Q. Radio is the most intimate of all media because it’s just the listener and the poet. But what do you think bridges that connection?
A.
The fact that we’re also poets and hosts of
Poetry Is
makes a difference. We understand the stages of being a poet, and we get it because we go through it ourselves, from the first sparks of inspiration to the finalizing and performance of a poem. We keep this in mind when we’re selecting pieces to air for our listeners. We want our listeners to see all sides of poetry and spoken word.
In the same way, our listening audience is a mixture of people from all walks of life so is our content. This keeps the connection between poet and listener strong. We play tracks with relatable topics. Then we also mix in tracks that raise awareness and get conversations started because art is a form of action. We want to move you in some way.
Q. Has it been difficult to find new poets during COVID-19? How have poets gotten more creative to share their work?
A. Thankfully, technology and social media were ahead of COVID-19. We’ve found that many poets still created new content. In fact, with the wave of open mic shows and slams moving to digital platforms, there wasn’t a disruption to finding new material or poets. For the most part, our community was innovative, supportive, and adaptable to the changing times. Many shows took place on Instagram and Facebook Live. This included features and open mic signup opportunities. I also have to add that quite a few workshops were available as well.
Q. Tell us about the WMNF Poets of the Month initiative.
A. Poetry isn’t just a one-look vibe, and we’re determined to make sure this platform is all-inclusive. WMNF’s new
Poets of the Month
is a great way to expose listeners to our local community’s diverse and aesthetic talent. Poets can visit WMNF.org to submit their poems. We’ll review submissions, and poets will be selected each month as the feature. This includes the opportunity for poets to come into our studio to have their poems professionally recorded. They’ll also receive an interview on Poetry Is, and their poem will have possible airtime during our daytime shows. We’re excited about this new venture, and we look forward to working with poets in our community.
A. Is there anything you’d like to add that we haven’t asked?
Thank you for taking the time to interview Poetry Is. We appreciate WMNF and its efforts to provide community-conscious content in changing times. We also want to thank our listeners and supporters.
