Poems and prose .

Poetry, poems, Truths

Mark Strand reads "The End"

Poetry

Human Condition

Background, poem text, and context: http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2013/08/09/charles-bukowski-reads-friendly-advice-to-a-lot-of-young-men/

Charles Bukowski reads his "Friendly Advice To A Lot Of Young Men"

Here you can listen to Derek Walcott's poem recited by Kabat-Zinn, saying a prose statement was "bound to be inadequate" in communicating his point.

Read the full poem at http://www.onbeing.org/program/opening-our-lives/138

"Love After Love" by Derek Walcott (Read by Jon Kabat-Zinn)

Background and poem text: http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2014/03/27/frank-ohara-reads-metaphysical-poem/

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Frank O'Hara reads his "Metaphysical Poem"

Part of a Brain Pickings collaboration with the 92Y and artist Ohara Hale – see illustrated interpretations of the poems here: http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2014/04/28/denise-levertov-92y-ohara-hale

Recorded live at the https://soundcloud.com/92y

Audio exclusively available courtesy of the 92Y Unterberg Poetry Center and the Denise Levertov estate. 

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Denise Levertov reads "The Certainty" (1991)

Denise Levertov reads "The Ache of Marriage" (1963)

Denise Levertov reads "Open Secret" (1991)

Denise Levertov reads "City Psalm" (1965)

If you're going to try, go all the way.
  Otherwise, don't even start.

If you're going to try, go all the way.
 This could mean losing girlfriends, wives, relatives and maybe even your mind.
 It could mean not eating for three or four days.
 It could mean freezing on a park bench.
 It could mean jail . It could mean derision.
 mockery--isolation... Isolation is the gift.

 All the others are a test of your endurance, 
of how much you really want to do it?!. 
And, you'll do it,
 despite rejection and the worst odds. And it will be better than anything else you can imagine.
 If you're going to try, go all the way.
 There is no other feeling like that.
 You will be alone with the gods, and the nights will flame with fire.    do it do it  all the way.
      You will ride life straight to perfect laughter. It's the only good fight there is

All The Way - Charles Bukowski

Background, context, and poem text: http://www.brainpickings.org/2015/05/28/keeping-quiet-sylvia-boorstein-reads-pablo-neruda

Excerpted from https://soundcloud.com/onbeing/what-we-nurture-with-sylvia

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Sylvia Boorstein reads "Keeping Quiet" by Pablo Neruda

Poem text and an interview with Sarah about our fear of missing out, being a working artist in today's world, and how we measure creative success: https://www.brainpickings.org/2016/03/07/sarah-kay-interview/

POEM TEXT / INTERVIEW

Sarah Kay reads "The Paradox"

Background, discussion, and poem text: https://www.brainpickings.org/2016/04/11/david-whyte-vulnerability/

Excerpted from https://soundcloud.com/onbeing/david-whyte-the-conversational-nature-of-reality

Photograph by Nicol Ragland

David Whyte reads "Sweet Darkness"

Background, context, and full text: https://www.brainpickings.org/2016/04/11/david-whyte-vulnerability/

Excerpted from https://soundcloud.com/onbeing/david-whyte-the-conversational-nature-of-reality

Photograph by Nicol Ragland

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David Whyte reads "Vulnerability"

Shortly before his death, Mark Strand reads his beautiful meditation on mortality. Poem text and context: https://www.brainpickings.org/2016/10/18/mark-strand-reads-the-end/

Recording via @NYPL

Mark Strand reads "The End"

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