Podcast Episode Summary

Podcast: New Books Network
Host: Dan Moran
Guest: Sunil Iyengar, Editor of The Colosseum Book of Contemporary Narrative Verse (Franciscan UP, 2025)
Date: February 13, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode of the New Books Network features an in-depth conversation between host Dan Moran and poet/editor Sunil Iyengar about Iyengar’s new anthology, The Colosseum Book of Contemporary Narrative Verse. The anthology gathers notable American narrative poems written since World War II by 28 different poets. Iyengar discusses the resurgence of narrative poetry in an era dominated by lyric forms, his editorial criteria, the anthology's literary roots, and the enduring importance of storytelling in verse. The host and guest also delve into several standout poems from the collection.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

The “Quiet Revolution” of Narrative Verse

• Narrative vs. Lyric Poetry:

  • Iyengar traces the historical shift from long narrative and epic poems to the near-total dominance of lyric poetry in the 20th century, intensified post-modernism.
  • Most contemporary poetry is lyric—brief, resonant, image-rich, and often confined to a page.
  • “There was almost like...the supremacy of the lyric,” Iyengar explains, referencing William Carlos Williams’ dictum, “No ideas but the thing itself.” (01:03)

• The Revival of Narrative Poetry:

  • From the 1980s and ‘90s, poets began reintroducing narrative verse into mainstream poetry.
  • Iyengar claims the movement toward narrative has been under-recognized, prompting his anthology:

    “That was what really called me to do this...people who would go to poetry and maybe are afraid of it...I wanted to make sure...that wish to sort of see more stories in poems [was gratified].” (03:26)

• The Accessibility of Narrative:

  • Moran notes the comfort found in narrative poetry—its storytelling pulls readers in, much as novels or films do.
  • Iyengar cites Virginia Woolf’s lament about poets abandoning storytelling, asserting, “Some of the most passionate lines we remember are often in the voices of characters.” (04:15)

Editorial Choices and Criteria

• Selection Process:

  • Poems had to:

    • Be enduring and well-written.
    • Tell a story (not just autobiographical or confessional; ideally with characters/plot).
    • Avoid excerpts from longer works or translations.
    • Focus on American-born poets, generally those born after 1939, to highlight a less-anthologized, more contemporary generation. (05:05)

  • Iyengar admits practical limits (rights, page count) led to tough cuts and jokes about saving favorites for “the second edition.” (06:42)

• Why Narrative Verse Faded:

  • Practical publishing constraints (brevity favored in magazines, journals).
  • Competition from other storytelling media (fiction, television, film, online content).
  • An increased tendency for poems to be introspective or “about lived experience,” rather than embodying distinct characters or dramatic narratives.
  • Anxiety about “authenticity” when poets tell stories from perspectives unlike their own. (09:15)

The Influence of Poetic Forebearers

• Thomas Hardy’s Innovations:

  • Hardy as a pivotal figure in shaping modern narrative verse—with crafted lines, attention to sound, and concise, ironic tales that bridge narrative and lyric elements. (12:54)
  • Influence traced forward to Edwin Arlington Robinson, Frost, and, indirectly, to later American poets.

• Robert Frost’s Legacy:

  • Frost’s “peculiar brand of modernism” and mastery of dramatic/narrative blank verse serves as a cornerstone for many anthology contributors:

    “For many poets in this anthology, Frost is the chief exemplar.” (15:20)

  • Frost's poems such as "Death of the Hired Man" exemplify narrative arc and vivid, cinematic storytelling.

• Contrast with Later Poetics:

  • The rise of poets like John Ashbery and the disjunctive, non-linear, or enigmatic poems of the late 20th century often worked against straightforward storytelling in verse, favoring lyricism and fragmentation. (11:00, 18:14)

Defining "Narrative" in Contemporary Poetry

• Narrative vs. Meditative Lyric:

  • Modern poetry often blends genres—what seems like a narrative may veer into personal meditation or lyric flourish without a true story arc:

    “Today, we see extended lyrics that shift abruptly into narrative register, but without fulfilling the reader’s expectations from the narrative.” (17:28)

  • Iyengar is careful to register that his anthology is not “anti-lyric,” but rather seeking to restore narrative’s place alongside it. (20:39)

