates the vibrant and diverse contributions of WNYC's listening community. Through personal anecdotes, featured readings, and insightful discussions, Alison Stewart and her team underscore the profound impact of poetry in reflecting and shaping culture.
Notable Quotes:
- Veronica Duvallier (02:31): "We received somewhere between 400 and 450 submissions this year."
- Amanda Razon (07:28): "People are always looking for opportunities to be reflective..."
- Barbara Novak (11:26): "I seek a bridge between the thens, the nows being hard to find..."
- Alaia Don Johnson (19:40): "It came from the stars eons away and is for us the ever present."
- Sandhya Nankhani (22:46): "Curiosity is the only thing that keeps us alive..."
- Lisa (14:56): "Jasmine's poetry speaks to me so deeply because of its tonality..."
- Veronica Duvallier (16:43): "The clearer and the more precise of an image you can create..."
For more insights and to read the full collection of listener-submitted poems, visit WNYC.org/Poetry.