1486: from Perihelion: A History of Touch by Franny Choi - The Slowdown: Poetry & Reflection Daily

Summary3 min read

The Slowdown: Poetry & Reflection Daily

Episode 1486: from Perihelion: A History of Touch by Franny Choi
Host: Maggie Smith | Date: April 3, 2026

Episode Overview

In this reflective episode, Maggie Smith draws a metaphor between the art of wine pairing and the pairing of poems with moments in our lives. She introduces Franny Choi's poem “Snow Moon” and shares how poetry (and its connection to music) can evoke a sense of wonder and creative presence, pointing listeners toward small, luminous moments during their busy days.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Art of Pairing: Wine and Beyond

Maggie Smith shares her fascination with sommeliers, expert wine pairers, and their careful attention to detail:

“The work of a sommelier, like the work of a chef, is fascinating to me because it’s creative. Changing one element…changes everything. The choices we make determine the experience…” (01:23)
She extends this concept to the creative process, likening wine-food pairings to pairings of poems, occasions, and songs:

“But what about poem and occasion pairings? Or song and occasion pairings?…I think I’m pretty good at those.” (02:03)
Maggie reveals her ritual of making playlists for books, trips, and loved ones, underlining the emotional power of pairing art forms:

“Every book I’ve written has a playlist of songs that I listen to while writing…songs that speak to the subject matter or that feel tonally aligned.” (02:16)

2. Setting the Scene for "Snow Moon"

Context for today’s poem: the Snow Moon is the first full moon of February, traditionally named for its snowiness.
Maggie’s recommendation: After reading Franny Choi’s “quiet stunner of a poem,” she felt inspired to pair it with Nick Drake’s “Pink Moon”:

“After reading this quiet stunner of a poem, I was inspired to turn on one of my favorite Nick Drake songs, ‘Pink Moon.’ I highly recommend this poem-song pairing.” (02:54)

3. The Poem: "Snow Moon" by Franny Choi (03:11–04:06)

The poem is read aloud, with gentle, atmospheric cadence, inviting mindfulness and appreciation of fleeting beauty.
- Notable lines evoke the transformation of snow under pink light and the ephemeral quality of untouched beauty:
  
  “the magic where the streetlights turn the snow pink lasts only for the first night…” “But for that one first night, everything cold, flecked and whispering was ours…so we could, for a night, feel untouched, so we could feel like sugar, crumbling and perfect for it.”

4. Reflection and Closure

Maggie’s commentary and presence throughout invite listeners to pair poetry with their own moments, suggesting poetry’s power to help us see ordinary experiences in extraordinary ways.
The poem’s ending, with its delicate metaphors, offers both comfort and an invitation to presence.

Memorable Quotes

On the creative process and pairing:

"Changing one element in a piece of writing or changing one ingredient in a dish or a cocktail changes everything. The choices we make determine the experience, and there are infinite combinations we can choose from."
— Maggie Smith (01:21)
On playlist rituals:

"Every book I've written has a playlist of songs that I listen to while writing the book, full of songs that speak to the subject matter or that feel tonally aligned."
— Maggie Smith (02:12)
On the poem’s impact:

"[Franny Choi's] poem, song pairing...I highly recommend."
— Maggie Smith (02:58)

Important Timestamps

01:00–02:30: Maggie draws parallels between wine pairing and artistic combinations in life and creativity.
02:30–03:10: Discussion of the Snow Moon and the poem-song pairing idea.
03:11–04:06: Reading of “Snow Moon” by Franny Choi.
End: Reflections and call for daily poetic mindfulness.

Tone and Style

Maggie Smith maintains a warm, inviting, and gently contemplative tone throughout, encouraging listeners to savor both poetry and their daily experiences as one might savor a perfectly paired meal or drink.

For those who haven’t listened:
This episode artfully connects the sensory pleasures of wine with those of poetry and music, offering a moment of poetic reflection from Franny Choi and a practical invitation to bring artful pairings into everyday life. The reading of “Snow Moon” is immersive and beautifully rendered, making it a perfect pause and reset for any listener’s day.

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Transcript3 lines

[00:01]
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[00:30]
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each episode of the Slowdown offers you a moment of attention, a poem and reflection that shift your perspective during busy days. In celebration of National Poetry Month, you can now receive an added benefit when you support the Slowdown, a sponsorship free version of the podcast. Keep your listening centered on poetry because the best moments of your day are uninterrupted. Learn more when you make your gift@downdownshow.org and thank you. I'm Maggie Smith and this is the Slowdown. A sommelier, in short, is a wine expert. They're someone trained in fine dining who specializes in all aspects of wine service and wine and food pairing. They take into account the components of a dish and the characteristics of a wine, and they find just the right balance. I don't splurge often, but when I want to celebrate an occasion and it's a special treat to enjoy multiple courses with wine pairings, each dish comes out explained in detail by the server, and then the sommelier or a wine server brings the accompanying drink and explains a little about it as they pour. I love the language they use to describe the wine, words like oaky and grippy and tannic. The work of a sommelier, like the work of a chef, is fascinating to me because it's creative. Changing one element in a piece of writing or changing one ingredient in a dish or a cocktail changes everything. The choices we make determine the experience, and there are infinite combinations we can choose from. I'm no sommelier. I don't have any expertise in food and wine pairings, and I don't know much about complementary and congruent pairings. But what about poem and occasion pairings? Or song and occasion pairings? Or song and poem pairings? I think I'm pretty good at those. It's no secret that I love making playlists for trips, for loved ones, for creative projects. Every book I've written has a playlist of songs that I listen to while writing the book, full of songs that speak to the subject matter or that feel tonally aligned. It's a book, music Pairing Today's poem is about the snow Moon, the first full moon of February. The explanation behind the name Snow Moon is fairly straightforward. February is often the snowiest month. After reading this quiet stunner of a poem, I was inspired to turn on one of my favorite Nick Drake songs, Pink Moon. I highly recommend this poem. Song Pairing from A History of Touch by Franny Choi Snow Moon the magic where the streetlights turn the snow pink lasts only for the first night. The same way maybe a blanket loses track of its scent when it's been touched by too many hands, or the way a body grays when too many feet have dragged their cigarettes and complaints through it. But for that one first night, everything cold, flecked and whispering was ours. The pink light ours, sent from some other world so we could, for a night, feel untouched, so we could feel like sugar, crumbling and perfect for it. The Slowdown is a production of American Public Media in partnership with the Poetry Foundation. To get a poem delivered to you daily, go to slowdownshow.org and sign up for our newsletter. Find us on Instagram at SlowdownShow and Bluesky. Slowdownshow.org the Slowdown is written by me, Maggie Smith. The show is produced by Micah Kielbon and Maria Wurtel. Our music is composed by Kyle Andrews, engineering by Josh Silver Savageo. Our editor and digital producer is Jordan Turgeon. Additional production help by Susanna Sharpless, Ruby Sigmund, and Lauren Humpert. APM's Director of Distribution is Amy Lundgren, and our president is Chandra Kavati.
[06:53]
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