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VS

VS

Poetry Foundation

The VS podcast is a bi-weekly series where poets confront the ideas that move them. Hosted by poets Ajanaé Dawkins and Brittany Rogers, produced by Cin Pim/Ombie Productions, and presented by the Poetry Foundation.

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Top 10 VS Episodes

Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best VS episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to VS for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite VS episode by adding your comments to the episode page.

VS - Statement from the VS Team
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07/21/20 • 5 min

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VS - Maya Marshall vs. Priorities
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01/31/23 • 51 min

Join us this week in Atlanta, where Brittany and Ajanae sit down with Maya Marshall to discuss Maya’s debut collection, All the Blood Involved in Love (Haymarket Press). This conversation centers around choice, obligation and priorities, both on and off the page. Listen as they navigate falling in love, managing illness, choosing between work and family, and much more!

Until Next Time:
Here are some pieces of media to accompany your experience of the episode, and a writing prompt to tide you over until we meet again!
Charles Bukowski: The Difference Between a Bad Poet and a Good one is Luck
Nina Simone: Nina Simone Little girl blue
Black Woman Barista at Coffee Shop

Writing Prompt: Write a poem where the reader gets to choose their own ending. This may involve writing the poem in multiple stanzas or sections and asking the reader to skip ahead.

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On this weeks episode, Brittany and Ajanae continue their mini-tour of Atlanta with an interview with Mia. S. Willis. During this conversation, they discuss learning to slow down, avoiding the “full length” book pressure, and language as a material culture; they also think fondly on friendship, connection, and Black colloquialisms.

Until Next Time:
Here are some pieces of media to accompany your experience of the episode, and a writing prompt to tide you over until we meet again!
Scott Willis: For a taste of his energy, listen to: Ja Rule- Livin It Up
James Baldwin: 4 Must See Interviews With James Baldwin
June Jordan: Notes on the Peanut

Writing prompt: Make time this week to write poems that you won’t share with anyone. Note any shifts in your experience with the process.

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On this week’s episode, Brittany and Ajanae sit down with Alexis Pauline Gumbs; during this interview, they discuss the gift of literary inheritance, unlearning the colonial lens, and allowing curiosity and awe to guide one’s research practice. Alexis also discusses the process of writing a biography on Audre Lorde, a longtime teacher and guide.

Until Next Time:
Here are some pieces of media to accompany your experience of the episode, and a writing prompt to tide you over until we meet again!
Fannie Lou Hamer- Songs My Mother Taught Me
Fred Hampton-Fred Hampton on Revolution And Racism
Dionne Brand- History as Imagination: Black Dreaming as Liberation | Project Myopia

Writing prompt: For a week, read a poem of a writer you admire every day before writing.

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VS - 2023 Statement from the VS team
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11/21/23 • 2 min

A short statement from Brittany and Ajanaé regarding current events.

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VS - Tara Betts vs. the Mask
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04/21/20 • 66 min

Tara Betts is on a mission to be herself. The poet, editor, and professor comes through to talk about celebrating your people, her relationship with wearing the mask of respectability, the economic challenges of working as a poet, and much more.

NOTE: Make sure you rate us on Apple Podcasts and write us a review!

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VS - Franny and Danez vs. the Couch
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04/07/20 • 44 min

Well, turns out the world can turn upside down. In the midst of social isolation and self-isolation due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Franny and Danez tapped in from their homes in Massachusetts and Minneapolis, respectively, to talk about how they’re processing the absurd and unsettling time, what isolation has taught them, and the role of artistry in this crisis. Plus, they each read a new poem, send out a call for mailbag questions, and share some WRITING PROMPTS FOR Y’ALL!

PLEASE share your questions for the hosts and the poems that you write to the prompts with us by emailing a voice memo recording of you reading your poem to [email protected], so we can include them in next month’s VS episode!

NOTE: Make sure you rate us on Apple Podcasts and write us a review!

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VS - Parneshia Jones vs. 2020
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02/25/20 • 63 min

Season 4, y’all! Danez and Franny kick off the new year with Parneshia Jones. Parneshia is the author of Vessel, and serves as Editorial Director for Trade and Engagement at Northwestern University Press. They talk about the unique potential of art-making in this moment, the space she intentionally carves for Black women in the publishing world, the majesty of the front porch, and much more. Plus, a brand new unpublished poem!

Poems read by Parneshia:
2020, The Day After
Resurrection Under the Moon

NOTE: Make sure you rate us on Apple Podcasts and write us a review!

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VS - Wo Chan vs. Drag
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10/15/19 • 40 min

If hearing the brilliant Wo Chan talk with Danez and Franny about the mystical ritual of drag isn’t enough for you, maybe the spoiler alert that this episode is the first in VS history to need a crying break for all participants will get you to push that play button. Wo talks about the similarities of drag and poetry, the extreme loneliness of a childhood spent at Table 4a, and much more. Recorded at the Smithsonian Asian American Literature Festival!

NOTE: Make sure you rate us on Apple Podcasts and write us a review!

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Ladan Osman steps into the stu with a knowledge of her journey and a commitment to share. The poet and filmmaker talks about how she has traversed the complex and scarring world of the poetry industry, the ways that she pushed herself toward making different media, what she hopes for the poets emerging in her wake, and much more. Plus, some quality shoutouts to the bees and important postcolonial board game critiques.

NOTE: Make sure you rate us on Apple Podcasts and write us a review!

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FAQ

How many episodes does VS have?

VS currently has 138 episodes available.

What topics does VS cover?

The podcast is about Podcasts, Performing Arts, Books and Arts.

What is the most popular episode on VS?

The episode title 'Statement from the VS Team' is the most popular.

What is the average episode length on VS?

The average episode length on VS is 57 minutes.

How often are episodes of VS released?

Episodes of VS are typically released every 14 days.

When was the first episode of VS?

The first episode of VS was released on Jun 14, 2017.

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