• Observations on Trends:

  • The frequency of narrative poems seems to decline among poets born after 1970, according to Iyengar’s research, though he remains open to overlooked discoveries. (22:57)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Narrative’s Purpose:

  “You expect that I’m sitting down, I’m telling you a story. Here’s an arc I’m going to draw for you.” —Sunil Iyengar (19:44)

• On Poetic Discovery:

  “There is a poem by...Catherine...called 'February 18, 1943'...about Hans and Sophie Scholl...It’s really stirring and remarkable...and metrically interesting.” (23:52)

• On Lyric vs. Narrative:

  “Is there such a thing as a narrative lyric? I don’t think so. I think what’s possible is to have a lyric with narrative elements or narrative parts.” —Sunil Iyengar (21:38)

• On Anthology Editing:

  “I always say, you know, optimistically, well, maybe that's for the second edition.” —Sunil Iyengar (06:42)

Discussion of Featured Poems (with Timestamps)

Barn Siding by Jared Carter (25:37)

• A quatrain-driven, suspenseful first-person narrative about isolation, a past love, and danger in the woods—character development and plot delivered with Frostian understatement.
• “You have a consequence...As I said, things happen.” (27:39)

The Feud by Sidney Lee (Leigh) (29:04)

• Quatrains again; tells the escalating tale of a neighbor feud that moves from petty squabbles to tragic conclusion—showcases the obsessive drive of its narrator.
• Links to Romantic-era storytelling, reminiscent of Rime of the Ancient Mariner. (32:08)

Passages from Friday by Charles Martin (32:57)

• A long poem in quatrains, adopting the voice and stylized writing of Robinson Crusoe’s Friday.
• “After you’re like a third into it, you really believe this is being written by somebody of that time.” (34:19)

Two Tales of Clumsy by Gertrude Schnakenberg (36:38)

• Blends dark humor and nonsense, reminiscent of nonsense poetry and even songs like “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer.” Deftly employs rhyme and meter. (36:38)

Seven Curses and Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts by Bob Dylan (39:14)

• Lyric/narratives that can stand apart from their musical roots. Seven Curses especially lauded for its “bone chilling” brevity. (41:43)
• “Can they be detached from the song, the melodies? And I would say, yes, they can.” (39:41)

Helen by Daniel Mark Epstein (42:27)

• In closes, Iyengar reads “Helen,” a short, poignant narrative about a class, a teacher, and the appetite for stories with “stop before it is over,” merging the themes of storytelling, longing, and inevitable heartbreak.
• “Tell us the love story anyway and stop before it’s over.” (43:44, poem reading)

Timestamps for Significant Segments

• [00:38] Iyengar explains the "quiet revolution" in poetry
• [05:05] Editorial criteria for anthology selection
• [09:15] Media and culture’s effect on the decline of narrative verse
• [12:54] Thomas Hardy’s influence
• [15:20] Robert Frost’s impact and narrative technique
• [17:28] The shift to extended lyrics with narrative teasers
• [21:08] Delineating narrative, lyric, and meditative lyric
• [23:52] Discovering new poems/poets for the anthology
• [25:37] Analysis of Barn Siding (Jared Carter)
• [29:04] Analysis of The Feud (Sidney Lee)
• [32:57] Analysis of Passages from Friday (Charles Martin)
• [36:38] Two Tales of Clumsy (Gertrude Schnakenberg)
• [39:14] On including Bob Dylan’s work
• [42:27] Reading and discussing “Helen” (Daniel Mark Epstein)

Tone and Style

Both host and guest maintain an erudite yet accessible and conversational tone, balancing literary analysis with enthusiasm and curiosity. Iyengar is particularly careful to be inclusive and ecumenical, eager to provoke further discussion and dialogue around the forms and functions of narrative poetry.

Takeaway

The Colosseum Book of Contemporary Narrative Verse is a celebration and reclamation of the narrative poem in a landscape saturated by the lyric. Iyengar’s anthology and this podcast episode together advocate for poetry’s fundamental storytelling powers, the importance of voice and character, and the pleasures of form—while inviting readers and poets to participate in pushing the genre’s boundaries further.