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Rodrigo Toscano

PoemTalk #95, Discussing Rob Fitterman's Sprawl, feat. Laynie Browne, Rodrigo Toscano, and Michelle Taransky

Listen to the complete recording and read program notes for the episode at Jacket2.

PoemTalk #19, Discussing Bob Perelman's "The Unruly Child", feat. Tom Mandel, Sarah Dowling, and Rodrigo Toscano

Listen to the complete recording and read program notes for the episode at Jacket2.

PoemTalk #17, Discussing Rodrigo Toscano's "Poetics", feat. Randall Couch, Linh Dinh, and Emily Abendroth

Listen to the complete recording here.


Reading at the Kelly Writers House, October 5, 2015

Watch on Media.sas
  1. Introduction (8:07): MP3
  2. [What is explosion to a slab of drywall?] (2:42): MP3
  3. [At the beginning of every day, what is to be spared?] (1:11): MP3
  4. [I remember the plume right after…] (1:15): MP3
  5. [What is leveling to a bit of stability?] (0:54): MP3
  6. [Four million pieces of frabba-jabba…] (1:01): MP3
  7. [I don't remember the very moment…] (1:20): MP3
  8. [Four million pieces of frabba-jabba, dry, at high noon…] (0:56): MP3
  9. [Beat it here, the gas, watch…] (0:56): MP3
  10. [Unbutton here, this strap…] (0:58): MP3
  11. [Spread out the ice like this…] (0:58): MP3
  12. [Spartacus Sprinklers, top rail…] (1:32): MP3
  13. [Face the bar…] (0:23): MP3
  14. [Spartacus Sprinklers, top rail, serial number 21848…] (2:00): MP3
  15. [Thank you, I wear it strong…] (1:16): MP3
  16. [This barter by tattoo…] (1:09): MP3
  17. [Lips among living, that's the title of it…] (1:00): MP3
  18. [For to lay deep…] (1:10): MP3
  19. [What is blood to constrictive tissue?] (0:53): MP3
  20. [Porcelain shards tenderly gash plastic bags…] (0:46): MP3
  21. [Echoey Springfield Massachusetts…] (0:30): MP3
  22. [What is fantasticality to a neuron of grey matter?] (1:04): MP3
  23. [Echoey gluteus medius…] (0:43): MP3
  24. [The Jupiterian midday lead diffusion…] (1:21): MP3
  25. [Drywall, on its back, flat…] (1:00): MP3
  26. [What is compulsion to a sliver of free will?] (1:09): MP3
  27. [Porcelain chips…] (1:03): MP3
  28. [The liberty box checked…] (0:43): MP3
  29. [Compañeros…] (0:27): MP3
  30. [Companears, obvious, the peril present…] (0:27): MP3
  31. [The opportunity button calibration was up to date…] (0:54): MP3
  32. [The love implosion in New Orleans on Sunday morning…] (1:13): MP3
  33. [Fracked, your sense of choice…] (0:50): MP3
  34. [That's next to a house of worship…] (0:56): MP3
  35. [This brand of cupcake mix…] (1:43): MP3

Complete reading (45:18) MP3

Segue Series Reading at the Zinc Bar, December 1, 2012

  1. Introduction (4:51): MP3
  2. ¡ONLY TWO TYPES OF POETRY! (3:44): MP3
  3. May Be! (3:40): MP3
  4. Los Exploradores (1:33): MP3
  5. Los Salvados (1:13): MP3
  6. El Profe (0:57): MP3
  7. El Comerciante (1:27): MP3
  8. La Palabrita (0:59): MP3
  9. La Galerista (2:20): MP3
  10. La Escultura (1:27): MP3
  11. El Dedicado (2:19): MP3
  12. El Grupito (0:38): MP3
  13. Los Bardos (1:37): MP3
  14. Las Globalistas (4:31): MP3
  15. La Observadora (1:43): MP3

Complete reading (34:37) MP3

Appearing on Cross Cultural Poetics, hosted by Leonard Schwartz

Episode #252: Autoimmunity, 2012

Toscano reads from and discusses his new book, Deck of Deeds (Counterpath Press).

