This podcast has inspired me to write more, and turned me on to so many great poets. The podcasters questions are so thoughtful and direct, it makes for such beautiful conversations. I recommend this podcast to everyone I know!

I am a poet and avid, voracious poetry “learner,” so poetry podcasts have become essential for me. Helena de Groot is simply the best podcaster and reader of poetry out here right now. I was reminded by this the other day as I tuned back in to another popular poetry podcast, immediately remembering why I had stopped listening to it: that podcast host is utterly self-absorbed and spends an inordinate amount of time talking about herself, whining on and on about the woes of her own life. Lots of whining and self-pity. It will take her at least five minutes to articulate the actual question to the poet, who then often forgets the question because it’s taken so long. We are tuning in to learn about The Poet, not the podcaster herself. Helena de Groot, on the other hand, converses with the poets in such a genuine, original manner. She asks intelligent, articulate, thoughtful questions about the poets and the poetry they are writing. She is a class act and podcasting at its finest. A real pleasure for all of us hungry for poetry…thank you!

de Groot is simply one of the great readers of American poetry. I recommend this podcast to all of my friends.

I understand that this show captures the current popular inclinations in poetry. But I find the poems and discussions in most episodes uninteresting. This show is a reminder that modern poetry is a direct progeny of the 1960’s counterculture. I wish they would at least focus their discussions more on the technical aspects of the poetry rather than the social issues that the authors may be preoccupied by.

I am impressed by the care and attention that goes into creating this podcast. I am impressed each time by the thoughtful and insightful questions that are asked. One receives a beautifully executed glimpse of the poet’s life, mind, and heart due to a most talented and sensitive interviewer. The questions, choices of focus, her voice and music creates an unusual and moving experience each time.

This is one of the best poetry podcasts (I’ve listened to too many). The guests write vibrant poetry across a range of styles. The host,Helena de Groot, skillfully draws her guests into conversation, asking interesting questions. She creates a warm comfortable space to enjoy poetry and the creative process of writing it. This is celebration of poets & poetry — not critical analysis.

The MCs are terrible. Curtis had so much better interviewing skills too. The new girls aren’t articulate at all. The 4 stars are for the content though.

I have been introduced to so many wonderful poets through this podcast.

I've listened to Poetry Off the Shelf for many years and some interviews numerous times, from Curtis Fox's interview with Kay Ryan concerning Robert Frost's poems, including "Spring Pools," to Tuesday, 7/21/20's talk with William J. Maxwell on his book F. B. Eyes. // I very much miss Curtis Fox for the poetry his guests read and discussed with great insight. Ms. DeGroot is a fine interviewer though. Today's interview was fascinating, and I'll likely buy the book. The interview lacked some context; for example, that the U. S. invaded Russia 1918-1919 because President Wilson and other industrialists judged Communism a threat to Capitalism. Not only has our government used a heavy hand against people of color but also against socialists. // I enjoy DeGroot's wide-ranging topics and her guests, so it was disconcerting not to be able to understand parts of today's podcast. I had to keep switching the volume control with each change in speaker as DeGroot's voice is quiet and Maxwell's is loud. And the music overwhelmed both speakers to the extent that necessary information was inaudible. I needed to google both the author and the book title. Please fix the sound balance before airing the next podcast. // And thanks to the Poetry Foundation for years of diverse programming.

Helena de Groot is a masterful interviewer! This podcast is a treasure. Thank you!

I enjoy being exposed to new poetry and poets. Hearing the conversations and insights has really helped me in examining the way I look at life and has had a tangible effect on my life.

Helena de Groot asks all the right questions at the right time to her guests. When a new podcast appears I’m excited and grateful. Many thanks to Helena and our Poetry Foundation.

This podcast is so good especially. Topically. In terms of the speakers. I value the frame of socio political matters (diffabilities, PTSD, addiction, much more). I also really love it. Just as it is. What it does beyond language, which is rare, it gathers. I kinda feel I'm with others and that is beautiful actually.

emulsion of: wondering and aplomb an experience so ingenious so igneous and beautiful it flows from the open, bountiful and scienceless trachea that links the world outside to the passionate magmas (thank you) in us

I live and die by this life-enriching podcast, but I mourn the loss of Curtis Fox, an incomparable host. No disrespect meant for Ms. de Groot, but I think we’re owed an explanation for the sudden changing of the guard.

an emulsion of wonderin’ and aplomb an experience so ingenious so igneous and beautiful it flows from the open, bountiful and scienceless trachea that links the world outside to the passionate magmas (thank you) in us

Where o where is Curtis Fox?

The title says it all. The Poetry Foundation is doing some wonderful, necessary work via audio and Off the Shelf is part of that work

I’m sorry but the show lost something when Curtis left

This is EXTREMELY biased and VERY HELPFUL for me, a conservative, to see the inner experience of people I fundamentally disagree with to understand them better for the simple reason that so much of what they say is pure bull malarkey.

Curtis Fox is incredibly well spoken and has a great frame of reference. He's also engaging and enlightening.

If your interested in knowing why Americans are not interested in poetry, this is the reason. A great disservice to those of us incapable of writing such an art form, yet yearning to understand the complex art of the ancient wordsmiths of human culture. When a expert professor explains “You know” and fillers with “So ...” who can not think: If I knew I wouldn’t be listening to this...and especially to you.” A podcast of confirmation bias. I have canceled my subscription to “Poetry” magazine with many poems that sound like prose, and when mortal time permitting, I read a great poem in text. Although, I have read some very moving poems in that well intentioned journal. Sad, is the mismatch of mission and message. My advice to the time restrained, busy lovers of poetry seeking inspiration: use unforgiving Time well and read a good poem.

