Off The Bricks

Welcome to Off The Bricks poets and Poetry lovers! This week we have a special program hosted by Joyce Brinkman. The Poet's Path is a guided poetry hike through Pokagon State Park including poetry from notable Indiana poets and prompts to inspire your own poetry. Bring a notebook and pen as you complete this guided program anytime during the year! While we suggest you take this opportunity to get outdoors with your poetry, this poet's path can be enjoyed indoors too if you have a bit of imagination. We hope to see you, Off The Bricks!

Today we are featuring a delightful discussion between American Poet Dr. Norbert Krapf and German Poet Dr. Helmut Haberkamm concerning dialect poetry. Krapf is a Fulbright Fellow in American Poetry at the Universities of Freiburg and Erlangen-Nuremberg, where he met our second guest Helmut Haberkamm. Dr. Haberkamm writes extensively in the Franconian dialectic. The conversation touches on subjects from James Whitcomb Riley to Bob Dylan with lots in between. www.krapfpoetry.net Our Natural Moment poem for the month is Reverence by Pheonix Cole.

Today Linda Neal Rising joins us for the 11th episode of Off The Bricks! Listen in as Rising discusses her poetry and how it has been informed by her experiences growing up a member of the Western Cherokee Nation, as well as the personal experiences of her parents which inform her political affiliations and activism. Rising has published multiple books of poetry including The Keeping which are available for sale on Amazon here.

Today Mary Sexson joins us for the 10th episode of Off The Bricks! Listen in as Sexson discusses her experiences with her daughter's addiction and shares the poetry that she wrote to manage her emotions during the course of her recovery. Sexson has been published multiple times and most recently has released work on the pandemic that was published through the Indianapolis Writers Center publication What Was and Will Be, with her poem, “Close”, being choreographed by Dance Kaleidoscope (November 2020). Some of Sexson's work is available for purchase on Amazon here and her personal website can be found here.

Today Katie Hesterman joins us for our 9th episode of Off The Bricks! Young poets all around should listen in as Katie reads poetry from her new book, A Round of Robins, an informational and playful collection of poems about robins. Our special guest interviewer today is Sammy the interviewing Toucan, a local bird who is excited to learn all about her cousins the robins today. Katie's website can be found at katiehesterman.com, and to plan a visit to the Indiana Young Readers Center go to www.in.gov/library/iyrc/

Today Matthew Graham joins us for our eighth episode of Off The Bricks! Listen in as Indiana's newest poet laureate discusses his poetry which explores the geography of home. Graham's poetry incorporates his travels to Ireland, and shares his love of music and language that conveys themes of home. Learn more about Graham at https://indianahumanities.org/protest-and-pandemic-matthew-graham-2.

Today Rosaleen Crowley joins us for our seventh episode of Off The Bricks! Listen in as we discuss Crowley's Irish roots and how the coastal regions of Ireland inspired her creation of a three-part poetry series. You can find Rosaleen's work in central Indiana book stores or by contacting her via email at rcrowley2136@att.net.

Today we welcome Shonda Buchanan as she joins us for the sixth episode of Off The Bricks! Listen in as Shonda discusses her tri-racial and tri-ethnic heritage and identity, a combination of African American, American Indian, and European-descendant families who migrated from North Carolina and Virginia in the mid-1700 to 1800s to Southwestern Michigan, and the poetry that she uses to honor and better understand them. Shonda's poetry, including her book Who's Afraid of Black Indians?, is available at https://shondabuchanan.com/books/ in addition to her other works. 

Today we welcome Carolyn Kreiter Foronda as she joins us for the fifth episode of Off The Bricks! Listen in as Carolyn discusses the world of Poets Laureate, and shares her nature-driven poetry! Be sure to check out Carolyn's website at www.carolynforonda.com to find her wonderful selection of poetry including her newest title, River Country: A Poem-PLay.