Complete recording (32:19): MP3

Recording of "May Be!" for Hot Metal Bridge

Complete recording (3:09): MP3 [text]

Coming in from the Cold: Celebrating Twenty Years of the MLA Off-Site Poetry Reading at the Philadelphia Mariott, December 29, 2009

Complete reading (6:52): MP3

From textsound Issue #8, February 2010

  • Rodrigo Toscano all-vocal technofunk Part 1 (4:02): MP3
  • Rodrigo Toscano all-vocal technofunk Part 2 (1:21): MP3

MLA Off-Site Reading at the Rotunda, Philadelphia, December 29, 2009

Complete reading (4:14): MP3

From textsound Issue #6, December 2009

  • 12 Riddles Of Spirit, Crook in Hand (6:08): MP3
  • Subject line subscribe (society) (4:37): MP3
  • In Formational Forum Rousers (3:47): MP3

Appearing at Advancing Feminist Poetics and Activism, sponsored by the Belladonna* Reading Series, New York, September 25, 2009

Watch on Media.sas

Complete recording with Julie Patton and Carla Harryman (21:27): MP3

Segue Series Reading at the Bowery Poetry Club, March 29, 2008

Introduction (6:25): MP3
Complete performance [from Collapsible Poetics Theater] (35:24): MP3

From POG-Sound: Reading at The Drawing Studio, Tuscon, AZ, February 16, 2008

Complete reading (33:38): MP3

Reading and Interview on Ceptuetics Radio, December 12, 2007

Hosted by Kareem Estefan.

Complete recording (4:23): MP3

Reading at the O Books War & Peace Vol. 3 Launch, New York City, November 27, 2007

Complete reading (8:23): MP3

Benefit Reading for Will Alexander at the Bowery Poetry Club, November 1, 2007

Complete reading (6:24): MP3

At the Kootenay School of Writing, Vancouver, 2007

Reading on January 31, 2007 (42:46): MP3

Segue Series Reading at the Bowery Poetry Club, New York City, March 25, 2006

  1. Introduction (by Charles Borkhuis) (2:34): MP3
  2. Parts 1-3 of Truax Inimical (a transmodern masque of four voices). Readers: Aaron Kiely (prologue), Trace Peterson, Laura Elrick, Rodrigo Toscano, Anna Moschovakis. (22:34): MP3
  3. Eco-Strato-Static (a radio play in one act). Readers: Aaron Kiely (prologue), Brenden Lorber, Rodrigo Toscano, Aaron Kiely. (12:05): MP3

Appearing on Cross Cultural Poetics, hosted by Leonard Schwartz

Episode #68: North American Transit, 2005

Rodrigo Toscano, frequent CCP guest, reads from his latest work in a live format.

Complete recording (29:09): MP3

Reading at St. Mark's Poetry Project, New York City, December 8, 2004

  1. Introduction by Anselm Berrigan (1:33): MP3
  2. Vibes (first published in Boog City) (2:45): MP3
  3. True Identity (1:25): MP3
  4. New Origins (1:07): MP3
  5. Variety (2:15): MP3
  6. Practical Men & Women of Ages Past (1:10): MP3
  7. Il Penseroso (for Rod Smith) (0:47): MP3 (first published in Bombay Gin)
  8. Four Reflections on Content & Form (3:20): MP3 (first published in What If?, also appeared in Bombay Gin)
  9. Exaltado (original Spanish version) (1:42): MP3 (first published by Nerter 2, Spain)
  10. Jumpy (English translation of Exaltado) (1:16): MP3
  11. Balm to Bilk (7:50): MP3 A radio dialogue on poetics, with Laura Elrick
    (published first as a pamphlet by WinteRed Press, also appeared in Plantarchy, and 88 A Journal of Contemporary Poetry)
  12. State & Sensibility (3:36): MP3 (first published by The Poker, also appeared in Not Enough Night)
  13. Twelve Riddles of Spirit, Crook in Hand (5:13): MP3 (first published by Nth Position, also appeared in Boundary)
  14. Memories of Somewhere, to Somewhere Else (8:15): MP3 A radio dialogue on poetics, with Urayoan Noel & Laura Elrick (first published by Filling Station, Canada, also appears in Mark(s))

Appearing on Cross Cultural Poetics, hosted by Leonard Schwartz

Episode #60: Doing Things With Words, Doing Words With Things, 2004

Rodrigo Toscano returns to Cross Cultural Poetics to read, in studio, from his latest book, To Leveling Swerve (Krupskaya).

