Susan Howe

Poetry Programs

WBAI-Pacifica Radio

Susan Howe's WBAI (NY)-Pacifica Radio shows are available on PennSound in collaboration with the Archive for New Poetry at the University of California, San Diego. Our digital copies were made from recordings housed at the archive.

Helen Adam, 1977-1978

• performing her work and in conversation with Susan Howe and Charles Ruas, 1977-1978
• one hour: MP3

Bruce Andrews and Charles Bernstein, 1979

reading their work and in conversation with Susan Howe

1. March 14, 1979, full program one hour: MP3
2. Andrews reads from R+B (2:30): MP3
3. Andrews reads "How" (5:36): MP3
4. Bernstein reads "Matters of Policy" from Controlling Interests (11:31): MP3

John Ashbery, 1975

• May 14th — complete program (32:41): MP3
• June 7th — complete program (20:04): MP3

(for segmented versions of these readings, please visit PennSound's John Ashbery author page)

• April 19, 1979 (1:09:11): MP3
• Part One (32:47): MP3
• Part Two (36:32): MP3

1. Introduction by Susan Howe (0:55): MP3
2. From "First Lessons in Geography," Monteith's Geographical Series, A.S. Barnes & Co., 1884 (1:37): MP3
3. The Moose (6:19): MP3
4. Crusoe in England (9:06): MP3
5. The Man-Moth (3:51): MP3
6. Brazil: January 1, 1502 (3:25): MP3
7. At the Fishhouses (4:41): MP3
8. on her early childhood (1:42): MP3
9. on her interest in geography and travel (2:26): MP3
10. on the writers who have influenced her work (5:08): MP3
11. on developing an interest in history and the literary culture in Nova Scotia (1:59): MP3
12. on meeting South American writers, translating poetry, and her second-hand experience with political activisim (7:36): MP3
13. on living in Key West, Brazil, and Greenwich Village (2:07): MP3
14. on teaching Wallace Stevens (1:19): MP3
15. explaining her attitude toward feminism in relation to poetry (1:44): MP3
16. contemplating how her writing has changed over the course of her career (0:56): MP3
17. describing how she works (4:25): MP3
18. Bishop's thoughts on hearing poetry aloud and the element of performance in readings (4:59): MP3
19. on Ezra Pound (1:45): MP3
20. on Emily Dickinson (1:43): MP3
21. remarking on past and future travels (0:31): MP3

Ted Greenwald, 1977

reading (27:10): MP3

Barbara Guest, April 13, 1978

1. Red Lilies (1:08): MP3
2. on her childhood and when she started to write (1:47): MP3
3. on Stephen Guest and H.D. (2:40): MP3
4. on using a male persona in Seeking Air (2:42): MP3
5. "I don't think I could stand the noise of this city a day longer..." [excerpt, from Seeking Air] (1:55): MP3
6. on Wide Sargasso Sea (0:24): MP3
7. "Night wind blowing from the north..." [excerpt, from Seeking Air] (1:47): MP3
8. on her interest in colonial life (1:25): MP3
9. "Dark, indeed, must have always been mixed..." [excerpt, from Seeking Air] (2:12): MP3
10. "I think of the sallow-skinned men..." [excerpt, from Seeking Air] (1:01): MP3
11. on George Seferis (1:18): MP3
12. "It was like driving a ball from behind that clump of grass..." [excerpt, from Seeking Air] (4:55): MP3
13. on the difference between writing novels and poetry (2:00): MP3
14. on biography, autobiography, and Ford Madox's The Good Soldier (2:09): MP3
15. on breaking down the old idea of hero and heroine (0:59): MP3
16. on the process of working on an autobiography of H.D. (5:52): MP3
17. on particular writers who have been important to her (1:11): MP3

