Arts & Letters Radio is presenting the second episode of a limited series, AR Poetica, created by Arts & Letters' senior producer Mary Ellen Kubit and hosted by both Kubit and Arts & Letters' executive producer J. Bradley Minnick. We hope you enjoy the episode.
The Academy of American Poets explains that an “ars poetica poem is a poem examining the role of poets themselves as subjects, their relationships to the poem, and the act of writing.”
This limited series, AR Poetica, is where Arkansas poets discuss their work, their writing, and the connections both have with their lives.
In this second episode, we feature Arkansas poet Sandy Longhorn and her book The Alchemy of My Mortal Form, published by Trio House Press. This book of poems weaves a tale of a woman with a mysterious high fever and takes us through her journey of severe illness and hospitalization.
Longhorn's work questions our commercial healthcare system and its relationship toward women. Poems explore how women in this system are defined by body — socially, culturally, emotionally, physically, and finally financially.
Longhorn writes in the poem "I Have Gone Shimmering Into Ungentle Sleep:"
This fever is my tutor. It lectures
scarlet on my cheeks, pale quarter-moons
on all my fingernails, a heart that gallops beneath
the cold sting of stethoscopes unleashed.
I repose & ripen with the weight of secrets,
for I swore an oath to silence.
...
Longhorn has published several books of poetry including The Alchemy of My Mortal Form, the center of today's discussion, and The Girlhood Book of Prairie Myths, and Blood Almanac.
Her poems have appeared in Hayden’s Ferry Review, North American Review, Oxford American, and elsewhere. Longhorn lives in Central Arkansas and teaches in the Arkansas Writer’s MFA Workshop at the University of Central Arkansas.
Heartfelt thanks to Emmy Award-winning musician and producer, Silas Hite, who produced, mixed and mastered the episode and composed all of the music.
As a freelance composer, Hite's music appears in a wide variety of films and television shows from around the world, including programming for Pixar, Disney, the BBC, Netflix, and HBO.
He has scored hundreds of commercials for clients such as Apple, McDonalds, and Chevy and has contributed memorable music to top selling video games including The Sims 2, Skate 3, and The Simpsons.
In the podcast world, Silas Hite has had roles as varied as producer, story editor, sound designer, and composer.
Thank you, Silas, for all of your hard work and dedication to this series.
Generous funding for this episode of AR Poetica was provided by UA Little Rock’s Summer Research and Creative Activities Fellowship from the College of Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences, and Education.
An extra special thank you to poet Sandy Longhorn for sharing her peace, her perspectives and her poetry.
For AR Poetica, we are Mary Ellen Kubit and J. Bradley Minnick. And don’t forget to support local poets in your community. Poetry books change lives!
Executive Producer and Host: Mary Ellen Kubit
Senior Producer, Editor, and Host: J. Bradley Minnick
Episode Producer/Story Editor: Silas Hite
Sound Design and Music: Silas Hite
Mix and Mastering: Silas Hite
Recorded by: J. Bradley Minnick
Program Theme Song: Written and performed by Silas Hite.
AR Poetica is a production of LTD Media, Inc.
The AR Poetica team can be reached through Arts & Letters Radio.
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