Best Vita Poetica Podcasts (2025)

1
The Art of Contemplative Photography by Jacqueline Wallen 14:47

19h ago14:47

14:47

Jacqueline Wallen introduces the ideas behind the art of contemplative photography, and guides us in three ways to practice it. Jacqueline Wallen is a clinical social worker with a practice of psychotherapy and an Associate Professor Emerita in the Department of Family Science, School of Public Health, University of Maryland, College Park.…

1
Poems by Fran Markover & Elizabeth Hamilton 8:34

5d ago8:34

8:34

Fran Markover reads her poem "Uncle Julius Gifts Me with Awe," and Elizabeth Hamilton reads her poem "Sunday at the SoCal Winery." Fran is a retired psychotherapist who lives in Ithaca, NY. Her poems have been published in many journals. She has a chapbook, and has published two books, History's Trail (Finishing Line Press) and Grandfather's Mandol…

1
The Sacrament of Silence by Layne Matthews Boles 34:10

8d ago34:10

34:10

Layne Matthews Boles reads her essay "The Sacrament of Silence." Layne holds an MFA from Seattle Pacific University in creative nonfiction, and is co-editor of Among Winter Cranes, the quarterly for the Christian Poetics Initiative (CPI) of the Rivendell Center for Theology and the Arts. While also working the front desk of a climbing gym, Layne en…

1
Poems by Jonathan Chibuike Ukah & Maryella Desak Sirmon 5:47

8d ago5:47

5:47

Jonathan Chibuike Ukah reads his poem "The Valley of the Living," and Maryella Desak Sirmon reads her poem "Uncertain Opposites." Jonathan Chibuike Ukah is a Pushcart-nominated poet living in the United Kingdom. His poems have been featured in TAB: The Journal of Poetry and Poetics, Unleash Lit, The Pierian, Propel Magazine, Atticus Review, The Jou…

1
Beulah Land by Corey Flintoff 21:58

15d ago21:58

21:58

Corey Flintoff reads his short story "Beulah Land" from our current Spring issue. Corey Flintoff is a former foreign correspondent for NPR. His fiction has appeared in the Virginia Quarterly Review, Glimmer Train, Ploughshares, and other journals.

1
Poems by Linda Laderman & Ryan Harper 6:55

19d ago6:55

6:55

Linda Laderman reads her poem "How you go on about the other woman," and Ryan Harper reads his poems "Atonia, Eve of St. Mark" and "Early Easter." Linda Laderman is a Michigan poet. Her poetry has appeared in numerous literary journals, including The Burningword Literary Journal, MER, SWWIM, ONE ART, Rust & Moth, Minyan, and Action-Spectacle. She i…

1
How to Buy a Rainbow by Alice Wyman 32:56

22d ago32:56

32:56

Alice Wyman reads her essay "How to Buy a Rainbow" from our Spring 2025 issue. Alice Wyman is an essayist and poet whose work explores the revelation of outlandish grace in small, daily things. Her work has appeared in Darling, The Washington Post, and other publications. She makes her home in the Carolinas with her husband and three children.…

1
Spring 2025 Trailer 5:37

27d ago5:37

5:37

Co-Editor Caroline Langston introduces our new Spring 2025 issue. Tune in for a preview of what's to come and listen to Caroline's editorial letter, "Or Does It Explode?"

1
Poem by Sharon Dolin & Art by Timothy deVries 7:38

4M ago7:38

7:38

Sharon Dolin reads her poem, "Before," and Timothy deVries discusses his art in "When Art Eschews Theology." Sharon Dolin is the author of seven books of poetry, most recently Imperfect Present; a memoir entitled Hitchcock Blonde; and two books of translation, most recently Late to the House of Words: Selected Poems by Gemma Gorga. Dolin is associa…

1
The Practice of Leading Contemplative Prayer with Kevin Driedger 7:07

4M ago7:07

7:07

Sometimes after doing a practice for a while, you may be invited to lead others in that practice. And leading contemplatively is its own practice. In this meditation, Kevin Driedger offers his approach to "The Practice of Leading Contemplative Prayer." Kevin lives on the Canadian prairies with his lovely wife June. He tries to bring a contemplative…

