Episode: With a biblical poem that shifts imagery (Ps 23), and another (Robert Hayden's "Those Winter Sundays") that provides perspective, Brent Strawn takes us into an "uber-famous" biblical poem-this "nightingale of the Psalms" (Henry Ward Beecher)-that needs to be heard again. Themes of life, death, and asylum redound. Enjoy this last episode of Season 1 of our podcast In Parallel.

Poem Attribution: “Those Winter Sundays,” Copyright © 1966 by Robert Hayden. From COLLECTED POEMS OF ROBERT HAYDEN by Robert Hayden, edited by Frederick Glaysher. Used by permission of Liveright Publishing Company.

Strawn also discusses Sharon Olds' poem "The Preparing" from her 2002 collection Balladz.

About: In Parallel is a new podcast that explores biblical and contemporary poetry. Please subscribe wherever you listen (Apple Podcasts, Spotify). For more information about the podcast, see HERE and to learn more about Brent, see HERE.

Help Support In Parallel: Visit our Donate Page if you want to support this show.

Episode: A journey into the psalter's darkest poem (Psalm 88) to explore tone and emotional state in poetry. This episode engages Linda Pastan's poem "Why are Your Poems So Dark?" Thanks to Linda Pastan for permission to use her poem, which was first published in Poetry Magazine in 2003, and in her collection A Queen of a Rainy Country, published by W. W. Norton.

Attribution: ©2006 by Linda Pastan. Used by permission of Linda Pastan in care of the Jean V. Naggar Literary Agency, Inc. (permissions@jvnla.com)

About: In Parallel is a new podcast that explores biblical and contemporary poetry. Please subscribe wherever you listen (Apple Podcasts, Spotify). For more information about the podcast, see HERE and to learn more about Brent, see HERE.

Help Support In Parallel: Visit our Donate Page if you want to support this new show.

Episode: What are we to make of the brutal last line in Psalm 137? "A blessing on the one who seizes your children and smashes them against the rock!" This episode explores unspeakable events, justice, revenge, death, and ... blessing. This episode engages John Savoie's poem "Trimmed and Burning."

Attributions: John Savoie’s poem, "Trimmed and Burning," appeared in Poetry Magazine in July 2003 (p. 207). It is used here with permission of the author.

About: In Parallel is a new podcast that explores biblical and contemporary poetry. Please subscribe wherever you listen (Apple Podcasts, Spotify). For more information about the podcast, see HERE and to learn more about Brent, see HERE.

Help Support In Parallel: Visit our Donate Page if you want to support this new show.