Bernadette Mayer, April 22, 1979

1. Mayer reads "Eve of Easter" (3:19): MP3
2. Discussion of "Eve of Easter" (1:19): MP3
3. Introduction (2:06): MP3
4. Mayer discusses her writing process (1:19): MP3
5. Mayer reads "Easy Puddings" (7:14): MP3
6. Discussion of "Baby Come Today, October 4th" (0:40): MP3
7. Mayer reads "Baby Come Today, October 4th" (2:25): MP3
8. Mayer reads "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" (1:39): MP3
9. Mayer reads "Simplicities are Glittering" (3:13): MP3
10. Discussion (27:00): MP3
11. Mayer reads "1979" (6:14) MP3
12. Closing comments from Susan Howe (0:57): MP3

• Complete reading and discussion (57:51): MP3

Maureen Owen, 1978

March 18 and July 11, 1978 (1:02:03): MP3

F.T. Prince, 1978

April 21, 1978 (50:26): MP3

Charles Reznikoff, 1975

May Sarton, 1977-78

May 16 + June 8, 1977, and June 6, 1978 (1:06:29): MP3

program on John Hall Wheelwright
Nov. 23, 1981 - featuring James Laughlin, Quincy Howe, Polly Thayer, Malcolm Cowley, Ray DiPalma, and Charles North (1:30:26): MP3

1. introduction (3:28): MP3
2. James Laughlin on John Wheelwright's father (1:48): MP3
3. Susan Howe reading "Father" (1:14): MP3
4. James Laughlin commenting on "Father" (0:54): MP3
5. James Laughlin on John Wheelwright's New England voice (1:50): MP3
6. Quincy Howe reading "Come Over and Help Us" (6:29): MP3
7. Quincy Howe on his friendship with John Wheelwright (4:03): MP3
8. Quincy Howe on John Wheelwright's family (3:49): MP3
9. Quincy Howe on John Wheelwright as a student (2:56): MP3
10. Quincy Howe on John Wheelwright as an unforgettable Boston personality (3:39): MP3
11. Polly Thayer on painting John Wheelwright's portrait and his strange way of dressing (2:14): MP3
12. Polly Thayer on John Wheelwright's mother and his passion for calling attention to himself (2:53): MP3
13. Polly Thayer on John Wheelwright's poetry (1:07): MP3
14. Polly Thayer on John Wheelwright's religious feelings and eccentricities (1:40): MP3
15. Ray DiPalma reading "Coq D'or" (1:49): MP3
16. Ray DiPalma reading "Cross Questions" (1:04): MP3
17. Ray DiPalma reading "Plate Glass Membrane" (1:07): MP3
18. Malcolm Cowley on John Wheelwright at Harvard (7:20): MP3
19. Malcolm Cowley on John Wheelwright and Cessation Magazine (3:52): MP3
20. Malcolm Cowley reading "Fish Food" (4:14): MP3
21. Malcolm Cowley commenting on "Fish Food" (1:38): MP3
22. Malcolm Cowley on John Wheelwright and The Aesthete Magazine (1:45): MP3
23. Malcolm Cowley on John Wheelwright's socialism (1:50): MP3
24. Charles North on lyricism, control, and courage in John Wheelwright's poetry (2:19): MP3
25. Charles North reading "Link" (1:16): MP3
26. Charles North reading "Boston in Summer, with a Confession" (1:02): MP3
27. Charles North reading "Midwinter Walk" (0:43): MP3
28. Charles North reading "Train Ride" (4:39): MP3
29. James Laughlin on John Wheelwright getting his work published in Boston (1:21): MP3
30. James Laughlin on "Dinner Call" (1:44): MP3
31. James Laughlin reading "Dinner Call" (4:52): MP3
32. James Laughlin on publishing John Wheelwright (2:13): MP3
33. James Laughlin on S. Foster Damon and John Wheelwright's self-defeatist attitude about getting published (2:22): MP3
34. James Laughlin on John Wheelwright's funeral (0:42): MP3
35. James Laughlin on Kenneth Burke (0:16): MP3

These sound recordings are being made available for noncommercial and educational use only. All rights to this recorded material belong to the poets and to Susan Howe. © 2007 by Susan Howe and the poets. Used with permission of Susan Howe and the Archive for New Poetry, UCSD. Distributed by PennSound.