1289: Things I Want to Tell You About California by Barbara Costas-Biggs

Summary

Podcast Episode Summary

Title: The Slowdown: Poetry & Reflection Daily
Episode: 1289: Things I Want to Tell You About California by Barbara Costas-Biggs
Host: Maggie Smith
Release Date: February 6, 2025
Produced by: American Public Media in partnership with The Poetry Foundation
Supported by: National Endowment for the Arts

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Introduction

In Episode 1289 of The Slowdown: Poetry & Reflection Daily, host Maggie Smith engages listeners in a heartfelt exploration of Barbara Costas-Biggs' evocative poem, "Things I Want to Tell You About California." This episode delves into the poet's reflections on place, memory, and the intricate relationship between identity and environment.

Host and Poet Introduction

Maggie Smith opens the episode, setting the stage for a contemplative journey through California's landscapes and personal significance. She introduces Barbara Costas-Biggs, whose work poignantly captures the essence of her familiar yet ever-changing surroundings.

Barbara Costas-Biggs begins by referencing Ralph Ellison's insightful observation:

"If you don't know where you are, you probably don't know who you are."
— Invisible Man, Ralph Ellison (00:50)

This quote serves as a thematic anchor for her poem, emphasizing the deep connection between one's sense of self and their environment.

Exploration of Place and Identity

Barbara reflects on her lifelong roots in central Ohio, underscoring how a sense of place contributes significantly to her identity:

"Being rooted in this place is a big part of who I am." (01:21)

She discusses her initial doubts about needing grand adventures to fuel her poetry, ultimately realizing that profound inspiration often arises from day-to-day experiences and keen observation.

Maggie Smith adds:

"You don't need to be someplace new to see or hear or taste or smell something new that can happen right in your own backyard." (01:24)

This sentiment highlights the idea that depth and novelty can be found within the familiar, encouraging listeners to perceive their surroundings with fresh eyes.

The Poem: Things I Want to Tell You About California

Barbara presents her poem as a "wish you were here" postcard, pondering how to convey the unique allure of California to someone distant. She contemplates the specific details that make her home special and how these elements might entice others to share in her experiences.

Key excerpts from the poem include vivid imagery and personal reflections:

"The perfect weather. How I stood on a five-gallon bucket to reach oranges hanging over the fence from the neighbor's tree." (02:30)

"Red-winged blackbirds sit on fence posts and rise from tall grasses, test the hawks like toddlers tugging at sleeves..." (03:00)

These lines illustrate Barbara's deep appreciation for the natural beauty and subtle nuances of her environment, painting a vivid picture for the listener.

Reflections on Familiarity and Change

Barbara expresses a longing for connection and the desire to share her beloved California with others:

"I miss having peonies in the yard. And you said, we'll get you some." (04:17)

This statement reveals the emotional ties to place and the comfort derived from familiar elements of home. It also touches upon themes of nostalgia and the yearning for shared experiences.

Maggie Smith responds by acknowledging the challenges of changing one's perspective:

"At home I know you won't change your mind and give it a shot across the country." (03:50)

This interaction underscores the tension between a desire for exploration and the anchoring force of established roots.

Insights and Conclusions

Throughout the episode, both Maggie and Barbara emphasize the profound impact that place has on personal identity and artistic expression. Barbara's poem serves as a testament to finding inspiration in the everyday and recognizing the extraordinary within the ordinary.

The discussion encourages listeners to:

• Appreciate Familiar Surroundings: By noticing details previously overlooked, transforming the mundane into the extraordinary.
• Embrace Empathy and Imagination: Understanding that rich storytelling doesn't require exotic experiences, but rather a deep connection to one's environment.
• Reflect on Personal Connections to Place: Considering how specific locations shape and define who we are.