Curtis Fox has just the right tone--he admires what he admires, he engages poets in conversation about craft without straying into mysticism. The series of podcasts about third-wave feminism and poetry was outstanding, and I regularly hear about poets I'm intrigued by. Not just a shill for the poetry foundation!

In the small field of poetry podcasts, this one rises above the rest in that it is both informal and informative, it doesn’t take it self seriously, and has great themes and conversations. Curtis Fox is a great host and can make even the most academic of guests go done a little easier. Been listening for years—highly recommended.

When you’re at work, in the car, or cooking breakfast, this podcast plays beautifully over speakers or headphones. Great content and production quality for poetry readers wanting to hear discussions on some of their favorite poets or tune in to find new ones. It’s always a guaranteed good episode from one of my favorite podcast shows!

Just getting into poetry so this is a nice way to find out about poets I don't know. Doesn't take up a whole lot of time but they pack each episode with little inquiries into the poems and/or poets themselves. Well done.

This podcast makes me deeply happy. Wonderful contextualization of the poetry. My first episode was A Change of World, Episode 2 and I am working back now. Love Adrienne Rich. Love this podcast!

Helps me think about poetry more in depth and exposes me to poems I would never have known about before. Thank you!

I've tried a couple of others, but Curtis Fox's chilled out, random exploration of poetic forms, poets and poetry is the best. I've found some amazing poetry listening to this podcast, and I hope you do too!

This is a must have for poetry lovers... or even poetry "likers"... subscribe!

This podcast is enjoyable and important!

Podcast is informative and interesting. Love when they get the poets on to explain things. Host does a great job of asking them questions to help clarify poet's intent. Can't give it five stars though until they get rid of that extremely annoying cellphone ring masquerading as intro music.

This podcast has introduced me to new poets, new ideas about poems I’ve heard before and new ways of thinking. They are playing around with a new format - conversations between poets - which I find hit or miss, but I still come away having learned something every week.

Poetry Off The Shelf is an enjoyable podcast that is always engaging, sometimes serious, sometimes funny, and usually challenging in the best ways. Running generally 15 minutes long and staying focused on a single poem/poet/topic, Curtis Fox (the host) adds his insight to and about a poem or poet while seeiking insight from other poets and litereary folks. I've discovered many interesting poems and poets via this podcast. If you are interested in poetry then this is a podcast for you.

The best show on poetry. Smart, real and interesting.

These podcasts are thoughtfully presented; they are educational and inspiring. Thank you for bringing poetry into my life.

Amazing podcast, top three of all time, so glad I found it.

Poets and writers talking about poets and writers. Inevitably pretentious, but also illuminating. Perhaps a little too much focus on legends and safely dead poets rather than the contemporary scene, but that's not the poets' fault.

Wonderful. A great wesite for all but especially for men.

This is an amazing podcast! I love it!!! Anyone who loves poetry should download it

Efficient format and informed conversation. A delight. You may not agree with the speakers' presuppositions or conclusions on Psalm 23, but you'll find the dialog an interesting, contemporary interpretation of this ancient poem.

I am new to I-tunes, but not new to loving poetry. These are free, informative, and engaging. I love the Walt Whitman podcast - great stuff!

This podcast is extremely helpful! I've always stumbled through poetry, sometimes understanding poems, and sometimes not. This podcast really begins to decode poetry, and helps me to see the beauty in it. With interviews with authors and in-depth discussion, this is a podcast for poets, skeptics, and those that bumble around in poetry like me. Definitely try it!

perfect

I love this podcast!

This is the perfect extension of Writer's Almanac. The idea of studying one poem or poet gives me the feeling of being back in the college classroom. The poetry choices look are a wide range of styles and times. The length is just perfect for enjoying as I walk.

I look forward to seeing the light blue circle beside this program in my podcast list. Curtis Fox is a great host who takes poetry seriously (but not himself). The conversations are lucent and salient, never veering off into a conversation of parsing out academic theories, but rather making poetry, gasp, enjoyable and even, gasp gasp, funny.

Poetry Off the Shelf Podcast is so wonderful. Hearing the voices of the poets, the interviewers interjections make me feel as if I am part of a conversation. There is a lot of laughter in these podcasts and it reminds the listener poetry is contemporary, relevant and priceless.

I look forward to every one of these podcasts. Curtis Fox is a fantastic host: his interviews are very informative as well as have a wonderful conversational tone and manner without ever going off topic. The recording is top quality as well, so it is more than easy on the ears. I particularly love how you really feel engaged in the discussion even though you are only listening. Finally I suggest subscribing to all PoetryFoundation.org podcasts - they all have something to offer.

I appreciated the most recent podcast for its brief clip of the poet's voice - A.R. Ammons. The poem that Ammons reads aloud (from a Live reading in New York in 1996) is "Still." It IS A.R. Ammons projecting his American voice. However, the two commentators undermine Ammons' poetry as distinctly his, not by classifying him within a literary school, but by saying his poem is "Whitman-esque" or "Wordsworthian." If Ammons strives for the American voice through a distinct, unapologetic and scientific type of writing, he is most like no one else but himself. Yes, I agree that his writing resembles William Carlos Williams. But A.R. Ammons belongs to no school for a reason. Any attempt to dissect what he, the poet, may or may not have been thinking is a disservice to his poetic exploration of the imagination. It is, essentially, to put words in his mouth.