VS – Details, episodes & analysis

On today’s episode, Brittany and Ajanae chat with Amanda Johnston; join them as they discuss choosing joy, intentional literary citizenship, the history of Torch Literary Arts, recurring selves in the work, and existing in the here and now.

Here is some media to accompany your experience of the episode and a writing prompt to tide you over until we meet again!

• Lucille Clifton - i am accused of tending to the past by Lucille Clifton
• Krista Franklin - ARTIST FEATURE: KRISTA FRANKLIN - EP2
• Wura-Natasha Ogunji - Interview with Wura-Natasha Ogunji | "Alpha Crucis – Contemporary African Art"
• Beyonce - The Business of Being Beyoncé Knowles-Carter | GQ

In the spirit of Amanda’s Praisesong project, choose a member of your community and write a praisesong or ode to them.

Welcome to Season 9! On today’s episode of VS, Brittany and Ajanae chat with Chet’la Sebree about love, the origin of words and theory, chronic illness, vulnerability, and using language to explore our curiosities. 

Here is some media to accompany your experience of the episode and a writing prompt to tide you over until we meet again!

• Natasha Tretheway: Natasha Trethewey’s Poems Take Wing on Intimate Details - The New York Times
• Shara McCallum FIELD STUDY: CHET'LA SEBREE IN CONVERSATION WITH SHARA MCCALLUM
• Allison Saar : #5WomenArtists Spotlight: Alison Saar - English with Audio Description

Research the etymology of a word and write a poem tracing its origin and evolution.

During this episode of VS, Brittany and Ajanae interview poet and novelist Phillip B. Williams. Join them as they talk about the process of writing an epic novel, embracing character’s autonomy, Morrisonian poems, and the responsibility of freedom. 

• Nina Simone: To Be Free
• Gabriel García Márquez: What To Know About The Master Of Magical Realism & Nobel Prize Winner | TIME
• Love Song by Henry Dumas | Poetry Foundation
• What does it mean to be human? | Sonia Sanchez | TEDxPhiladelphia

Who is your favorite writer? Write 3 rules that seem to guide their writing. Write a poem following those rules.

Get your hands in the dirt on this wonderful episode with Aimee Nezhukumatathil. The brilliant poet and Ole Miss professor gives a status update on her garden, her son’s sock budget, writing without a veil, and literary friendships. Plus, a tattoo callback to an earlier episode!

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On our next dispatch from our visit to Oxford, Missisippi, our fearless hosts get into it with poet Julian Randall. Julian talks about wrestling with forgiveness, searching for records of his family in the nearby town of Water Valley, and how a workshop prompt got him to come out to his parents.

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Franny and Danez kick it with Derrick Harriell, poet and Director of the MFA program at the University of Mississippi, where this episode was recorded. They talk remaking masculinity, flipping timelines through quantum theory, the anxiety of millennial writers, and much more. Plus, some good strip club recommendations from the good folks at VS.

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The VS Podcast squad pops down south to Oxford, MS for a handful of episodes featuring students and professors in the MFA program at the University of Mississippi. First up is hero Joshua Nguyen, who talks about bringing his hometown of Houston to the page, stickiness in his poems, connecting with his dad over poetic form, and the most comprehensive sports analysis this here podcast has ever included. Franny was flummoxed. Enjoy!

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Daniel Borzutzky isn’t afraid of the fire–he’s determined to call it what it is. The poet, professor, and translator talks about the links between Chicago and Chile, the desert as a site of incarceration, how translating shapes his poetry, and facing the violence of our moment head-on.

If you don’t fall head over heels with Tasha by the time you finish this episode, run this pod back and give it another shot because she is to die for. The singer, guitarist, songwriter, poet, and organizer stops by to talk nest-building, badass moms, and more with our fearless, kvelling hosts. Plus TWO in-studio musical performances from Tasha!

Make sure you get cozy with her album Alone At Last!

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Camonghne Felix is our president, a damn good poet, and a wonderful human. She sits down with Franny and Danez to talk about romance, heartbreak, flowers and phalanges, and her BRAND NEW collection Build Yourself a Boat, which is in stores now!

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