Notable Quotes

• Barbara Costas-Biggs:
  "Being rooted in this place is a big part of who I am." (01:21)
  "Today's poem feels like a wish you were here postcard." (02:00)

• Maggie Smith:
  "You don't need to be someplace new to see or hear or taste or smell something new that can happen right in your own backyard." (01:24)
  "At home I know you won't change your mind and give it a shot across the country." (03:50)

Final Thoughts

Episode 1289 of The Slowdown offers a serene and introspective look into how our environments shape our identities and creative expressions. Through Barbara Costas-Biggs' eloquent poetry and thoughtful conversation with Maggie Smith, listeners are invited to pause, reflect, and find inspiration in their own familiar landscapes.

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Listen to More Episodes: Explore the back catalog featuring previous hosts Tracy K. Smith and Ada Limón, alongside guest hosts Jenny Xie, Brenda Shaughnessy, Tina Chang, Nate Marshall, Shira Erlichiman, and Jason Schneiderman. Discover more poems that resonate and inspire by visiting slowdownshow.org.

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Timestamp References

• 00:50 Barbara's reference to Ralph Ellison
• 01:18 Maggie introduces key theme
• 01:21 Barbara discusses being rooted in place
• 01:24 Maggie on empathy and imagination
• 02:30 Poem excerpt about oranges
• 03:00 Poem excerpt about red-winged blackbirds
• 03:50 Maggie on not changing her mind
• 04:17 Barbara on missing peonies

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Note: Advertisements and non-content sections have been excluded from this summary to focus on the core discussion and poetic exploration.

Transcript

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[Maggie Smith]

I'm Maggie Smith and this is the slowdown.

[Barbara Costas Biggs]

At one point in Ralph Ellison's novel Invisible man, the narrator says, if you don't know where you are, you probably don't know who you are. In college I underlined this sentence in my copy of the book because it rang so true. It still rings true. I've lived in central Ohio all of my life. Being rooted in this place is a.

[Maggie Smith]

Big part of who I am.

[Barbara Costas Biggs]

When I first started writing poems, I.

[Maggie Smith]

Wondered if I would need to move or at least have some grand adventures so that I'd have material. I'd grown up in the suburbs of Columbus, Ohio. Nothing all that exciting had happened to me. I know now that writing doesn't come only from experience. It comes from empathy and imagination. You don't need to be someplace new to see or hear or taste or smell or feel something new that can happen right in your own backyard. Part of what I need to do to make a familiar place interesting is to never let it be the same place. To me that means trying to notice things I didn't notice the day before. Today's poem feels like a wish you were here postcard. It makes me wonder how I would describe where I live to someone far away, what details I would include, what in my familiar world might woo them to join me here? Things I Want to tell you about California by Barbara Costas Biggs I know you're tired of hearing about it. The perfect weather. How I stood on a five gallon bucket to reach oranges hanging over the fence from the neighbor's tree. The meal I made with food from the farmer's market, even the mushrooms they call my taki hen of the woods.

[Barbara Costas Biggs]

Where you grew up. Growing at the base of trees, probably.

[Maggie Smith]

In the gully behind your parents home. I know I can't make you love the things that I do. But can't you see there is a river here. It runs through the town. A bridge arches over it. The mountains are like hills, sometimes scrubby, sometimes covered with the labyrinthine green of grapevines, not the kudzu threatening to cover the what seems like all of Kentucky. Red winged blackbirds sit on fence posts and rise from tall grasses, test the hawks like toddlers tugging at sleeves just like we've watched from the window of our car as we speed past bachelor's buttons and black eyed Susans on the roadside. At home I know you won't change your mind and give it a shot across the country. You are grounded to these hills, to.

[Barbara Costas Biggs]

The Ohio and East Tigart, to the.

[Maggie Smith]

Guilt of a late summer sunset. I'll try not to fixate, but I make no promises. My mother called last night to tell me all the roses in Napa are blooming. They're fat like peonies, she said. I repeat her to you and add, I miss having peonies in the yard. And you said, we'll get you some.

[Barbara Costas Biggs]

The Slowdown is a production of American Public Media in partnership with the Poetry Foundation. This project is also supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts. On the [e-mail] to get a poem delivered to you daily, go to slowdownshow.org and sign up for our newsletter and find us on Instagram lodownshow.

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