1
Poems by Maya Bernstein & Douglas Thorton 6:56

4M ago6:56

6:56

Maya Bernstein reads her poem, "The Primordial Catastrophe in the Process of Creation," and Douglas Thornton reads his poem, "The Tantra of Abiding." Maya Bernstein’s writing has appeared or is forthcoming in By the Seawall, The Ekphrastic Review, Pensive: A Global Journal of Spirituality and the Arts, Tablet Magazine, and elsewhere. She is a recen…

1
A Brief Cooking Meditation from Samir Knego 10:57

4M ago10:57

10:57

In this contemplative practice, Samir Knego invites us to embrace the ordinary act of cooking as a time for contemplation. In "⁠It Shall Be Food for You: A Brief Cooking Meditation⁠," Samir guides us through the process of cooking dried black beans, prompting us to thoughtfully consider our actions in each step, and to use times of waiting to refle…

1
Poems by Riv Wren & Maxim D. Shrayer 9:02

5M ago9:02

9:02

Riv Wren reads his poem, "The Lead Pastor's Visit," and Maxim D. Shrayer reads his poem, "The Conductor from Zion Square." Riv Wren lives in Loveland, Ohio. That is a real place. Wren's most recent poems appear in Pensive Journal and Cathexis Northwest. Maxim D. Shrayer, a Professor of Russian, English, and Jewish Studies at Boston College and a bi…

1
Seeking Creative Freedom by Lory Widmer Hess 15:11

5M ago15:11

15:11

Lory Widmer Hess reads her book review, "Seeking Creative Freedom: A Review of The Release: Creativity and Freedom After the Writing Is Done by Elizabeth Jarrett Andrew." Lory Widmer Hess lives with her family in Switzerland, where she works with adults with developmental disabilities and recently completed a training in Spiritual Direction. She is…

1
Poems by Spencer Barnhill & Rachel Prizant Kotok 6:28

5M ago6:28

6:28

Spencer Barnhill reads his poem, "Hedge of Protection," and Rachel Prizant Kotok reads her poem, "Bat Mitzvah Dreams." Born and raised in Edmond, Oklahoma, Spencer is studying finance and English at Oklahoma Baptist University. He is an aspiring writer who loves long-distance running and meaningful storytelling, and will have poetry featured in Eks…

1
Artist Tasha Cathey & Poet Barbara Krasner 6:37

5M ago6:37

6:37

Tasha Cathey introduces her visual artwork, "God's Underpaintings," and Barbara Krasner reads her poem, "In the Shtetl, G-d Does Not Only." Tasha Cathey lives in Knoxville, Tennessee with her husband and two children. Her work is inspired heavily from her years spent living in Arizona and California at a young age and are either composed purely fro…

1
Poems by D.S. Martin & Tzivia Gover 7:40

5M ago7:40

7:40

D.S. Martin reads his poem, "Bloor-Danforth," and Tzivia Gover reads her poem, "Sacrifice." D.S. Martin is Poet-in-Residence at McMaster Divinity College, and Series Editor for the Poiema Poetry Series from Cascade Books. He has written five poetry collections including Angelicus (2021), Ampersand (2018), and Conspiracy of Light: Poems Inspired by …

1
Surrendering to the Kiln: Interview with Potter Sarah Wells Rolland 47:32

5M ago47:32

47:32

In this interview, "Surrendering to the Kiln," our Interviews Editor Emily Chambers Sharpe speaks with Sarah Wells Rolland, ceramic artist and founder of The Village Potters Clay Center in Asheville, NC. Sarah Wells Rolland is the owner and founder of The Village Potters Clay Center in The River Arts District in Asheville, NC. Sarah is an instructo…

1
Poems by Kathleen Hellen & Tommy Welty 5:30

6M ago5:30

5:30

Kathleen Hellen reads her poem, "the afterlife of mice," and Tommy Welty reads his poem, "What Will We Do the Day the World Ends?" Kathleen Hellen is the recipient of the James Still Award, the Thomas Merton Prize for Poetry of the Sacred, and prizes from the H.O.W. Journal and Washington Square Review. Her debut collection Umberto’s Night won the …

1
Kani ka ‘ōpala by Benjamin Fairfield 13:11

6M ago13:11

13:11

Benjamin Fairfield reads and performs music from his multimedia feature, "Kani ka ‘ōpala: A Musical Redemption of Rubbish." Benjamin Fairfield served as a Peace Corps volunteer in a Karen village in Chiang Mai, Thailand, and received his MA and PhD in ethnomusicology at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. He founded the Thai Ensemble at UH (MUS311)…