Today we welcome Rebecca Kai Dotlich as she joins us for the fourth episode of Off The Bricks! Listen in as Rebecca reads many of her original works which are geared for children of all ages! This episode is primarily poetry reading as Dotlich brings everyone, regardless of age, into the whimsical and detailed world of children’s poetry. You can find Mrs. Dotlich’s work on her website here. For ease of navigation, we have included the timestamps for each poem read in the episode. A Circle of Sun - 00:17 Race Car - 04:28 Riddle Poem (1) - 05:45 Riddle Poem (2) - 06:54 School Story - 08:00 Jump Rope Rhyme Poem - 09:32 Sea Skip - 10:09 Tucking in Song - 11:20 Whispers to the Wall  - 13:02 Firefly - 15:07 Fireworks - 16:02 Skyscraper - 17:08 Museum Farewell - 19:06

Today Eugene Gloria joins us for our second episode of Off The Bricks! Listen in as we discuss Gloria’s recent receipt of the Indiana Authors Award in Poetry and discuss how his Filipino heritage has informed his poetry. You can find Gloria’s work on his website and find his books that we discussed on the program, Sightseer in This Killer City, and My Favorite Warlord, on Barnes & Noble shelves.

Today Norbert Krapf joins us for our first episode of Off The Bricks! Listen in as we discuss writing poetry of place, and hear selected poems from Norbert's body of work. You can find Norbert's work on his website, and on his publisher's website, Dos Madres Press.

Our first episode will be released on September 17th and can be found on our website, www.brickstreetpoetry.org.

Welcome to Off The Bricks, poets and poetry lovers. This month, Joyce Brinkman and Katherine Heiss discuss options for poets to submit their original poetry to be read on future episodes.

Welcome to Off The Bricks, poets and poetry lovers! Joining us today is poet Gilbert Allen with his new book, Stanzas in America, published through Measure Press. The work is an exploration of events and culture in America and shows a heartfelt and authentic look into everyday life. You can learn more at measurepress.com/.

Welcome to Off The Bricks, poets and poetry lovers! This month, we feature Stephanie L. Harper. Harper is a neurodivergent (autistic & ADHD) poet, mother, and transplant from Oregon now living in Indiana with the world's most adorable husband, poet, Robert Okaji; cat, Lyra and puppy, Eleanor Rigby (Elly). In a former life, she earned her BA in English & German from Grinnell College, IA, and MA in German from the University of Wisconsin – Madison.Harper is the author of three chapbooks, including We Have Seen the Corn (Kelsay Books). Her poems appear in The Dodge, The Iowa Review, Neologism Poetry Journal, The Night Heron Barks, Pleiades, Salamander Magazine, Taos Journal of Poetry, Vox Populi, and elsewhere. You can find Harper's poetry for purchase at Kelsey Books, Amazon, and you can find her blog at slharperpoetry.com

Welcome to Off The Bricks, poets and poetry lovers! Today's guest is Karen Kovacik, Poet, Translator, and Professor Emerita at Indiana University Indianapolis. Kovacik's latest work Portable City is a layered exploration of her experience with nationality as a concept of self and a feature of travel. You can find her poetry for purchase at itascabooks.com Please join us next month, September 4th, for our next Poetry on Brick Street open mic night at the Sullivan Munce in Zionsville, Indiana!

Welcome to Off the Bricks, poets and poetry lovers. This month, we remember our dear colleague and treasured community member, Kevin McKelvey, who passed in late June. We have included his obituary in the link below. https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/indianapolis-in/kevin-mckelvey-12437780You can hear more of Kevin's work in episode 19 of Off The Bricks.

Welcome to Off The Bricks, poets and poetry lovers! Our guest this month is John Cardwell. John has had a long and complicated career that included public policy advocacy, research and writing, non-profit management, farming, construction, and academic assignments in Indiana and Nigeria.  His poetry has been greatly affected by those experiences and contemporary events.  He began writing poetry in 2009.  His work has appeared in various publications. His sixth book of poems, essays, and short stories is currently being edited.  He holds two degrees from Indiana University and has received various awards from the Indiana General Assembly and private associations for his public policy work and writing.

Welcome to Off the Bricks, poets and poetry lovers! This week, part two of our guest poet Donald Plat,t as interviewed by Joyce Brinkman. Donald Platt’s ninth book of poetry, Tender Voyeur, will be published by Grid Books in the fall. https://www.grid-books.org/donald-platt