poet laureate

Ever thought about being a creative for a living or are in the midst of that path or are simply inspired by those whose presence oozes depth and art? Then you’re going to love this conversation! Marcus Amaker is the epitome of Artist as an award winning spoken word poet, graphic designer and musician and the Poet Laureate of Charleston.

He addresses the stereotype of the “starving artist” narrative to overcome our fears around pursing our creativity for a living and gives 3 tips on imposter syndrome. He provides fascinating insight into the child versus adult mind based on his experience working in schools. We talk about how/when we lose our identification as “artist” and what that term even means. Marcus generously offers a “self portrait” writing prompt PDF that he uses in schools to get kids writing their feelings, which you’ll find in the show notes for free (yes, it's for adults too).

 We talk about what a Poet Laureate actually does, how he became one, and of course I ask him about his feelings on Amanda Gorman. We talk joy triggers, trauma porn, and I ask Marcus how he strikes a balance between pain and joy in this world, especially as a writer and black man. He tells me that balance doesn’t exist and asks us to look to how we respond to children’s joy versus our own.

We also talk about a second artist stereotype, that you have to suffer for great Art, in which Marcus refutes such argument. We talk healthy, empathic ways of processing stress and pain through creativity, and all of this concludes with Marcus sharing his take on self care as a self emptying. He reads 3 poems aloud, and the one on self love gave me the biggest chills! ________________
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For Marcus's books, albums, the "self portrait" writing prompt PDF:  alyssakuzins.com/marcus-amaker

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Enzo Silon Surin, Haitian-born poet, educator, publisher, and social advocate, is the author of two chapbooks, A Letter of Resignation: An American Libretto and Higher Ground. He is recipient of a Brother Thomas Fellowship from The Boston Foundation and is a PEN New England Celebrated New Voice in Poetry.

Enzo’s work gives voice to experiences that take place in what he calls “broken spaces” and has appeared in numerous publications. He holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Lesley University and is an associate professor of English at Bunker Hill Community College and founding editor and publisher at Central Square Press.

Today, he speaks with former Boston Poet Laureate Danielle Legros Georges. She is the author of two books of poems, The Dear Remote Nearness of You and Maroon; the chapbook Letters from Congo; and the editor of City of Notions: An Anthology of Contemporary Boston Poems. She is a professor of creative writing and interim director of the MFA Program in Creative Writing at Lesley University. She is also a faculty member of the William Joiner Institute Summer Writer’s Workshop, University of Massachusetts, Boston. Her work includes poetry translations, collaborations, and curation. Her honors include fellowships from the Massachusetts Cultural Council, the Boston Foundation, the Black Metropolis Research Consortium, and commissions from the Trustees of Reservations. She is the City of Boston’s former poet laureate.

Read more about Enzo and see a video profile of Danielle on our podcast page.

Former Poet Laureate Robert Pinsky describes himself as a "composer" who considers poetry to be first and foremost a vocal art, and his work seeks to blur the distinctions between language and music by emphasizing the rhythms and innate physicality of recited verse in a jazz context. In this performance for the 22nd Writer's Symposium by the Sea at Point Loma Nazarene University, Pinsky's reading is accompanied by a talented trio of PLNU students. The music - a blend of rehearsed and improvised - employs a variety of jazz styles, sometimes sympathetic and sometimes in playful counterpoint, but always responsive to the poet's distinctive voice. Series: "Writer's Symposium By The Sea" [Humanities] [Arts and Music] [Show ID: 30820]

Former Poet Laureate Robert Pinsky describes himself as a "composer" who considers poetry to be first and foremost a vocal art, and his work seeks to blur the distinctions between language and music by emphasizing the rhythms and innate physicality of recited verse in a jazz context. In this performance for the 22nd Writer's Symposium by the Sea at Point Loma Nazarene University, Pinsky's reading is accompanied by a talented trio of PLNU students. The music - a blend of rehearsed and improvised - employs a variety of jazz styles, sometimes sympathetic and sometimes in playful counterpoint, but always responsive to the poet's distinctive voice. Series: "Writer's Symposium By The Sea" [Humanities] [Arts and Music] [Show ID: 30820]

Former Poet Laureate Robert Pinsky describes himself as a "composer" who considers poetry to be first and foremost a vocal art, and his work seeks to blur the distinctions between language and music by emphasizing the rhythms and innate physicality of recited verse in a jazz context. In this performance for the 22nd Writer's Symposium by the Sea at Point Loma Nazarene University, Pinsky's reading is accompanied by a talented trio of PLNU students. The music - a blend of rehearsed and improvised - employs a variety of jazz styles, sometimes sympathetic and sometimes in playful counterpoint, but always responsive to the poet's distinctive voice. Series: "Writer's Symposium By The Sea" [Humanities] [Arts and Music] [Show ID: 30820]

Former Poet Laureate Robert Pinsky describes himself as a "composer" who considers poetry to be first and foremost a vocal art, and his work seeks to blur the distinctions between language and music by emphasizing the rhythms and innate physicality of recited verse in a jazz context. In this performance for the 22nd Writer's Symposium by the Sea at Point Loma Nazarene University, Pinsky's reading is accompanied by a talented trio of PLNU students. The music - a blend of rehearsed and improvised - employs a variety of jazz styles, sometimes sympathetic and sometimes in playful counterpoint, but always responsive to the poet's distinctive voice. Series: "Writer's Symposium By The Sea" [Humanities] [Arts and Music] [Show ID: 30820]

Former Poet Laureate Robert Pinsky describes himself as a "composer" who considers poetry to be first and foremost a vocal art, and his work seeks to blur the distinctions between language and music by emphasizing the rhythms and innate physicality of recited verse in a jazz context. In this performance for the 22nd Writer's Symposium by the Sea at Point Loma Nazarene University, Pinsky's reading is accompanied by a talented trio of PLNU students. The music - a blend of rehearsed and improvised - employs a variety of jazz styles, sometimes sympathetic and sometimes in playful counterpoint, but always responsive to the poet's distinctive voice. Series: "Writer's Symposium By The Sea" [Humanities] [Arts and Music] [Show ID: 30820]

Former Poet Laureate Robert Pinsky describes himself as a "composer" who considers poetry to be first and foremost a vocal art, and his work seeks to blur the distinctions between language and music by emphasizing the rhythms and innate physicality of recited verse in a jazz context. In this performance for the 22nd Writer's Symposium by the Sea at Point Loma Nazarene University, Pinsky's reading is accompanied by a talented trio of PLNU students. The music - a blend of rehearsed and improvised - employs a variety of jazz styles, sometimes sympathetic and sometimes in playful counterpoint, but always responsive to the poet's distinctive voice. Series: "Writer's Symposium By The Sea" [Humanities] [Arts and Music] [Show ID: 30820]

Pulitzer Prize-winning poet and recent US poet laureate Ted Kooser gives a public reading and answer questions on his art during a visit to UC Davis. [Humanities] [Arts and Music] [Show ID: 12031]

Pulitzer Prize-winning poet and recent US poet laureate Ted Kooser gives a public reading and answer questions on his art during a visit to UC Davis. [Humanities] [Arts and Music] [Show ID: 12031]