1
Poems by Steven Searcy & Lisa Rosinsky 7:27

6M ago7:27

7:27

Steven Searcy reads his poem, "Christ's Baptism," and Lisa Rosinsky reads her poem, "Yom Kippur." Steven Searcy is the author of Below the Brightness (Solum Literary Press, 2024). His poems have appeared in Southern Poetry Review, Commonweal, The Windhover, Ekstasis, Amethyst Review, and elsewhere. He lives with his wife and four sons in Georgia. L…

1
The Woman with Red Hair by Charles Sutphin 8:44

6M ago8:44

8:44

Charles Sutphin and his daughter, Sarah Sutphin, read his short story, "The Woman with Red Hair." Charles Sutphin has lived in Indianapolis for more than 60 years. His cobbled career includes editor, journalist, writer, attorney, professor and capitalist. Married for 35 years with two children, two dogs and a sense of humor, he recently published i…

1
Poems by Ryan Service & Alisha Goldblatt 5:52

6M ago5:52

5:52

Ryan Service reads his poem, "Lux," and Alisha Goldblatt reads her poem, "Guarding the Body." Ryan Service is a full-time priest and sometime-poet based in the Midlands (UK). His work has been published in Theology, The Sociological Review, and other journals. He received a prize for his entry in the Jack Clemo poetry competition, and before traini…

1
Obviously by Miriam Fried 10:51

6M ago10:51

10:51

Miriam Fried reads her essay, "Obviously," from the Autumn 2024 issue. Miriam Fried’s work has been published in The Threepenny Review, Scoundrel Time, Alaska Quarterly Review, Ambit, Crab Creek Review, and The Baltimore Review. She lives in Brooklyn.

1
Autumn 2024 Trailer 5:42

6M ago5:42

5:42

Co-Editor Caroline Langston introduces our new Autumn 2024 issue. Tune in for a preview of what's to come, and listen to Caroline's editorial letter, "In the Light of Eternity."

1
Poems by Richard Chess & D.E. Kern 7:49

9M ago7:49

7:49

Richard Chess reads his poem, "The Loneliest Monk: By the Book," and "Sight Unseen." Richard Chess is the author of four books, most recently Love Nailed to the Doorpost (University of Tampa Press 2017). He is professor emeritus from UNC Asheville where, among other things, he directed its Center for Jewish Studies for 30 years. He serves on the bo…

1
Poems by Megan Huwa & 6:40

9M ago6:40

6:40

Megan Huwa reads her poem, "Counting Stars," and Hannah Butcher-Stell reads her poem, "one body." Megan Huwa is a poet and writer in southern California. A rare health condition keeps her and her husband from living near her family’s five-generation farm in Colorado, so her writing reaches for home—both temporal and eternal. Her work has been publi…

1
Poems by Jan Wiezorek & Megan McDermott 7:15

9M ago7:15

7:15

Jan Wiezorek reads his poem, "Suffering," and Megan McDermott reads her poem, "Ruth, on the Purity, or Impurity, of Attention." Jan Wiezorek's poetry appears, or is forthcoming, in The London Magazine, The Westchester Review, Lucky Jefferson, Loch Raven Review, and The Broadkill Review, among other journals. He taught writing at St. Augustine Colle…

1
Matthew J. Andrews's Review of Lacunae by Scott Cairns 8:16

9M ago8:16

8:16

Matthew J. Andrews reads his essay, "Never Yet an Emptiness," a review of Lacunae by Scott Cairns. Matthew J. Andrews is a private investigator and writer. He is the author of the chapbook I Close My Eyes and I Almost Remember and the forthcoming full-length collection, The Hours (Solum Press). He can be contacted at www.matthewjandrews.com.…

1
Poems by Brad Davis & Luke Usry 8:56

10M ago8:56

8:56

Brad Davis reads his poem, "Unanticipated," and Luke Usry reads his poem, "Leave Britney Alone." Brad Davis (MFA, Vermont College of Fine Arts) is a California-born Canadian living in northeastern Connecticut. Poems have appeared in Poetry magazine, The Paris Review, Vallum, JAMA, Puerto del Sol, Brilliant Corners, Image, and many other journals. H…

