John reads “When you saw me the first time” from his chapbook My City of Yesterday. He discusses lyric poetry, private languages, and song writing (no spoilers!).John Tessitore has been a journalist and biographer. He has taught history and literature at colleges around Boston and directed national policy studies on education and civil justice. He serves as Co-Editor Across the Pond for The Wee Sparrow Poetry Press. His poems have appeared in a variety of journals. In each episode of Be True, he reads and discusses one of his published poems.www.johntessitore.comTwitter: @JohnTessitore2Instagram: @jtessitorewriterTikTok: @JtessitorewriterFacebook: JohnTessitore, WriterThreads: @jtessitorewriter This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit johntessitore.substack.com

John Tessitore has been a journalist and biographer. He has taught history and literature at colleges around Boston and directed national policy studies on education and civil justice. He serves as Co-Editor Across the Pond for The Wee Sparrow Poetry Press. His poems have appeared in a variety of journals. In each episode of Be True, he reads and discusses one of his published poems. www.johntessitore.comTwitter: @JohnTessitore2Instagram: @jtessitorewriterTikTok: @JtessitorewriterFacebook: JohnTessitore, WriterThreads: @jtessitorewriter This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit johntessitore.substack.com

John Tessitore has been a journalist and biographer. He has taught history and literature at colleges around Boston and directed national policy studies on education and civil justice. He serves as Co-Editor Across the Pond for The Wee Sparrow Poetry Press. His poems have appeared in a variety of journals. In each episode of Be True, he reads and discusses one of his published poems. www.johntessitore.comTwitter: @JohnTessitore2Instagram: @jtessitorewriterTikTok: @JtessitorewriterFacebook: JohnTessitore, WriterThreads: @jtessitorewriter This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit johntessitore.substack.com

John reads “One hopes for age appropriate” from his little book, I Sit At This Desk and Dream. He discusses its inspiration in an Instagram post, the importance of erotica to a well-lived life, and the miracle of a good punch line. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit johntessitore.substack.com

John Tessitore reads “New Harmonic Canon” from his collection Parchment (available at johntessitore.com). He discusses its relation to the life and work of Harry Partch, Walt Whitman, and the “old, weird America.” This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit johntessitore.substack.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit johntessitore.substack.com