  1. Introduction (1:00): MP3
  2. "Twelve Riddles in Spirit, Crook in Hand" (6:44): MP3
  3. Types of vocabulary in "Twelve Riddles" (2:58): MP3
  4. "Memories of Somewhere to Somewhere Else" (8:56): MP3
  5. Relationship between Spanish and English in Toscano's work (4:01): MP3
  6. Poetry as liberation from control (0:57): MP3
  7. "Subject Line, Subscribe, Society," from To Leveling Swerve (5:07): MP3
Complete recording (29:43): MP3

Appearing on Cross Cultural Poetics, hosted by Leonard Schwartz

Episode #38: Permutations, 2004

Rodrigo Toscano, poet and labor activist, on the phone from New York, winds and unwinds his poems from The Disparities and Platform.

Complete recording (1:00:06): MP3

Reading as part of The Line Reading Series, November 25, 2003

Complete reading (35:07): MP3

Poetry and Empire: Post-Invasion Poetics, presented at the ICA, University of Pennsylvania, October 17-18, 2003

Writing (6:12): MP3
October 18 reading (6:15): MP3

Reading at St. Mark's Poetry Project, New York City, April 15th, 2002

Introduction by Joanna Fuhrman.

In-Formational Forum Rousers—Arcing (Satire No. 4)” (from Platform, Atelos Press, 2003: sections from the poem first published in Cross Cultural Poetics, The Literary Review (“Global Issue”), Aufgabe, Conundrum)

Complete reading (37:25): MP3, RealAudio

Reading for the Wednesdays @ 4 Plus Series, SUNY-Buffalo, November 14, 2001

  1. Introduction by Charles Bernstein (3:05): MP3
  2. Premise #2 (4:52): MP3 (from The Disparities, Green Integer, 2000; first published in Object / Torque)
  3. Sections from Partisans (10:11): MP3 (from Partisans, O Books, 1999; poems first published in West Coast Line, Tripwire, Zyzzyva, New American Writing, Re*Map)
  4. Prologue to a City Poem (3:36): MP3 (from The Disparities; first published in Chain #2, The East Village (Web), Exploded Views, Audio CD (Incommunicado))
  5. Jesse Ventura on Mexico Trade Trip (0:59): MP3 (uncollected; published in Vert (Web))
  6. Blue-Green Superfund Roundelay (1:45): MP3 (from Platform, Atelos Press, 2003); first published in DC Poetry Anthology (Web))
  7. Jukebox Selection, a Brick and Mortar Remembrance (2:04): MP3 (from Platform; first published in Cross Cultural Poetics)
  8. An abridgement of a poem titled "Premise #1" (1:10): MP3 (uncollected; published in Bird Dog)
  9. An abridgement of an abridgement of a poem titled "Premise #1" (0:37): MP3 (uncollected; published in Bird Dog)
  10. A third abridgement (0:20): MP3 (uncollected; published in Bird Dog)
  11. 14 Superimposed Pockets of Formerly Unified Subjectivity as Mass Aggregate Social Subject Or, Politesse Politique Or, Monologue of the Free Radical (2:13): MP3 (from Platform; first published in Kenning)
  12. Pre-Capitalist Duende Outbounds Archie-Dependant Kontent? (1:48): MP3 (from Platform; first published in Kenning Audio Editions (Audio CD))
  13. Poetics (1:34): MP3 (from Platform; first published in 580 Split)
  14. Ideo-Degradable Verses from Immokolee (3:29): MP3 (from Platform; first published in Cross Cultural Poetics)
  15. Hidden Harvest (3:23): MP3 (from Platform; first published in Cello Entry)
  16. Early Morning Prompts for Evening Takes Or, Roll 'em! (3:42) (from Platform; first published in Poetics Journal)
  17. Portrait Seven (2:38): MP3 (from The Disparities; first published in Exhaust)
  18. The Codes of US Trade Reps (As a Worm Weaves Silk) (4:55): MP3 (from Platform; first published in Bombay Gin)

"Poetics" is also featured on PoemTalk Episode 17.

Reading for the Segue Series at Double Happiness, March 10, 2001

  • Complete recording (39:36): MP3

Philly Talks, Episode #6, September 17, 1998

Early Morning Prompts for Evening Takes or Roll 'Em (3:17): MP3

LIVE at the Writers House, Episode 10, September 14, 1998

Premise Number One (2:59): MP3

Reading for the Segue Series at the Ear Inn, New York, March 29, 1997

  • Complete recording (26:07): MP3

Reading for the Segue Series at the Ear Inn, New York, March 30, 1990

  • Complete recording (12:24): MP3

Also of Interest:


Rodrigo Toscano on PennSound Daily


These sound recordings are being made available for noncommercial and educational use only. All rights to this recorded material belong to the author.© 2015 Rodrigo Toscano. Used with permission of Rodrigo Toscano. Distributed by PennSound.