1
Lory Widmer Hess's Review of Life After Doom by Brian McLaren 11:48

10M ago11:48

11:48

Lory Widmer Hess reads her essay, "Seeing into the Future," a review of Life After Doom: Wisdom and Courage for a World Falling Apart by Brian McLaren. Lory Widmer Hess lives with her family in Switzerland, where she works with adults with developmental disabilities and is completing a training in Spiritual Direction. She is the author of When Frag…

1
Two Poems by Elizabeth Poliner 7:05

10M ago7:05

7:05

Elizabeth Poliner reads her poems, "Welcome World" and "Bat Mitzvah Dress," from our Summer 2024 issue. Elizabeth Poliner’s books include the poetry collection, What You Know in Your Hands (David Robert Books), and the novel, As Close to Us as Breathing (Little, Brown & Co.), winner of the Janet Heidinger Kafka Prize in Fiction. A new novel, Spinni…

1
My Other Name Is Hagar by Heather M. Surls 30:48

10M ago30:48

30:48

Heather M. Surls reads her essay, "My Other Name Is Hagar." Heather M. Surls is an American writer and journalist who has lived in the Middle East for more than a decade. Her reporting has appeared in outlets like the Jordan News, Christianity Today, Hidden Compass, EthnoTraveler, and Anthrow Circus, while her creative nonfiction has been published…

1
Poems by Dominic Palmer & Arlene Tribbia 7:24

10M ago7:24

7:24

Dominic Palmer reads "Want Is My Shepherd," and Arlene Tribbia reads "Bolt Down the Universe." Dominic Palmer is a teacher, writer, and church musician living in Manchester. His poetry has been published or is forthcoming in journals including Blue Unicorn, Ekstasis, and EGG+FROG. Dominic and his wife have recently become parents for the first time…

1
Ave Maria by Grace Donovan 35:59

10M ago35:59

35:59

Grace Donovan reads her short story, "Ave Maria." Grace Donovan is a fiction writer from Northeast Ohio. She currently resides in the DMV area where she is getting her MFA in fiction writing at George Mason University. Grace loves ice cream, her cat Patsy, the fiber arts, and the Brontë sisters. She often writes about women, queerness, and childhoo…

1
Three Poems by David Allen Sullivan 10:26

10M ago10:26

10:26

David Allen Sullivan reads his three poems, "Wine Skin Slippages," "Tympanic Membranes," and "This body," from our current Summer issue. Former Santa Cruz county poet laureate David Allen Sullivan’s books include Strong-Armed Angels, Every Seed of the Pomegranate, a book of co-translation with Abbas Kadhim from the Arabic of Iraqi Adnan Al-Sayegh, …

1
Contemplation of Creation: A Nature Meditation Walk 42:00

10M ago42:00

42:00

Kolya Braun Greiner leads a nature meditation walk, "Contemplation of Creation." Take this episode with you out on a walk, hike, or simply to a quiet spot indoors by a window. This rich offering includes exercises to center your mind, body, and spirit before the walk, as well as seven individual "encounters" with beings in nature. Listen to the gui…

1
Pastor & Actor Rev. Lisa Cole Smith 43:29

10M ago43:29

43:29

The Artist as Prophet, the Church as Collective: Pastor & actor Rev. Lisa Cole Smith speaks with our Assistant Interviews Editor Darby Brown on art as a spiritual language, the church's role in supporting artists, and "equipping artists to serve as prophetic critics and imaginative visionaries in the world." Rev. Lisa Cole Smith is an actor, direct…

1
Summer 2024 Trailer 5:33

11M ago5:33

5:33

The Summer 2024 issue of the journal is here! Tune in for a preview of the new works we'll be featuring this podcast season.

1
Embodied Faith: Conversation with Dancers Hope Blackburn & Jacob Shoup 38:15

12M ago38:15

38:15

Assistant Interviews Editor Darby Brown speaks with dancers and choreographers Hope Blackburn and Jacob Shoup of Ekklesia Contemporary Ballet. A transcript of the interview is available here. Hope Blackburn and Jacob Shoup are dancers and choreographers with Ekklesia Contemporary Ballet, a professional dance company of artist-theologians whose goal…

1
A Journal of Many Colors by Rachel Berry 5:53

12M ago5:53

5:53

Rachel shares about her contemplative practice of journaling in "A Journal of Many Colors." Rachel Berry resides in Richmond, Virginia with her sweet dog Phin. She spends her free time journaling, dancing on her treadmill, and spending time with friends and family.

1
Review of Museum Exhibit "The Art of Knowing" 9:18

1y ago9:18

9:18

Cheryl Sadowski reads her essay, "Teachers, Sages, and Serpents," a review of the Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art's ongoing exhibit, The Art of Knowing in South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Himalayas, which is on view in Washington, DC. Cheryl Sadowski writes about art, books, landscape, and nature. Her essays, reviews, and short fiction …

1
Poems by Ping Yi Yee & Isabel Chenot 5:15

1y ago5:15

5:15

Ping Yi Yee reads his poem, "Fortune Center," and Isabel Chenot reads her poem, "pain is not an ark." Ping Yi Yee writes poetry, travelogues and fiction, and is in public service. His work has appeared in Litro, London Grip, Meniscus, La Piccioletta Barca, and Sideways, among others, and is forthcoming in Poetry Breakfast and Harbor Review. Ping Yi…

1
Visual Art by Alexis Eke 6:49

1y ago6:49

6:49

Artist Alexis Eke shares about her digital artwork featured in our Spring 2024 issue, including on the cover. View her art can be viewed here. Alexis Eke is an artist based in Toronto, Ontario. She illustrates surrealism portraits and comic illustrations using vibrant colors, to communicate the truth of Gods Word and increase the representation of …

1
Poems by Bart Edelman & K.D. Battle 6:16

1y ago6:16

6:16

Bart Edelman reads his poem, "Crazy Eights," and K.D. Battle reads his poem, "Self-Help Sonnet I," from the Spring 2024 issue. Bart Edelman’s poetry collections include Crossing the Hackensack (Prometheus Press), Under Damaris’ Dress (Lightning Publications), The Alphabet of Love (Ren Hen Press), The Gentle Man (Ren Hen Press), The Last Mojito (Ren…

1
Miriam: A Multimedia Project by Gerburg Garmann 11:59

1y ago11:59

11:59

Gerburg Garmann shares about her multimedia project, Miriam, which includes a 72x48" painting and a soundscape in 5 movements. This painting, and the fifth movement of the soundscape, the "Coda," are featured in our Spring 2024 issue here. In this podcast episode, Gerburg shares the background behind this project, and the "Coda" of the soundscape. …

1
Poems by Scott Hales & Kara Applegate 4:36

1y ago4:36

4:36

Scott Hales reads his poem, "Holy Envy," and Kara Applegate reads their poem, "Misericordia." Scott Hales is a writer, critic, and historian living in Eagle Mountain, Utah. His work has appeared in Religion and the Arts, BYU Studies, Irreantum, The Under Review, The Sandy River Review, and other academic and literary journals. His first collection …

1
Shoah Shoes by Helen L. Conway 8:06

1y ago8:06

8:06

Helen L. Conway reads her essay, "Shoah Shoes." Helen L. Conway lives in St. Helens, UK. A former Judge, she holds an MA in Creative Writing from Lancaster University and is the author or joint-author of over a dozen books and numerous articles about law, art, mental health and coaching psychology. She is also an internationally exhibited and colle…

1
Two Poems by Maxim D. Shrayer 6:20

1y ago6:20

6:20

Maxim D. Shrayer reads his poems, "Artists' Quarter in Old Jaffa" and "Wailing Wall." Maxim D. Shrayer is a bilingual writer in English and Russian, a 2012 Guggenheim Fellow, and a winner of a 2007 National Jewish Book Award. He was born in Moscow and left the former USSR in 1987. A professor at Boston College, Shrayer is the author of over twenty-…

1
Standing Water by James Roderick Burns 11:46

1y ago11:46

11:46

James Roderick Burns reads his short story, "Standing Water." Please be aware this story contains brief references to physical abuse and the demonic. James Roderick Burns is the author of one flash fiction collection, To Say Nothing of the Dog, and five collections of short-form poetry, most recently Crows at Dusk; a collection of four novellas – T…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Vita Poetica Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Quick Reference Guide